Goodguys Missile Coming Together at RPM Hot Rods

Construction is moving at a rapid pace on the Goodguys 2012 Grand Prize Giveaway Car at RPM Hot Rods in Warrendale, PA. The project, based on Steve Stanford’s “Goodguys Missile” illustration, has made great strides in recent weeks.

Playing off the theme of Don Carlton’s legendary “Motown Missile” ’70 Challenger Pro Stock race car, the “Goodguys Missle” has a killer stance, the famed “Missile” paint scheme and even a narrowed hood scoop. Power will come from a 426 Mopar built by Indy Cylinder Heads. The transmission will be a Tremec 5 speed. The Roadster Shop chassis features their new front and rear suspension technology, coupled with Ridetech coilover’s and a big brake kit from Baer.

The car will be displayed in bare metal at the14th PPG Nationals, July 8-10 in Columbus, OH. Stop by for an up close look at next year’s Grand Prize Giveaway Car!

Vendor applications for select 2012 events now online!

Looking to reserve your vendor space at next year’s Goodguys events? Look no further! Next year’s vendor applications (for the first 4 events of the 2012 season) are now online! As each 2011 event is completed we’ll be adding the 2012 vendor applications so it’s easy to log on a reserve your space!

With the all new Goodguys vendor and sponsor website, it’s never been easier to log on and get the information you need. Simple click http://www.goodguyssalesinfo.com to see the many features and business opportunities that await you! Log on today!

18th Summer Get-Together Swap Meet Spaces up for Grabs!

Got some “stuff” you’d like to sell? The swap meet & car corral at the 18th Summer Get-Together June 4 & 5 at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds is THE place to buy or sell used auto parts, turn key car, memorobila and equipment!

Spaces are filling fast but we have plenty of room and prime spots still available! Signing up is easy! Visit www.ggswapmeets.com to register online, download a registration form and find lots fo helpful information such as set up times, gate entry information and more!

To register by phone call Andrew (925) 218-9114 or Edward (925) 218-9127. Go online or call today before all the good spots are taken!

Cruise with Goodguys This Summer!

Pack the luggage, fill the hot rod with gas, check the tire pressure and clean the windshield…Cruisin’ time is here! If you’re looking for an adventure of a lifetime, sign up for a Goodguys cruise this spring/summer!

Three big time cruises are happenin this year and you’re invited! Up first is the return of “Navigatin ‘ta Nashville!” The Nashville cruise has three departure points (Southern California, South Carolina and Northeast Tennessee) and promises to be full of good times! You’ll dig the Goodguys 6th Bridgestone Nationals too! Held in the heart of downtown Nashville at LP Field – attending the Nashville Nationals and taking a cruise if your ride is a great way to start your summer!

The always popular “Cruise to Columbus” is back this year which takes cruisers from the 20th Heartland Nationals in Des Moines over to Columbus for the biggest and best Goodguys event of the year – 14th PPG Nationals Nationals! If you’re looking for a cool fall adventure, join us for the “Cruise to Charlotte.” With two legs to depart from (Aiken, SC and Leland, NC), the Cruise to Charlotte is a great way to spend a few days hot roddin’ and cruisin’ in crisp fall weather!

All the information you’ll need , including tour leaders and their contact information as well as cruise maps are located here

Let Goodguys help you find the Cheapest Gas This Summer!

With the summer event season right around the corner we wanted to pass along this handy new web feature which enables you to find the cheapest gas in your local area or areas you’re traveling to! Welcome to the Goodguys Cheap Gas Finder!

Goodguys Cheap Gas Finder is a special addition to all of our event websites and is good for the entire U.S.! It allows users to search for the cheapest gas by city, state or zip code! It’s updated hourly and very easy to use! You will find the link to the cheap gas finder map under the “event info” tab on all 2011 Goodguys event websites.

When you open the link to the page, just type the city, state or zip you want to find cheap gas into the white search bar to the upper right of the screen.

Try it out by clicking here!

Washington State Passes Historic Classic Car Bill, Art & Craig Morrison Represent Hot Rodders at Ceremony!

OLYMPIA, WA – With Art & Craig Morrison representing our industry and looking on, Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire signed Senate Bill 5585 into law yesterday, further clarifying the licensing and registration of certain types of automobiles. Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood and devout auto hobbyist, sponsored the bill to modify the state’s vehicle-registration and -title laws.

