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14th Annual Goodguys Columbus Nationals - Kickin’ It In ColumbusThe PHR Street Machine Autocross and the Street Machine of the Year made the 14th Annual Goodguys Nationals a screamin’ good time From the November, 2011 issue of Popular Hot Rodding By Johnny Hunkins • Photography by Robert McGaffin
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Michael Merritt blazes the... Michael Merritt blazes the cones in his Art Morrison-chassis ’67 Mustang GT500. The Goodguys Rod & Custom Association knows how to throw a hot rod party, and the Goodguys Nationals in Columbus is the granddaddy of them all. We can’t say for sure what makes the Ohio Expo Center an epicenter for all things high octane; maybe it’s the physical proximity to the greatest selection of muscle cars on the planet (that being the heart of the Midwest), or maybe it’s just the sheer size of the place, but hot rodders and spectators come from all over the country just to make the scene. Cars vying for a spot in the... Cars vying for a spot in the Street Machine of the Year (SMOY) competition not only have to be chosen by a jury of pro builders to even be considered, they also have to compete in the autocross. Here Bruce Paul (Tampa, Florida) runs his tangerine orange ’68 Camaro through the course. Walk through the car show and your senses are assaulted by the color, creativity, power, and energy of the place. The pungent odors of oil, gas, and burning rubber mix joyously with deep-fried funnel cakes, barbecued turkey legs, and burgers on the grill. A phalanx of car builders, speed vendors, and hot rodders mix and converge in a random car orgy that spans a three-day weekend following the Fourth of July holiday. Even Congress got involved, naming the Friday kicking off the event as National Collector Car Appreciation Day. Our interests, however, were focused on two activities: the PHR Street Machine Autocross (Columbus was one of five autocrosses sponsored by the mag that awards a custom jacket to the winner of each), and the annual Street Machine of the Year competition, sponsored by Optima Batteries. As it so happens, both of these activities merge at the autocross course where regular guys, vendors, car builders, and pro racers square off against each other in sometimes lopsided battles. It’s all in good fun, and rest assured that if you’re singled out for a friendly ribbing from autocross announcer Chad Reynolds, you’re in fine company.
" The pungent odors of oil, gas, and burning rubber mix joyously with deep-fried funnel cakes, barbecued turkey legs, and burgers on the grill. "
Phil Gerber of the Roadster... Phil Gerber of the Roadster Shop roasts the tires on the Innovator ’67 Nova coming out of the “kidney bean.” The Nova made the Top 5 finalists for the coveted SMOY award, then won the whole shooting match, thanks to a 35.300-second lap on the autocross. Noteworthy is the fact that many of the industry’s top suspension, tire, steering, and brake vendors are present, and indeed participating with their own cars or those of their customers. In a matter of speaking, this separates the men from the boys; if a company takes its goods on the road to the Goodguys autocross, you can bet they are exposing their products to the most extreme public scrutiny. For PHR readers with a competition bent, this is good news. Go to the Goodguys autocross, and you’re sure to find a wealth of practical experience for your steed, not to mention great on-site support. The PHR Street Machine Autocross moves next to the Speedway Nationals at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 16 - 18. (Yep, you read right: street machines at the brickyard!) Then, it’s on to the season finale at the Fall Nationals in Del Mar, California, on November 25 - 27. Make sure you hit us up for all the action! In the meantime, head over to PopularHotRodding.com to see the Columbus photo extravaganza; we’ve got tons of extra photos!
" …rest assured that if you’re singled out for a friendly ribbing from autocross announcer Chad Reynolds, you’re in fine company. "
