65th Annual "Grand National Roadster Show"

   The 65th annual Grand National Roadster Show was held at the Pomona Fairplex this past weekend, January 24-26, 2014.  The Fairplex is the perfect place for a show of this magnitude with it's eight buildings and beautiful outside grounds.
   Building 3 was home to some of the most famous race cars ever to roll down the quarter mile. Gassers, slingshot dragsters and the like we're displayed by their current owners with memorabilia, trophies and all sorts of items from times past. Then there was Building 9 which housed "A Century of Speed." You could walk through the building and just feel the speed that was on display including some of the fastest machinery ever to grace the Bonneville salt. As I browsed through this display I was in awe of some of the best engineering I have ever seen, and some of it was done in backyard garages across America.
   In Building 5 you could find customs built by some of the most famous customizers of all time. While strolling through and studying some of the beautiful machines, I was able to introduce my son Tyler to one of the Greats, my friend Gene Winfield.
   Building 6 housed some of the coolest bikes ever seen and was home to the "America's Most Beautiful Motorcycle" trophy. Buildings 7 & 8 were filled with some of the finest Hot Rods, Street Rods, and Custom Cars from all over the country and a few foreigners. One of my most enjoyable displays of the weekend were the "Lowriders." Several different clubs including the "Elite" club and "Lifestyle Customs" had numerous cars on display with some of the best paint and craftsmanship you will see on any vehicle. My hat is off to those guys. Keep up the great work.
   Then there was the main hall, Building 4, home to the "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" competition. I could have spent a whole day, and probably did, just browsing this building. Some of the best Hot Rod Shops in the country were on hand including Roy Brizio Street Rods, Alloways Hot Rod Shop, Limeworks Street Rods, and Walden's Hot Rods just to name a few. George Poteet had his new '34 Ford Coupe built by Dave Lane on display and it just may be the best Hot Rod Coupe ever built. Tom Prufer had two Deuce Coupes he built there, the black one and the red one, both with Rod Powell flames of course. That leaves the namesake of the event. The display of roadsters all vying for the title "America's Most Beautiful Roadster." There was plenty of competition but you really didn't need but one pass through to realize which one would win the title. Wes Rydell had the most beautiful '35 Chevrolet Phaeton built by Troy Trepanier of Rad Rods by Troy. It was hands down the nicest and best assembled car there, as are all of Troy's builds.
   As we were leaving the show I couldn't help but start planning our trip to the 66th show in January of 2015. I know it will be a great one as I am already aware of some of the competition we will see next year. Can't wait...

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