The 74th Grand National Roadster (GNRS) Show opened at noon Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 and the winners were announced on Sunday night.
AMERICA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL ROADSTER
Beth Meyers’ 1932 Ford Phaeton took home the trophy for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster 2024. The winning roadster was built by Roy Brizio Street Rods.
THE AL SLONAKER MEMORIAL AWARD WINNER
David Rush’s 1959 Chevrolet Impala “Bespoke” is the winner of the Al Slonaker Memorial Award for 2024. “Bespoke” was built by Steve Cook Creations and has a 518 ci LS3 engine built by Don Hardy.
Below are the contenders for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster and the Slonaker Memorial Award. Following the photos of the contenders is compete coverage of the show.
This year there were nine contenders for the title of America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) – 8 Fords, 1 Chevrolet; 8 ’32’s and 1 ’34. DUECES RULED THIS YEAR! Four of this year’s contenders were owner-built – James Butler’s 1932 Ford; Bob Mansonen’s 1932 Ford; Ken Thurm’s 1932 Ford; and, Ramin Younessi’s 1934 Ford.
This 1932 Ford Phaeton belongs to Ken Reister of Littleton, CO.
A 1932 Ford Phaeton belonging to Beth Meyers from Skippak, PA.
Mekenzie Murphy of Loveland, OH owns this 1932 Ford Roadster.
This 1932 Ford Roadster belongs to Bob Mansonen of Auburn, CA.
A 1934 Ford Roadster owned by Ramin Younessi from Fort Collins, CO.
A 1932 Ford Roadster owned by Ken Thurm of Orange, CA.
A 1932 Ford Roadster Pickup owned by Gary Holyoak of Cedar City, UT.
James Butler of Prescott, AZ owns this 1932 Ford Roadster.
Dale Short of Henderson, CO owns this 1932 Chevrolet Roadster.
The eleven contenders for the Al Slonaker Memorial Award are shown below.
Clifford Mattis from Vacaville, CA owns this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible.
This 1961 Ford Unibody Pickup is owned by John Lamb from Seneca, IL.
Ed Ganzinotti owns this 1956 Ford F-100 pickup.
Ryan Vicklund of Anderson, CA owns this 1967 Chevrolet C10 pickup.
Rod Pearce of Granite Bay, CA owns this 1957 Chevrolet convertible.
This 1972 Chevrolet C10 pickup is owned by Mark DeAtley from Phoenix, AZ.
Arno Aldhoch of Chatsworth, CA owns this 1968 Dodge Charger.
David Rush from Oklahoma City, OK owns this 1959 Chevrolet Impala.
This 1934 Pickup built by Pete and Jakes is owned by Bill Paul of Bucyrus, KS.
Ed Ganzinotti owns this 1969 Dodge Charger.
Steve Rajcic of LaHabra, CA owns this 1931 Ford Victoria.
It was partly sunny throughout the week-end and a number of cars showed up for the drive-in.
As usual there were some very interesting cars in The Suede Palace.
The GNRS was host to some long lost cars such as the Cop Shop Coupe, a 1934 Ford built by Tom Prufer, unseen for 15 years.
The Uncertain T disappeared in the mid-70’s and stayed under cover for nearly 50 years. It was originally built by Steve Scott and is now owned by Galpin’s Beau Boeckmann. This car was displayed in it’s barn-find state before it is restored.
These two vehicles represent 50’s and 60’s style hot rods that graced the pages of magazines such as Rod and Custom.
Pete and Jake’s Hot Rod Parts brought the original California Kid ’34 Ford coupe built by Pete Chapouris and Jake’s original ’34 Ford Coupe built by Jim Jacobs. Both cars were built in the early ’70’s and were featured in Rod and Custom magazine. This year Pete and Jake’s celebrated it’s 50th year in business.
The theme of the GNRS this year was Street Machines Then and Now.
There were several buildings featuring a variety of unique cars and motorcycles such as the Renteria Bros. Pro-Mod dragster.
There were 20 Lincoln Zephyrs and they varied from completely stock to radically customised. The red Zephyr below was brought to the GNRS by the Peterson Automotive Museum.
As in past years, over 30 artists participated in the Pinstripers’ Gathering. A Pinstripers’ Auction was held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday where the art created by these talented individuals went up for auction. The proceeds from their work generated $56,000 for the charity Teen Challenge of Southern California.
Even though the forecasters threatened rain for the week-end, many people came to the Fairplex and were rewarded with a great show.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) will be held February 2-4, 2024 at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA. The GNRS has announced the inductees into the Hall of Fame. The photo below shows the 2023 Slonaker Award winner.