 Rad Rides By Troy displayed...  Rad Rides By Troy displayed this incredible intercooled, twin-turbo EFI Buick nailhead that they are preparing for customer Mark Wilman’s ’56 Buick. To see more on the car, click on www.RadRides.com and head over to the “project cars” section. We’ll be bringing you more on the finished project.  Don’t laugh, because this...  Don’t laugh, because this ’49 Caddy will flat-out clean your clock. Hayden Groendyke’s Cadillac packs an LS9 and an Art Morrison three-link suspension. What makes it even cooler? When new, it ran the La Carrera Panamericana, then did it again in 2010 with modern running gear!  Tom Cronkright wasn’t kidding...  Tom Cronkright wasn’t kidding when he said he was going to beat the snot out of his twin-turbo Pontiac-powered ’70 Firebird (Sept. ’11). We were somewhat miffed that Cronkright’s Poncho didn’t garner a Top 5 SMOY finish, but then again, he didn’t build it to collect trophies.  Royce Glader’s “Smokin’ Oats”...  Royce Glader’s “Smokin’ Oats” ’66 Mustang might look stock at a glance, but there are too many subtle improvements to mention. Much like George Poteet’s ’66 Malibu 300 we saw last year, Glader’s Mustang (built by Pinkee’s Rod Shop) is so subtle that only cognoscenti can point out most of the differences. It’s too bad that low-key mods are not as valued by judges, and this is a great example of yet another car that wasn’t on the radar screen. You’ll see more on this killer ’Stang soon!  Back at the car show we found...  Back at the car show we found a couple of hillbillies in the middle of a moonshine drinkin’ contest. Right around that time, our union-guaranteed 15-minute break kicked in …  Just because a car isn’t setup...  Just because a car isn’t setup for autocross doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. On the contrary, it’s usually more fun, albeit not as fast. Such was the case with Joel Bernbaum’s ’57 Chevy Bel Air, which sports a 632ci Merlin and a Heidts suspension. The Midwest Hot Rods-built Tri-Five combines cool elements of both Pro Street and Pro Touring.  In the air-conditioned vendor...  In the air-conditioned vendor building, we met Brian Buckley of Maval Manufacturing. He showed us the company’s new midyear Corvette power rack-and-pinion setup. If you want your ’63-67 Corvette to handle like a modern car, this is your ticket.  Royce Glader’s “Smokin’ Oats”...  Royce Glader’s “Smokin’ Oats” ’66 Mustang might look stock at a glance, but there are too many subtle improvements to mention. Much like George Poteet’s ’66 Malibu 300 we saw last year, Glader’s Mustang (built by Pinkee’s Rod Shop) is so subtle that only cognoscenti can point out most of the differences. It’s too bad that low-key mods are not as valued by judges, and this is a great example of yet another car that wasn’t on the radar screen. You’ll see more on this killer ’Stang soon! The back end of Ryan Sullivan’s ’66 Chevelle is the view most people see of this immaculate 562ci big-block. Sullivan says it makes 635 hp to the rear tires. Translation: He’s showing a lot of restrain here!  Steve Strope of Pure Vision...  Steve Strope of Pure Vision builds some of the coolest cars around, and Matt Lazich’s “Anvil” ’69 Mustang was no exception. Powered by a 520ci Kaase Boss ’9 Hemi with 805 hp, the Anvil’s pushrod cantilever suspension had its work cut out for it. The rims are one-off Gurney Eagle style built by EVOD.  At the Trick Flow booth, David...  At the Trick Flow booth, David Canfield showed us TFS’s new “Clevor” engine goodies, which allow the regular guy to build a classic Cleveland-headed small-block Ford with affordable bolt-on stuff. TFS sells everything you need for the job—rotating assembly, heads, cam, valvetrain, manifold, valve covers, and even a trick cooling system adapter to make it all compatible with a Windsor block!  A ’71 Mustang is a tough body...  A ’71 Mustang is a tough body style to start with, and most guys get it wrong when they start slicing up sheetmetal on one. The guys at Goolsby Customs in Concord, Alabama, however, got it perfect. You can’t see it from here, but the back and roofline is totally reworked with a Pantera theme. We also love the 5.0L Coyote power under the hood! We’ll be taking a closer look at this one with a full feature down the line.  Dan Ballard is just a regular...  Dan Ballard is just a regular guy, but he brought his homebuilt “survivor” ’72 Nova and placed 25th in the autocross. Beneath the original paint is an LT1 with a T56 trans, DSE control arms, RideTech AirBar rear suspension, and stock C5 brakes. Ballard was having every bit as much fun as the big-dollar guys, and he finished ahead of most of them too!  PHR Street Machine Autocross...  PHR Street Machine Autocross Winner Mike Maier almost didn’t make the long trip out to Columbus from Hayward, California, but you can believe he’s glad he did now. Maier’s ’66 Mustang had the PHR Street Machine autocross on fire, and his best lap of 32.304 earned him the PHR winner’s jacket. Maier’s Mustang has a suspension of his own design (Maier Racing) and packs an ex-Nationwide Roush/Yates motor with over 800 hp and a C&R four-speed transmission. Although not technically a street machine anymore—a full-on race car like Maier’s is what it now takes to play at this level.  