(Photo: Art and Craig Morrison flank Senator Mike Carrell (R-Lakewood) – the sponsor of Senate Bill 5585 at the Capital in Olympia, Washington Tuesday, April 19th.)

SB 5585 will allow owners of classic cars, including kits and replicas, to license their vehicles using the same model-year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble. The bill also exempts street rods and custom cars from a range of standard-equipment requirements and emissions inspections. Carrell added that these custom cars are often purchased as a kit and assembled from the ground up by hobbyists.

“I couldn’t believe how important this bill had become to those in the hobby-car community,” Carrell said. “I’ve received dozens of e-mails, phone calls and letters – one from as far away as Paris, France – thanking me for sponsoring this bill. There’s a huge groundswell of support for this legislation, and as a car collector myself I’m very proud to have sponsored it.”

(Photo: Washington State Governor Gov. Christine Gregoire signs Senate Bill 5585 into law as the Morrsion’s look on. The historic bill takes effect Oct 1st.)

The Morrison’s had been close allies to Senator Carrell throughout the entire process of bringing the bill forward and exchanged many phone calls and e-mails over the last several months. “It was an honor to be part this system and to give back to the automotive enthusiasts of Washington State,” said Craig Morrison.

SB 5585 passed the Senate unanimously on Feb. 28, and passed the House of Representatives 95-1 on April 5. The bill takes effect Oct. 1.

In looking at this historic bill passing, it reads like a dream-come-true list for members of our rod & custom industry. With ongoing struggles surrounding titling and emissions in California (the birthplace of hot rodding) and other states, one can only hope that news of this SB5585 will spread to the men and women of local and national governments. Luckily, our friends at SEMA are constantly fighting for us and keeping us informed. Ultimately it is up to every one of us in the rod & custom industry to stay informed and fight for our rights.

A huge tip of the cap to Art & Craig Morrison for their efforts in helping get SB5585 passed into law!

Construction Finished at the Ranch – 14th Colorado Nationals will have a new look!

We’ve got some great news for those participating in this year’s 14th Colorado Nationals! All of the facility construction is complete and the entire facility is wide open, clean and freshly updated!

Last year’s event was a bit of a challenge with heavy construction equipment, roped off areas and some dust. All of that is gone this year with the completion of the First National Bank Exhibition Hall! The all new 36,000 square foot air conditioned building will house a bevy of exhibitors as well as the Goodguys Choice Product Giveaway booth, the main Goodguys merchandise booth, model car show and more! Rodders will delight with all the new parking that has opened up in front of and around the new building.

This year’s Colorado Nationals promises to be a blockbuster! Make sure you’re there! For more information, past photo galleries etc, visit www.coloradonats.com

Looking for Autocross Results?

Looking for Autocross results from the latest Goodguys event? You’re in luck! Over at the Goodguys Forum (www.goodguysforum.com), we’ll have complete results posted the Monday after the event!

Who won the Street Machine class or the Vendor class? Now you’ll know just a few short hours after the last car crosses the finish line! For a look at the results so far this season click here: http://tinyurl.com/4348k38

From “Pure Hell” and Back – Goodguys Racing Update!

The Goodguys Racing Pro Mod ’69 Camaro driven by Marc Meadors has a new look and a whole new attitude heading into the 2011 season. Following a major setback last fall in Sacramento when a freak accident in the staging lanes destroyed the car and injured Marc’s young son, the team has regrouped, reloaded and repainted the car. Better yet, 8 year old Grant Meadors is doing well, while still recovering from his injuries and is ready to watch his dad kick asphalt this year.

Those familiar with Northern California drag racing history will instantly recognize the Camaro’s new paint scheme. In honor of long time family friend and Drag Racing Hall of Fame inductee Rich Guasco, the Goodguys Racing Camaro sports the famed “Pure Hell” paint scheme with flames as well as the candy gold and burgundy hues that made the famous Fuel Altered a worldwide sensation. Guasco couldn’t be happier or more proud to see his colors heading into the Pro Mod Wars.

The engine combination has changed dramatically to match the car’s new look. A screw-type supercharger has been bolted to the potent 451 cubic inch Brand Anderson hemi. A Bruno drive and Bradco torque converter insures the new drive train can handle all that power. The goal is to run consistent 5-second passes at speeds over 240mph. “We want to run for the championship is any Pro Mod series we can this year,” Meadors said. “We’ve got the crew, the experience and now we’ve got all the best parts so we’re confident we can run right there with the best this season.”

