It's official. The Goodguys Hot Rod Nationals is a Street Rod show. That's not to say that we didn't find plenty of cool street machines, pre-'64 of course, but the Who's Who in the pre-'49 rod business has unofficially chosen Indianapolis Raceway Park as its spot to debut new cars and make a buzz about whatever it is that's up-and-coming. We're plenty cool with that, as it helps the Goodguys Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, stand out as a show that the younger crowd can really get into. With the Des Moines event between Indy and Columbus, the custom guys have found their niche event on the Goodguys event calendar, too.
This standout event is as much fun as the town--forget Daytona. Some say Indy is the true racing capital of the world! Everyone in the racing business that's based in Indianapolis makes a point of getting the day off (That is, if they aren't racing somewhere else.) and taking advantage of the only chance they'll get to see some of the best rods in the country.
Enthusiasts drive thousands of miles to see the roadster debuts, Nostalgia Drag Racing action, and to take in some of the best nightlife in the Midwest. At a time when many say that racing and rodding don't mix, we look around at the packed grandstands at IRP and say, "Take that!" The over 5,000 entries and more than 50,000 spectators prove the point that this event is the true "opening round" of the outdoor show season.
Gerry Steiner was the first to admit that he lucked his way into the final round (getting in on the "break" rule set up to ensure that the fans see solid racing). However, running all-time best e.t.s and getting into the elite 5-second zone more than once proves that his drive all the way from San Jose, California, was worth the trip. Gerry and family were even spotted vacationing at the NHRA Columbus national event a week later. Now that's making an extended weekend out of it! | 
Goodguys Indy isn't just for the Top Fuel cars. All sorts of exhibition cars and index categories duke it out throughout the weekend down the famed--read notorious--IRP blacktop. This original Sox & Martin car brought back drag racing's glory era for doorslammer fans. | 
Gerald Yates made the trek from Baytown, Texas, with his '40 Ford two-door sedan, powered by a big-block Chevy and run through a Doug Nash five-speed. With the Moon caps and smooth styling, we were fans of this retro entry. |
Bobby Lowe's '59 Chevy made the Goodguys year cutoff with a few to spare. Getting its juice from a stroked small-block, Lowe's Springfield, Missouri, based-car was a great example of the restified rides on the grounds. | 
Talk about a dramatic angle on a street rod. Those 20s have never looked bigger than on Vern Rempfer's Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based '37 Ford. It's powered by a GM Performance Parts 502 crate motor and a TH400 tranny, so it'll have no problem pulling that big tire. | 
No one can doubt that wagons and Nomads are here to stay. They're literally everywhere at the shows! Carol and Wade Hughes drove up from Cincinnati, Ohio, to show off their '64 Nomad. |
Scott Parks made the trip from Burlingame, Kansas, to make history. What history? He picked up his third consecutive Hot Rod Nationals title in the Jr. Fuel drag racing category. Many feel that these cars are the most "tech-able" in all of drag racing, since you can run it as a bracket car, in NHRA's Competition Eliminator, and in Goodguys Jr. Fuel, a heads-up category. We'll have Mendy Frye's trick version of this on our pages in upcoming months. | 
We predict that up-and-coming builder Neil Lea, from Centre, Alabama, is a no-brainer for the Street Machine of the Year final five. This big-block powered '55 Chevy has both the front and rear configuration from a C5 Corvette, including the transaxle and torque tube! Look for a PHR feature on it in the near future. | 
The full-bodied dragsters of the past fit in just right in Goodguys Nostalgia Eliminator class. This 7.50-index category allows the cars to run within their means on a low budget while showing off the "flexi-flier" characteristics that made them famous. Rich Raymond towed out to Indy from Knights Landing, California, to show off his example. |
Berry Penfound is wowing the custom rod fans with what he calls "LoSabre," a '59 Buick with more than enough style. This Elyria, Ohio, car features a 364 nailhead and some of the smoothest body mods that we've seen this side of a Rick Dore ride. | | |