Weekend Rewind! Goodguys 2nd Grundy Collector Car Insurance Great American Nationals
Northeast hot rodders and car enthusiasts got a full dose of Goodguys Good Times this weekend as the 2nd Grundy Collector Car Insurance Great American Nationals brought three days of four-wheeled merriment to York, Pennsylvania! It took us two years to make it back to the historic York Expo Center, but we made up for lost time with a fantastic weekend filled with fine rides from throughout the region.
Despite questionable forecasts and the effects of tropical storms in the Atlantic, we got in plenty of sun and fun throughout our time in York. Thursday was picture perfect as we enjoyed a laid-back Hot Rod Cruise and a fantastic Kickoff Party hosted by Winters Performance, while Friday proved to be comfortably overcast once we got a few morning showers out of the way.
The sun shined brightly nearly all day on Saturday, bringing the most out of the colorful rides and classic chrome sprinkled throughout the fairgrounds. This is a region of hardcore hot rodders and there was plenty of traditional early iron, plus a fantastic selection of ’50s and ’60s cruisers, muscle cars, classic trucks, and more. We even had an extra-strong contingent of ground-pounding old-school pro street machines!
The Creative Rod & Custom shop trailer was front and center on the show grounds, giving owner Mark Giambalvo a great vantage point for watching the rides so he could select his Builder’s Choice Top 10. He mixed a wide range of cars and trucks into his choices, putting together a lineup that included everything from classic street rods and ’50s cruisers, to ’60s street machines and pro-touring performers. Here’s a look at what caught his eye.
Several Meguiar’s Top 12 Of the Year finalist selections were made in York, as well. Chris Ryan’s silver bullet ’78 Trans Am captured the Griot’s Garage Muscle Machine of the Year finalist nod, Scott Chalk’s 409-powered ’62 Bel Air – which had its restoration completed just a day before the event – took home the Billet Specialties Muscle Car of the Year finalist spot, and Brad Swaney’s big block-powered ’71 Chevy C10 claimed the LMC Truck of the Year Late finalist spot. We also selected Mark Giambalvo’s ’68 C10 as the Chevrolet Performance GM Iron Builder of the Year finalist, and a ’32 Ford built by Zac Love for the Chevrolet Performance GM Retro Iron Builder of the Year finalist.
It was a good weekend for C10 trucks, as the Goodguys media team selected another one, Howard Smith’s ’67 GMC, for the Goodguys Feature Pick. The Fuel Curve Pick went to Mike Chronister’s survivor ’70s-style ’69 Camaro.
The Goodguys CPP AutoCross track saw plenty of action through the weekend. Regional racers were hitting it hard in a quest to earn class champion honors and compete in Saturday’s Steel Shootout presented by Speedway Motors. It was a Corvette battle in the PRO class, with Ron Scott Jr. winning the class in his ’63, but Bob Bertelsen hot on his heels in his Green Mamba ’68 ’Vette. The two met again in the shootout final, where Bertelsen’s cone penalties helped Scott earn the double-up win. Goodguys regular Bill Graves Sr. pulled off a similar double-up trick in the Forgeline Street Machine class, claiming the class victory and topping Richard Giesey’s Camaro in the shootout final. Craig Dolan won the LMC Truck class, while Chris Shallcross claimed victory in the FiTech Challenger class. Shallcross did not compete in the shootout, though, which led to a Dolan facing off against Sam Matchett’s Studebaker sedan in the final round, where Dolan’s patina’d ’54 Chevy pickup claimed the win.
There were a wide range of activities and attractions to keep gearheads occupied and engaged throughout the event weekend, from the Swap Meet and Cars 4 Sale Corral, to the expansive indoor car show and vendor midway. On top of that, we had a Goodgals Gallery with crafts and wares, kids’ activities, a model car Make ’n Take, model car show, Meguiar’s All American Sunday, plus three ground-shaking Nitro Thunderfest exhibitions, which included a pair of Bruce Larson’s USA-1 Funny Cars. Add in a smokin’ Burnout Competition, live music, and hotel parties both Friday and Saturday night, and you had an immersive few days of automotive fun.
Right-coast rodders know how to have fun with cars, and they had a great opportunity during the Grundy Collector Car Insurance Great American Nationals. Even as showers dampened the Sunday festivities, we still had hearty enthusiasts rolling in to take part in the event. We’re excited to continue building the Goodguys presence in the Northeast and look forward to seeing you all again next year!