HERE’S THE LATEST INFO ON THE UPCOMING GRAND NATIONAL ROADSTER SHOW. timingtower.com WILL BE AT THE GNRS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK-END AND WILL HAVE FREQUENT UPDATES, INCLUDING PHOTOS OF AMERICA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL ROADSTER ON SUNDAY NIGHT.
WHAT:
Hundreds of the country’s finest hot rods, customs, lowriders, muscle cars, trucks and motorcycles will take center stage at the 74th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Grand National Roadster Show, presented by Meguiar’s. More than 500 hot rods will fill the Fairplex buildings, while another 500-800 vehicles will join the event each day for the annual Grand Daddy Drive-In. The legendary show will be highlighted by the debut of dozens of incredible custom cars competing for two of the industry’s most coveted and competitive awards: America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) and the Al Slonaker Memorial Award. And you don’t want to miss the high-horsepower salute to “Street Machines: Then & Now” in the feature building.
WHEN:
Feb. 2-4. The Grand National Roadster Show opens to the public Friday, Feb. 2, from noon-8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 3, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 4, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
WHERE:
Pomona Fairplex, 1101 W McKinley Ave. Pomona, CA 91768
WHAT TO EXPECT:
America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) Award Contenders: Nine roadsters will compete for one of the most coveted awards in hot-rodding history, plus a $12,500 prize presented by ARP Fasteners. This year’s contenders include seven ‘32 Fords, one ‘32 Chevy and a ‘34 Ford.
Al Slonaker Memorial Award Contenders: Thirteen hot rods, customs and street machines will compete to win best non-roadster at the show, including three Tri-Five Chevys, five pickups and two Dodge Chargers.
Street Machines: Then & Now, presented by All Chevy Performance: This year’s feature building will host a collection of trendsetting, historic and unique street machines from 1955 to today. The curated display will include popular Pro Street, Pro Touring, street freaks and muscle machines ranging from Mustangs and Camaros to Cudas and Novas.
The 18th Annual Grand Daddy Drive-In: This outdoor portion of the show is open to hot rods, muscle cars, customs, classics and trucks. It’s the perfect place to cruise in with your ride, hang out with your club and maybe even take home an award. Three-day Cruise-In pre-registration is $175, which includes show admission for two, the best parking on the grounds, a dash plaque and a goody bag.
New Hemmings.com Car Corral Drive-In: Hemmings invites car collectors to a unique selling experience at the new Hemmings.com Car Corral Drive-In. This showcase, featuring 50 vehicles from Hemmings’ “Make Offer” platform, provides owners with a unique opportunity to display and sell their collector cars to a passionate audience. For only $175, sellers will receive access to the Drive-In, a dedicated entrance time, three-day show admission, plus a listing for their vehicle on Hemmings’ “Make Offer.”
SEMA HRIA “Fuel for Thought” Panel: Learn from some of the most successful hot rodders in the industry. The first 50 attendees will receive a custom SEMA-branded beanie. SEMA’s Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) will host a discussion with four panelists, including Jimmy Shine, Roy Brizio, Jason Slover, Brian Brennan and moderator Rick Love on Friday, Feb. 2, from 3-4 p.m. in Building 9.
2024 Builder of the Year: Ron Cambra and the team at Cambra Speed Shop in Orange, California, will be celebrated as the 2024 GNRS Builder of the Year. From full custom builds to classic restorations, Cambra Speed Shop is always pushing the limits of what’s possible. Stop by its booth in Building 4.
The “Custom Room” in Building 5: See customs built by legendary builders like Gene Winfield and George Barris. It’s a great mix of some of the best custom cars and traditional hot rods. Plus, more than a dozen Lincoln Zephyrs from the California Zephyrs club.
Suede Palace: Celebrate hot rodding the way it used to be in the Suede Palace. Enjoy hot rods, customs and drag cars that reflect the styles associated with the ‘40s-’60s, plus era-appropriate music, costumes and vendors.
Pinstriper Charity Auction: Talented pinstripers from around the world will showcase their skills as they create automotive art that will be auctioned off each day, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Teen Challenge of Southern California. From cell phones and laptops to skateboards and bowling pins, event attendees are encouraged to bring items they would like pinstriped for a small donation to the charity.
TICKETS:
Adult admission is $30 daily and $10 for youth ages 6 to 12. Children under 5 are admitted free. Discounted tickets are available for $28 for adults and $8 for children at participating O’Reilly Auto Parts stores. On-site parking is $10 per car.
MORE INFORMATION:
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit rodshows.com/gnrs or call 877-763-7469.
