Bringing Back Memories: The Grand National Roadster Show
Growing up back in Virginia with a father who painted graphics on cars as a side business to keep our family fed, I didn't exactly get into sports cars right away. I grew up with Hot Rod Magazine, Car Craft, Airbursh Action, and many more publications that went into great detail on how to make a hot rod or custom car look cool with a killer pin stripe, air bush detail, or even by using tricks in the clear coat.
So, when my radio partner, Kerryann, asked if I wanted to go to the Grand National Roadster Show at the Pomona Fairplex memories of a somewhat birthday tradition came to mind; the Asphalt Angels Rods and Customs Show. I hadn't done a hot rod show since moving to California to chase this dream of becoming a full time writer so I was pretty excited to go again.
I've covered car shows before for MotoIQ and I know that a Roadster show isn't the norm. However, this is one that I can not only better relate to but one I think everyone here can to. I'm not really going to cover this show like I have others previously, instead I'm going to show some of the more interesting things I got to see and kind of relive the past.
The Grand National Roadster Show, for those who don't know, is the place where one car will be judged “America's Most Beautiful Roadster”. That's actually a kind of loose category as not just roadsters, or two seat cars with a roof removed basically, have been declared winners in the past. I'm projecting ahead here but just keep that in mind. Cars come from many parts of the US to compete and many car clubs fund one of their own to make it out to this ultimate show of hot rods and customs.
So, I guess I'll start there: the car clubs and their unique spin on their particular genre of hot rods and roadsters. From unique names to keeping with a theme; hot rod clubs are fairly unique and bring a style of their own.
Clubs range from cars that rock the rat rod look to cars that are clean and still nearly daily driven to trailered show queens. It was a great mix of the cultures and types of cars the scene brings out.
Even the signs were unique to each club and in many cases even each chapter.
