Good Guys Car Show-March 2015

Good Guys Car Show-March 2015

Goodguys 33rd All American Get-Together

Hot Rods, Customs, Classics & Full Throttle Fun

at the Alameda County Fairgrounds,

  Saturday & Sunday, March 28 & 29, 2015

ABOVE: Cars, cars, cars!!! That’s what the Goodguys are all about!

GOOD GUYS COME TO PLEASANTON
Pleasanton, CA–The stage was set for another season of Full Throttle Fun in the Bay Area!! Goodguys Rod & Custom Association kicked off the car show season with the 33rd All American Get-Together bringing together over 3,000 candy colored and chromed hot rods, customs, classics, muscle cars, trucks of all years American made and powered vehicles for two action-packed days of true American car show fun. This event officially ends the “off season” for hot rodders all over California and has become one of the “must attend” events on the Goodguys schedule.

ABOVE: Mopars were well-represented at the show.

GOODGUYS ORIGINS
Goodguys events originated back in 1983, when official car nut Gary Meadors founded Goodguys back in the spring of ‘83 as a way to get car people and hot rod aficionados like him together to show off their cars, trade ideas, listen to some live music and have a little fun. The vision behind the Goodguys events was simple: to welcome all genres of American car enthusiasts with a lean towards V8 powered, low-to-the-ground eye catchers like hot rods from the 30s & 40s, lead sled customs from the 50s, Muscle Cars from the 70s as well as the new breed of American Muscle like 5.0 GT Mustangs, Z28 Camaros, Chargers, Challengers and everything in between. What stated over 30 years ago is now a strong, 21-event series that allows car guys to meet and hang out with car guys. The spirit of hot rodding is alive and well at the Goodguys events for sure in the generations of cars on display.

ABOVE: Mustangs, Mustangs and more Mustangs.

GOODGUYS A CAR-LOVERS DREAM
At the 33rd All American Get-Together in Pleasanton, fans got a close up glimpse of just how eclectic the modern day hot rodding scene is though in spirit – the Goodguys core message is unchanged after over 30 years – having fun with cars. Acres of American made and powered hot rods, customs, classics, trucks g-machines and more glistening with candy colors sprawled through the scenic Alameda County Fairgrounds. It was a trip back in time for many. The sight of all of those cars in one place is a car lover’s utopia!

ABOVE: Check out this row of early-50’s Chevys.

GOODGUYS INDOOR SHOW
One of the highlights of the event is the amazing display of the indoor custom car show and the competitors for the Custom of the Year award. The Custom of the Year award, open to vehicles ’36 to ’72, allows for all styles & genres, from traditional to modern to radical. This year’s competition was stout and features automotive creations that show that the genius that exists in the automotive customizing world today. John D’Agostino, Famous designer and American car builder from Discovery Bay, CA, will showcase two entries, Pantheon, a 1968 Buick Riviera Coupe Resto Mod, and Elvis III, a stunning ’59 Cadillac built by Italian builders, Celebrity Customs.

ABOVE: The indoor portion of the Goodguys Car Show had some of the wildest, most creative, and highest-quality customs and classics in the show.

BELOW: The local Corvette club showed up in force, as usual.


Goodguys Autocross Racing:
Unsers Race at Good Guys Show!

ABOVE: Robby Unser waits at the starting gate in his ’65 Nova autocrosser.

UNSER BOYS AUTOCROSS AT THE GOODGUYS
Pleasanton, CA – Two- time Indy 500 Winner, Al Unser, Jr and Robby Unser, 9 time winner of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, raced for Team Speedway in the Pro Class of the Goodguys AutoCross series at the Goodguys 33rd All American Get-Together, March 28 & 29. Both Team Speedway drivers wheeled the Team Speedway G-Comp ’65 Nova in the competition at the Scottsdale event as well as other events throughout the Goodguys season. Team Speedway, sponsored by Speedway Motors, Lincoln, NE is a long- time partner of Goodguys events and a company whose roots are based in racing.

ABOVE: Robby Unser power-slides around this tight left-hander with a smoothness that earned him a time of 61 seconds flat.

UNSER A RACING DYNASTY
Al Unser, Jr was born into a racing family. By the age of 11, Al Junior was racing sprint cars. After high school, he was already in the World of Outlaws series of sprint car racing. He soon moved into road racing, winning the Super Vee title in 1982 and the Can-Am Title in 1982. Al, as his family had before him, moved into Indy Racing and won the Indy 500 in 1992 and 1994 and was a two time overall points champion. Al Jr. has been hailed as one of the most dynamic and successful drivers in American auto racing. With speed in his blood and seeing the work that Robby had started with Team Speedway, Al was quick to join and start competing with and against his cousin. The duo will bring back the old family track tradition of Unser vs Unser.

ABOVE: Robby Unser (right) takes a few minutes to talk to me (Andy, left) in the pit area. He’s a nice guy, was generous with his time with me, and it totally committed to racing. That’s the hot little ’65 Nova he was just driving, by the way.

ROBBY UNSER A CHAMPION IN HIS OWN RIGHT
Robby Unser, like his cousin Al Jr., hails from one of America’s most storied racing families. The youngest son of Indianapolis 500 Champion, Bobby Unser, and nephew of Al Unser (another Indy 500 winner), Robby began racing go-karts at age 8 and by his teens was racing stock cars, sprint cars and Formula Fords. In 1989, Unser won the American IndyCar Series title driving a car campaigned by Speedway Motors’ Jason and Carson Smith. Unser has won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb an unprecedented 9 times in a wide range of classes, including Rally, Open Wheel, Truck and Stock. He has raced in the Indianapolis 500 twice, earning the IRL’s Rookie of the Year honor in 1998. Unser has also competed in Formula D drifting events, worked as a driving coach and has been involved in “Adventures in Driving” a fictional novel encouraging safe driving.


Lots more fun stuff at the GOODGUYS

CAR CORRAL
There were literally hundreds of cars for sale in the Goodguys Car Corral. From project cars to finished beauties, from antique to modern, cheap to expensive. To me, this is as much fun as the show itself. These are real cars, not show cars. Although there were some show cars for sale there also.

GOODGUYS SWAP MEET
As always, there was an enormous swap meet with an endless array of vendors, products and services of every type.

VENDORS GALORE
You can find just about anything even remotely related to cars at the Goodguys. Umpteen vendors from all over the country offer up an vast assortment of goodies and baubles. From engines to chassis to car art to clothing, to tools, there’s lots to see…and buy.

AND FOOD, DON’T FORGET THE FOOD!
The variety and quality of the food at the Goodguys Car Shows is legendary. From peppersteak sandwiches to corndogs, teriyaki chicken kabobs to cheeseburgers, you’ll always have lots of choices.

LET’S NOT FORGET THOSE FLAME JOBS
I’ve made it a habit, whenever I’m at a show, of snapping some shots of cool flame jobs (and just about any other really cool paint treatment). And I like to share the best of them with you, as I see them. Of course, there are classic old-school flame jobs, and then there are modern-day flame jobs. This time is no different. I offer you one of each:

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE GOODGUYS CAR SHOWS
For more information about upcoming Goodguys Car Shows, check out our Events Page or go directly to Good-Guys.com.