The Big SHOW

Wow! John and Annika Buck have outdone themselves again. The 65th annual Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) was held at the Los Angeles County Fairplex in Pomona, California, Jan. 24-26. If you missed it, then you missed a fantastic car show. Although, it’s actually much more than a car show, it’s an EVENT. There is so much to see and do that it’s nearly impossible to take it all in. Building 4 hosts the America’s Most Beautiful Roadsters, or AMBR cars. They’re roadsters that literally take your breath away with their design and beauty. Nearby are the main sponsors, including all of the big names in car products. There’s also a Pinstripers Reunion. Experienced and novice pinstripers are invited to the GNRS every year and they’re a real crowd favorite. The pinstripers also hold an auction of their work and donate the proceeds to charity.

Special guests on hand included DJ Vick Slick, Ronald McDonald in his get-up, the Mountain Man of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, Gary Bryan, Bodie, Electric Grease, the Eliminators, DJ Axle, the Mighty Mojo Prophets and a special Sunday church service by the pastor himself, Uncle Joe Benson.

On Saturday, there was a special drive-in for roadsters and cars at a special price. It’s the perfect place to park your car, set up some lawn chairs and talk to the spectators. The cars are parked around the buildings at the Fairplex, and the activity takes place all around them.

John Ewald and other early drag racers were also on hand for a cacklefest. Spectators lined up to get into these old drag cars and have their picture taken. Then Ewald and the other racers lit up their cars so the fans could get a taste and whiff of nitro. With the show theme in mind, the Need for Speed building had a display of Gassers and other race cars that competed on drag strips and oval tracks. For children, and the child in us all, there was a model car contest. These small cars are every bit as beautiful as the big versions.

The Suede Palace was where the traditional hot rods and cars were parked. “Traditional” means “old style,” but it’s a term that can be broken up into all sorts of designations from cars that are painted and chromed to those that are just primered or even rusting. There’s no end to the creativity and imagination when artists working in metal and engines put their mind to projects. The Suede Palace also hosts the annual Pinup and Trophy Queen contest. These young ladies aren’t just pretty faces, they’re also sharp historians. Each chose an era that suited their personalities: ’30s Depression Era, ’40s Word War II, ’50s early Rockabilly or other interesting times. They study the designs, clothing, cars, housing, dances, furnishings, beauty trends and more. The young models love to talk to the old timers who lived during those years to learn as much as they can. The music in the Suede Palace is loud and rhythmic. The vendors are avant-gardes and their goods are edgy, but everyone’s friendly and happy to tell you about their lifestyle. On Sunday there was also a Polynesian show, and later in the day the awards ceremonies for the various contests.

But the hit of the event was the Century of Speed held in Building 9 where 80-plus land speed racers were on display with eager drivers and teams waiting to tell spectators all about their exciting sport. Every conceivable automotive and aerodynamic design was on display. Cars and motorcycles with everything from tiny to huge engines were there. The North American Eagle was so large that it couldn’t fit into the building. People who’d spent their entire life on the dry lakes of Southern California, at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah or on a number of paved racing courses around the country were on hand to tell their stories.

The GNRS annual hall of fame induction ceremony took place on Saturday, and this year the honorees were: Penny Pichette, Brian Brennan, Jim “Gonsel” Gonsalves and John Buck.  Penny was the organizer of West Coast Kustoms and a favorite choice among those who love car shows. Brian has been an editor for many years and a great supporter of automotive events, racing and car shows. Jim and his father have been around car shows since the ’40s and his father was one of the judges at the first GNRS, held in Oakland, California. John and his wife Annika purchased the GNRS a few years after it had moved south to its present location in Pomona. While other owners had improved on the first GNRS, John and Annika expanded the event to what it is today.

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