Street Machine of the Year...  Street Machine of the Year The biggest allure of Columbus Goodguys is the crowning of the annual Street Machine of the Year. Historically, the SMOY winner’s circle has been populated by Pro Street cars, and later by pristine Pro Touring machines that were little more than eye candy. That, however, has changed now that Goodguys has installed a policy that all SMOY competitors must run through the autocross—and you better not take it easy either. In just a few short years, that small difference has had a huge impact on how the country’s top g-Machines have been built. This year’s SMOY award went to the Roadster Shop for Alex Covington’s “Innovator” ’67 Nova. The Roadster Shop’s Phil Gerber piloted Covington’s LSX-powered Innovator through the autocross to a best lap of 35.300 seconds, making it 17th fastest out of a field of 70 Street Machines that contained many pure race cars. Congratulations are also in order for the other four SMOY finalists: Joe Brown (Lafayette, Louisiana; ’67 Mustang), Gerry Kerna (Cranb
| Goodguys Columbus Results PHR Street Machine Autocross |
| Position/Driver: |
Car: |
Best lap: |
| 1. Mike Maier |
’66 Ford Mustang |
32.304 |
| 2. Mary Pozzi |
’72 Chevy Camaro |
32.595 |
| 3. Mark Rife |
’63 Chevy Corvette |
32.750 |
| 4. Mark Stielow |
’69 Chevy Camaro |
33.081 |
| 5. Kyle Tucker |
’65 Chevy Chevelle |
33.252 |
| 6. Brian Finch |
’71 Chevy Camaro |
33.571 |
| 7. Chris Jacobs |
’66 Chevy Chevelle |
33.886 |
| 8. Billy Utley |
’72 Chevy Nova |
34.054 |
| 9. Tim Slager |
’67 Chevy Camaro |
34.473 |
| 10. Roger Burman |
’70 Chevy Camaro |
34.481 |
| 11. Mark Turner |
’66 Chevy Corvette |
34.531 |
| 12. Bob Bertelsen |
’72 Pontiac |
34.702 |
| 13. Brad Granger |
’67 Chevy Camaro |
34.870 |
| 14. Ken Edwards |
’66 Ford Mustang |
35.067 |
| 15. John Kundrat |
’64 Chevy Corvette |
35.215 |
| 16. Tom Cronkright* |
’70 Pontiac Trans Am |
35.265 |
| 17. Alex Covington* |
’67 Chevy II |
35.300 |
| 18. Michael Merritt |
’67 Ford Mustang |
35.740 |
| 19. Jim McDaniel* |
’55 Chevy Bel Air |
35.784 |
| 20. Karen Lisinger |
’67 Chevy Camaro |
35.904 |
| 21. Gerry Kema* |
’62 Chevy II |
36.054 |
| 22. Al Noe |
’67 Chevy Camaro |
36.072 |
| 23. Kali Arrington |
’72 Dodge Challenger |
36.413 |
| 24. Kurt Anderson* |
’59 Chevy Corvette |
36.533 |
| 25. Dan Ballard |
’72 Chevy Nova |
36.981 |
| 26. Matt Lazich* |
’69 Ford Mustang |
37.137 |
| 27. Alex Stoner* |
’70 Ford Mustang |
37.173 |
| 28. AJ Sharp |
’68 Chevy Camaro |
37.311 |
| 29. Albert Melchior |
’72 Pontiac Trans Am |
37.331 |
| 30. Erich Bollman* |
’69 Ford Mustang |
37.363 |
| 31. Tim McGilton |
’69 Chevy Camaro |
37.398 |
| 32. Mike Cornelus |
’69 Chevy Camaro |
37.825 |
| 33. Ryan Sullivan* |
’66 Chevy Chevelle |
37.881 |
| 34. Bill Donges |
’65 Ford Cobra |
37.952 |
| 35. Murray Pfaff* |
’59 Chrysler Imperial |
38.043 |
| 36. Mark Pecikonis* |
’68 Camaro convertible |
38.076 |
| 37. Jason Stritesky |
’65 Chevy Chevelle |
38.094 |
| 38. David Mastrota |
’67 Pontiac |
38.152 |
| 39. Debbie Farrington |
’64 Chevelle wagon |
38.377 |
| 40. Scott Barker |
’66 Ford Mustang |
38.502 |
| 41. Roger Minyard |
’67 Chevy Nova |
38.672 |
| 42. Randy Leibrock |
’66 Chevy Corvette |
38.753 |
| 43. Steve South |
’70 Buick |
38.802 |
| 44. Carlo Rizzo |
’70 Chevy Chevelle |
39.120 |
| 45. Bill Bouziden |
’63 Chevy Corvette |
39.216 |
| 46. Michael Myer |
’63 Studebaker Avanti |
39.242 |
| 47. Tom Rigg |
’61 Chevy Corvette |
39.458 |
| 48. Mie King |
’72 Chevy Camaro |
39.466 |
| 49. Hans Drop |
’70 Chevy Camaro |
39.487 |
| 50. Royce Glader* |
’66 Ford Mustang |
39.530 |
| 51. George Poteet* |
’62 Ford Falcon |
39.553 |
| 52. James Jackson* |
’68 Camaro convertible |
39.908 |
| 53. Todd Foust* |
’65 Ford Mustang |
39.970 |
| 54. Joe Brown* |
’67 Ford Mustang |
40.214 |
| 55. Bruce Paul* |
’68 Chevy Camaro |
41.001 |
| 56. Don Figliozzi* |
’61 Buick |
41.264 |
| 57. William Shores* |
’71 Ford Mustang |
41.589 |
| 58. Dan Chaplin* |
’67 Chevy Camaro |
41.749 |
| 59. Mark Giangreco* |
’57 Ford Thunderbird |
42.203 |
| 60. Harold Carter |
’67 Chevy Camaro |
45.549 |
| 61. David Hart |
’69 Plymouth |
46.304 |
| 62. Doyle Thomas* |
’63 Rambler |
46.393 |
| 63. Joel Bernbaum* |
’57 Chevy Bel Air |
52.426 |
Goodguys Rod & Custom Association
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