The team sends a big shout out to all the folks that have helped the Goodguys Racing Team rebound….Red Line Oil, Darren Mayer from DMPE, Tim McAmis Race Cars, Bradco Engineering and Bunker Race Cars.

Update 4-19-2011:
The Goodguys Racing Team went to their first race of the season this past weekend in Las Vegas. Goodguys President Marc Meadors drove the colorful Camaro to the #2 qualifying slot with a 6.09 @ 237 and made it to the semi finals in the West Coast Outlaw Pro Mod class! Congrats to the entire team on a great debut!

Speedway Motors Show Rig Hits the Road

Speedway Motors is hitting the highway for an epic road trip in 2011! Watch for the custom Speedway Motors Show Rig at a Goodguys national event near you as they travel from coast to coast and border to border all season long.

Piloted by husband-and-wife team Gene and Starla Kalinowski, the 75-foot-long Speedway Show Rig is scheduled to appear at more than 25 major shows this year including 12 Goodguys events. The sleek black machine showcases a wide range of Speedway Motors products and vehicles, including a Signature Series ’32 roadster and one of several T-buckets. Visitors can check out the cars, parts and displays under the custom-designed 51×15-foot awning, or step inside the air-conditioned customer experience center to watch product videos, learn about our company history, or surf the Speedway web site. You can even earn cool freebies by telling us about your ride in an online survey on the rig.

Speedway Show Rig Specifications:
The Speedway Show Rig is 75 feet of awesome led by a long-hood, high-roof Volvo VNL64T sleeper tractor with a 500hp Detroit 60 diesel engine and a Fuller 13-speed transmission. Classy black paint and high-impact graphics by Revolution Wraps are set off by brilliantly polished aluminum wheels and oversized tires.

The 53-foot Featherlite stacker-style transporter has cargo room for three cars, 10 rolling product displays and a variety of promotional materials and product information. Dual slide-outs open up to create an interactive, climate-controlled customer experience center with four visitor work stations dispensing a wealth of information on Speedway Motors and its products.

About Speedway Motors
Founded in 1952, Speedway Motors, the official speed shop of Goodguys, is a worldwide leader in aftermarket performance parts, offering a wide range of products that make street rodding and racing safe, fun and affordable. Learn more by visiting www.SpeedwayMotors.com or calling 800.979.0122.

Moal Coachbuilders, Kenny Davis Added to Builder’s Choice Awards Program

Goodguys is proud to announce the addition of Moal Coachbuilders (www.moal.com) and Kenny Davis Hot Rods (www.kdhotrods.com) to the 2011 Builder’s Choice award program! Steve Moal and his staff will select 10 Builder’s Choice awards at the 25th West Coast Nationals this August in Pleasanton while Kenny Davis and his team will select 10 Builder’s Choice awards at the 19th Lone Star Nationals in Ft Worth, TX.

The special awards are customized and hand crafted, adding an air of prestige to any mantle. Each 2011 Goodguys national event will feature a Builder’s Choice parking area, to be staged on Saturday from 8am to noon. To be eligible for a Builder’s Choice award you must park in the Builder’s Choice parking area.

At eleven events this year, the Builder’s Choice awards will be selected by some of the Nation’s top builders, adding a unique air of prestige. Here’s a look at the 2011 National Events that will feature celebrity Builder’s Choice awards.

6th Bridgestone Nashville Nationals – May 20-22 – Nashville, TN – Bobby Alloway/Alloway’s Hot Rods
14th Colorado Nationals – June 3-5 – Loveland, CO – Eric Peratt/Pinkee’s Rod Shop
20th Heartland Nationals – July 1-3 – Des Moines, IA – Roger Burman/Lakeside Rods & Rides
14th Goodguys PPG Nationals – July 8-10 – Columbus, OH – Alan Johnson and Kurt Ukasik
24th Pacific Northwest Nationals – July 22-24 – Puyallup, WA – Art & Craig Morrison
5th PEAK Chicagoland Nationals – August 12-14 – Phil & Jeremy Gerber/The Roadster Shop
25th West Coast Nationals – August 26-28 – Moal Coachbuilders
10th Mid-Western Nationals – September 2-4 – Kansas City, KS – Dave Lane/Fastlane Rod Shop
1st WIX Filters Speedway Nationals – September 16-18 – Troy Trepainer/Rad Rides
19th Lonestar Nationals – Sept 30th-Oct 1 & 2- Kenny Davis Hot Rods
18th Southeastern Nationals – Oct. 28-30 – Charlotte, NC – Kyle & Stacy Tucker/Detroit Speed

Remember, each 2011 National Event will feature a Builder’s Choice parking area so no matter which one you attend, if you’re interested in receiving the event’s highest honor, make sure and get your ride parked in the Builder’s Choice area Saturday’s from 8am to noon!

