The National Street Rod Association kicks off its season in Oklahoma City in April. From there, it is a summer-long traveling circus of events that covers 11 cities around the United States. Almost 35,000 street rods attended these weekend displays of horsepower and beauty. The schedule wraps up in the sunny state of Florida in mid-October. While most of the rest of the U.S. is preparing for winter, Florida is enjoying blue skies and green palm trees. This year was a little different. As Florida songwriter Jimmy Buffett wrote, the entire South East United States was "trying to reason with the hurricane season." With four hurricanes in two months, the folks in Florida needed a little fun and excitement, and they got it when the street rods came to Tampa.
The Tampa area was spared the majority of the bad weather of the previous months, and the Florida State Fairgrounds was ready for the 1,256 rods that covered the grounds all weekend. Florida is a retirement area and a major vacation destination for folks east of the Mississippi. Because of this, the street rods in attendance were actually a cross section of trends and styles from around the country. From open roadsters to big sedans, they could all be found at the 17th annual Southeast Street Rod Nationals.
The weekend was blessed with good weather and full of fun things to keep everyone busy all weekend. From the Tampa Knights poker run on Friday morning, popular lip-syncing contest on Saturday evening, and wrapping up with the awards on Sunday, there were plenty of activities for the rodders and spectators. The best part was that the sun was shining and the skies were blue all three days.
At the awards presentation on Sunday, Event Director Jerry Kennedy gave special recognition to some very deserving rodders--the folks who actually attended each and every NSRA event around the nation this season. Lynn Hubbard and Ed Feldner drove Lynn's '41 Ford coupe, and Myra and Perry Brouchner, in their '39 Chevy two-door sedan, drove to each and every event this summer. Diane and Dave Smith, with their '23 T, and Don Keele and his '34 Ford coupe hauled their vehicles to all of the events. Considering this involves 25,000 miles and spans six months, this was no easy task.
Another group of long-distance drivers at the Southeast Nationals were the participants in the third-annual Iron Man Run. Getting from the Golden State Nationals in Sacramento to Tampa involves a 3,000-mile, three-day trip across the country. Eight street rods carrying fourteen folks made this year's journey.
The Southeast Nationals was a great wrap up to a summer of street-rod fun at the NSRA events around the country. The best part is there are only 180 days before it starts all over again in April in Oklahoma City!
The Florida State Fairgrounds was again the site of the NSRA Southeast Nationals. Located in Tampa, the grounds were spared any major damages from the previous week's hurricanes. The fairground is covered with palm trees and plenty of room for parking and cruising. Over 1,250 street rods converged on the Tampa area for the weekend-long event. |
There is always a good turnout in the swap meet area at Tampa. This '37 Ford pickup was offered at $3,000 OBO. |
Shirley Pliske calls her rod the Insane T, and it is anything but normal. Starting with a Zipper body, the race car look comes from a 383ci small-block Chevy, Winters quick-change rearend, and ET wheels on all four corners. |
Chuck Griffey did his own paintwork and upholstery on his '35 Chevy Master sedan. A 327ci Chevy motor gets him to all of the rod runs in the Southeast U.S. from his home in North Carolina. |
John Rickey's '33 Ford Cabriolet is based on a Down's body and Chassis Engineering frame. John finished his rod in 1998 and he has driven it 51,000 miles since its completion. |
Dennis Delphus' '41 Willys Swoopster roadster was custom built by Dennis Taylor's Reproductions. Powered by an LS1 motor from Street and Performance and painted PPG Lamborghini Yellow, the wild phantom rides on Air Ride Technology suspension. |
Ron Simmon's '34 Ford Vicky was featured on the cover of Street Rodder. It was honored again on Sunday with a spot in the Pro's Pick awards area. |
Tawny and Jack Pace brought their smooth '35 Ford sedan to Tampa from their home in New Port Richey, Florida. It was honored with a Pro's Pick on Sunday. |
Bud Davis' '19 T is a true classic with history. In the early '70s, legendary builder, Dan Woods, put together a number of these packages and sold them for folks to finish. Three decades later, Bud found an unfinished example at the Turkey Rod Run. It is traditional from the brass radiator to the Jag rearend. |
Matt Coffey got his son Wesley involved in street rodding. Dad's roadster, on the right, features a Rod Bods steel body and a ZZ4 crate motor. Son Wesley's '30 roadster pickup, on the left, is a Brookville-body-powered by a '46 Ford Flathead motor. |
These hardy folks made the grueling run from Sacramento to Tampa in their street rods. Known as the Iron Man Run, it covers 3,000 miles in a little over three days. |