The Goodguys Midwestern Nationals will return to the Kansas Speedway the weekend of August 31 to September 2.
News release:
Hear that throaty V-8 rumble off in the distance? It’s the sound of 2,000-plus hot rods and customs cars headed to the Kansas City Metro area.
The Goodguys 11th Midwestern Nationals car show will take over the Kansas Speedway turning the facility to a scene from American Graffiti. Northern California based Goodguys Rod & Custom Association, producers of America’s largest hot rod festivals, have again chosen Kansas City as the host city for the 11th edition of the Midwestern Nationals.
This event, the thirteenth stop in the 2012 series features include a car show, an automotive swap meet, vendor exhibits, live music, model car show and a host of other automotive themed activities. Also again this year, the always popular Goodguys AutoCross will run on Friday and Saturday for registered participants to race the clock. The AutoCross will run on Friday and Saturday from 9 am to noon and 1 pm to 4pm.
Again this year, the event will feature the Super Sunday Get-Together. In addition to the cars that are 1972 and older, this special day, Sunday, September 2, will be open to all years of American made and powered vehicles. Participants who register onsite for the Sunday event, will be able to run the Goodguys AutoCross, be eligible for awards and come in and enjoy the event.
Goodguys events are held from Seattle to San Diego, from Iowa to North Carolina and many points in between. The events are large, colorful and have often been referred to as a “State Fair of Automotive Excitement!” Lil’ deuce coupes, hot rod roadsters, lead-sled 50’s Mercury customs, ‘55-’57 Chevy’s, Camaro’s, Hemi Barracuda’s & BOSS 409 Mustangs and other timeless beauties will fill the outside areas of the one and a half mile oval.
Currently, the 11th Midwestern Nationals boasts pre-registered participant vehicles from 14 states including Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Wyoming.
The Goodguys 11th Midwestern Nationals will have everything the auto buff and gear head could ever want. A used parts automotive swap meet will join a special “cars for sale corral” where automotive treasure hunters can seek out hard to find parts and buy and/or sell the car of their dreams. For those who prefer their hot cars on a smaller scale, as in miniature version, model car giant Revell will sponsor a model car show, complete with a “Make and Take” program where youngsters can build a model at the event and take it home with them.
Awards are a large part of any automotive event, and the Midwestern Nationals will offer plenty. Special awards like the “Low Lid” will go to the hot rod or custom car with the lowest roof. The “Homebuilt Heaven” pick, goes to a rod or custom that was completely built and fabricated by the owner in his or her own garage The Trick Truck pick will go to a lucky truck participant from the event. There will be about 75 awards presented at the conclusion of the event on Sunday at 2:22 pm where event attendees will have the chance to see the best of the best.
The event will also feature specialty parking areas with special themes. “Mighty Muscle” highlights Muscle Cars 1960 through 1972 and the “Young Guys” is for hot rodders 25 years old and younger. Homebuilt Heaven offers the car owners who built the car themselves a place to show off their creativity and talent. To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the ’32, there will be a Deuce Doin’s area to honor that milestone for the ’32! The Trick Truck Corral is for all those proud truck owners to show off their beauties. The special parking areas take place Saturday, September 1 from 7 am to noon.
Goodguys Chairman and founder Gary Meadors, a 72 year old lifelong car enthusiast and ardent hot rodder isn’t surprised by rodding’s new found attention. “Colorful, customized American cars have always made people happy,” he said. When you hit the road in a candy red ’57 Chevy, or a flamed ’32 Ford coupe with chrome glistening in the sun, people give you a hearty thumbs up and wave to you even though you’re a complete stranger. These cars extract human emotions. We’ve been doing hot rod events for over twenty five years and mainstream America has found out how cool these cars are and how much fun you can have building, owning and driving them.”
In Kansas City as in all of the event cities throughout the country, the goal for Goodguys is simple; make a lot of people smile. “The city of Kansas City and the Kansas Speedway will provide a great backdrop for the event,” said Goodguys President, Marc Meadors. “The hotels in the surrounding areas are filling up and local car guys are will be turning out to support the event.”
Event hours are Friday and Saturday 8am to 5pm and Sunday 8am to 4pm. General admission is $18, and kids 7-12 $6. Kids 6 and under are FREE. Spectator parking is free. For additional event information, contact the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association at (925) 838-9876 or visit www.good-guys.com or www.midwesternnats.com