Hot News Exclusive! Cleanair ’55 photo shoot!

With the 2011 Grand Prize Giveaway Car, Project CleanAir ’55 now on the road full time, we had a chance to get some beauty shots of the beautiful car! We turned photographer extraordinaire John Jackson loose on a Saturday night at the 1st Spring Lone Star Nationals and as you can see he didn’t disappoint!

Designed by Hermance and built by Ironworks Speed & Kustom with paint & body by Kenny Davis Hot Rods, Project CleanAir ’55 is powered by an emissions-legal 433 horsepower LS 3 E-Rod motor, rides on an Ironworks ’55 Chassis and features a Recovery Room stitched brown leather interior with a Kicker audio system. The vibrant red paint is courtesy of PPG.

For a complete look at all project sponsors and more click here.

Show Your Car Indoors at Puyallup this summer!

Goodguys is looking for some beautiful rods, customs, muscle cars, classics and vintage race cars for the indoor car show at this year’s 24th Pacific Northwest Nationals, July 22, 23 & 24 at the Puyallup Fair & Event Center! The Puayllup indoor car show will be held inside the spectacular “Showplex” building – the main exhibit building at the facility.

All indoor entries will receive an Award of Excellence, dash plaque and custom window cards for their participation! All indoor entries will also be eligible for all other event awards. Set up day will be Thursday, July 21st from NOON to 5pm. The vehicles will remain inside throughout the weekend once set up and will be moved out of the Showplex Building starting at 3pm, Sunday the 24th.

To reserve your spot indoors at Puyallup, please send an entry from and some photos of your car to:
Harry Daviess
C/O Goodguys
P.O.Box 9132
Pleasanton, CA 94566
Or via e-mail: harryd@good-guys.com

For more event information on the 24thPacific Northwest Nationals visit: http://www.pacificnorthwestnats.com

Advanced Plating to Host Nashville Nationals Kickoff Party!

After a one year hiatus due to the terrible flood of 2010, Goodguys and Advanced Plating have teamed up yet again to present the 6th Bridgestone Nashville Nationals Kickoff Party! The party is scheduled for Thursday, May 19th at the Advanced Plating facility in Nashville!

The kickoff party will run from 4-8pm and features plenty of hot rod parking, live music, barbecue dinner and plant tours! Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to tour one of the nation’s premier plating facilities, get some good eats and meet some genuinely nice people!

For a closer look at the Goodguys 6th Bridgestone Nashville Nationals visit www.nashvillenats.com

To see what’s happening at Advanced Plating, visit them online here: http://advancedplating.com/

Sanchez, Steve’s Auto Restorations take home Goodguys 2011 March Performance Street Rod d’Elegance crown in Del Mar

On a sun soaked Southern California day, Rancho Santa Fe’s Jeffrey Sanchez found himself basking in sweet victory inside the world famous Del Mar paddock as his hand built, all-steel 1933 Ford roadster was crowned the Goodguys 2011 March Performance Street Rod d’Elegance. The prestigious award is presented annually at the Goodguys Meguiar’s Del Mar Nationals. The five finalists for this year’s award were the finest we’ve seen in a long, long time. Rising above them all was Sanchez’s low slung steel beauty, hand crafted by Steve’s Auto Restorations in Portland, Oregon.

Designed by Chris Ito, Sanchez’ red and black roadster was slotted to be one of 24 concept steel roadsters to be produced by S.A.R. Plans changed, however, and only one steel body was ever produced. Every inch of the one-off roadster was completely hand formed and fabricated. The sleek body was formed by hand over wooden bucks that were translated from a full scale drawing. The hand built chassis with tubular cross-members consists of a simple dropped solid axle front suspension, but is actually much more complicated. The dropped axle is not a solid tube, but rather a split unit that allows the front wheels to articulate independently of each other. Each half of the axle is mated to a cantilevered push/pull rod that runs inside the frame rails to horizontally mounted coil-over shocks mounted beneath the passenger compartment. A Mustang Cobra IRS transfers the power, but does so through handmade upper and lower control arms with a cantilevered coil-over shock arrangement. Although a potent choice for motivation, the supercharged Mustang Cobra 4.6 liter engine created a packaging nightmare. The under-hood dilemmas were resolved by clever problem solving that resulted in stylish and symmetrical solutions that utilized every inch of usable space. The cutting edge rod was upholstered by Sid Chavers.

When his name was announced as the winner, Sanchez was simply stunned. “We honestly did not expect this,” he said. “I wasn’t prepared to be interviewed as the winner. Steve and his team have done an outstanding job with this car.” For the win, Sanchez received an anodized billet award for the mantle, a customized toolbox from Snap-on as well as travel accommodations to the 14th Southwest Nationals, November 18-20 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

We’ll have a full feature on the Sanchez roadster in a coming issue of the Goodguys Goodtimes Gazette. The runner up finalist’s for the Goodguys 2011 March Performance Street Rod d’Elegance included Ron Lee, South Pasadena, CA (1932 Ford roadster), Ken Reister, Littleton, CO (1933 Ford Coupe), Gary & Janice Williams, Granite Bay, CA (1936 Auburn) and Phillip Ray, Montara, CA (1933 Ford roadster).

Pozzi, Camaro Performers Win 4th Annual Editor’s Shootout AutoCross

Tire smoke, broken cars and lots of laughs highlighted the 4th annual Goodguys Editor’s Shootout AutoCross today at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. In all, 16 performance automotive editors battled it out on the tight course, turning in 3 laps in 3 different cars in an effort to record the best average time.

The cars donated for this year’s event included the Hotchkis Performance ’68 Plymouth Roadrunner, James Shipka’s Optima Batteries sponsored ’68 Camaro and the Ridetech ’68 Mustang. The first incident of the day happened on the very first lap when Goodguys Gazette editor Kirk Jones took out the finish line timing equipment in a full sideways drift in the Ridetech ‘Stang (his fist pumping hi in the air). The front trim sustained minor damage but nothing too serious. The real carnage happened midway through the competition when LSXtv.com’s Paul Huizenga literally smoked the clutch right out of Shipka’s Canada based ’68 Camaro leaving the starting line. Detroit Speed’s Stacey Tucker stepped up to donate their ’63 Chevy II but on its first lap, a rear sway bar failed. Kyle Tucker ran back to the rig and gathered up their ’70 Camaro to let the remaining editor’s finish out the Chevy laps (the competition mandated that each editor log a lap in a Chevy, Ford and a Mopar).

When the radiator’s stopped glowing and the clutch discs had stopped burning, it was Camaro Performers contributing columnist Mary Pozzi who won this year’s event with an average lap time of 34.205. Just two one hundredths of a second behind Pozzi was Car Craft’s Jeff Smith followed by last year’s winner Nick LiCata. Rounding out the top five was bangshift.com’s Chad Reynolds and Wes Drelleshak of Classic Trucks.

Pozzi, an 11-time solo national champion in SCCA Autocross competition, and writer of the the “One Good Turn” column was thrilled to win but was impressed with the times of her competitors. ‘I’ve attended all of these Editor’s Shootouts and this was by far the most competitive,” she said. “I’d like to thank the sponsors as well as the companies who donated their cars for this – it was a blast! I’d also like to thank Goodguys for holding the AutoCross events.. It gets people into the event a lot more than sitting in a lawn chair. This was great!”

The final times, comprised of each competitor’s 3 lap average are listed below. We’ll be back to do it again in 2012!

Goodguys 4th annual Editor’s Shootout AutoCross:

1. Mary Pozi, Camaro Performers – 34.205
2. Jeff Smith, Car Craft Craft – 34.245
3. Nick LiCata, Camaro Performers – 34.445
4. Chad Reynolds, Bangshift.com – 35.257
5. Wes Drelleshak, Classic Trucks – 35.728
6. Mark Gearhardt, StangTV – 36.007
7. Sean Haggai, Chevy Hi-Performance – 36.139
8. Johnny Hunkins, Popular Hot Rodding – 36.614
9. Doug Glad, Car Craft – 36.844
10. Kirk Jones, Goodguys Gazette – 36.852
11. Steven Rupp, Camaro Performers – 37.238
12. Robert McGaffin, Popular Hot Rodding – 37.915
13. Kevin Shaw, Street Legal TV – 40.298
14. Paul Huizenga, LSX TV — 41.434
15. Courtney Halowell, Drive! Magazine – 41.711
16. Travis Noack, Muscle Car Power – 47.401