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17th Goodguys Charlotte Southeastern NationalsGoodguys Race Around Charlotte From the March, 2011 issue of Street Rodder By Eric Geisert
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Folks in the South sure love their cars and auto racing. An extension of that admiration is on display every fall at the Goodguys Southeastern Nationals, held at Charlotte Motor Speedway (formerly Lowe's Motor Speedway) in North Carolina. Held on the infield of the 1.5-mile banked oval (where NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 is held each Memorial Day), hot rodders with vehicles made before 1973 gather to check out each other's cars, see what's new from the various manufacturers, cruise through a well-stocked swap meet, and maybe even get to drive around the famed track in either a race-prepped NASCAR trainer or their own car (albeit at much lower speeds!). If you're going to have a... If you're going to have a race car you'll need a hauler, right? Noel Clemmer of Lake Lynn, PA, arrived in style with his matching racer and rollback truck. The coupe is a '30 Ford, equipped with a 239-inch Flathead Engineering Flattie, while the '47 Ford COE uses a 7.3L diesel to get it to and from. The event usually boasts drag races (held Friday night at the on-site quarter-mile dragstrip) but none were scheduled this year, and although some folks were disappointed, they were able to get their frustrations out at the Street Challenge AutoCross both Friday and Saturday. The Challenge is popular with both rodders and spectators alike, and cars of all descriptions, from Deuce roadsters to '60s Camaros, all compete against the clock, maneuvering their rides at speed around a closed-coned course on pavement. Knock over some cones and points are deducted from your overall time, and the competition (especially between racers in the manufacturer's class) gets pretty fierce. But bar none the show 'n' shine is by far the most popular facet of the weekend, and that's because hundreds and hundreds of cars from all over the Eastern United States, from Florida to Maryland, attend the three-day gathering. Finalists for the Goodguys Annual Kustom-, Muscle Machine-, Muscle Car-, and Truck-of-the-Year contests are picked here, too, as are another group of 10 winners of STREET RODDER's annual Top 100 program. Certain cars have that certain... Certain cars have that certain appeal and every time you turned the corner and saw Harry Hannis' '27 Ford roadster pickup you had to stop and look. A 327 is found underhood while the blocked rear and ribbed front tires give off an old-time feel. And though the quality of cars at this show often produces qualified contenders for those high-end awards, the "regular" cars (thousands of them) that spread out across the vast grass and parking areas are worthy of second and even third looks. There were some crazy contraptions (one car in the shape of a 6-foot-wide pumpkin comes to mind), but there was also a healthy dose of traditional hot rods and mild customs. No one type of car stood out this year, though we did notice a fair amount of '50s-era Mercs as well as late-'50s trucks, which means there was a nice mix of cars from across the hot rodding spectrum-just the type of thing you'd hope for in a long weekend hosted by the Goodguys! For more photos from this event, go to www.streetrodderweb.com.  You don't have to have paint...  You don't have to have paint on your car to have fun-just ask Hank Moxley, from Galena, MD. He rolled into Charlotte Motor Speedway with his '28 roadster pickup, equipped with a '32 grille shell and a 350/350 engine and trans combo.  If Bob McDonnell, from Glenwood,...  If Bob McDonnell, from Glenwood, NY, would have kept the hood sides down, you wouldn't have guessed a ZZ4 crate engine was under there-the '31 roadster pickup had a very authentic look about it. Additions include a '32 shell, 16-inch '35 Ford wheels, a '40 Ford steering wheel, and the House of Kolor Cocoa Pearl paint.  Looking rich and elegant is...  Looking rich and elegant is Roger Plemmons' '35 Buck from nearby Clemmons, NC. There's an LS1 backed to a 4L60E under that long hood.  Most folks think of a '41...  Most folks think of a '41 when someone says "Willys" but they made some sharp-looking cars in 1934, too, and they make great hot rods. Vince Antignano from Massapequa, NY, brought his bright yellow coupe, which is stuffed with a 383 Chevy engine and a 700-R4 trans.  Out of the small town of Ninety...  Out of the small town of Ninety Six, SC, comes a big car: Chris Ryan's '48 Cadillac convertible.  When was the last time you...  When was the last time you saw a '48 DeSoto dressed up? Jackie Fallen pushed the envelope a little farther with his ride by installing a 392 Hemi underhood.  Austin? Willys Aero? How 'bout...  Austin? Willys Aero? How 'bout a '59 Anglia? Larry Stauter, from New Bern, NC, dares to be different with his 302-powered British Ford.  The Goodguys Street Challenge...  The Goodguys Street Challenge Autocross was in high gear at Charlotte, with both novice and experienced drivers taking to the timed slalom course. Henry Dana, from Mooresville, NC, navigates around a turn in his red '32 roadster (while his wife, Marie, holds onto the door top for some extra support) and Tom Busch gets around the track in short order. Tom is father to NASCAR racer Kyle Busch, and he put his five-window through its paces. The 'glass car with faux patina also runs a respectable 12.31 at 110 mph in the quarter (we now know where Kyle gets his racing style!) and he drives it most every day.  Bill and Barb McGloin's '39...  Bill and Barb McGloin's '39 Ford had vintage appeal, with its wide whites, flipper caps, and rear skirts, but the four-door had updated features, too, such as a 302 motor and shaved door handles.  We didn't see Cary Swearingin's...  We didn't see Cary Swearingin's '30 Model A coupe arrive, but we would have liked to. Slammed to the pavement, the Ford is powered by a 409 backed to a four-speed trans.  Non-Fords were prevalent at...  Non-Fords were prevalent at this event (as well as with most Southern car shows) and Ralph Sparks' red '34 Pontiac and Joe Wright's '36 Dodge prove the point.  Steve Branch's '30 Ford coupe...  Steve Branch's '30 Ford coupe had a certain attitude going for it, but a red 'n' (satin) black paint scheme with wide whites is always a winner.  Wagons have always been part...  Wagons have always been part of the scene, just never really at the forefront. But we like 'em, and we like John Callis' '62 Falcon four-door with the red Metalflake roof.  There was a surprising amount...  There was a surprising amount of traditional customs at this show, including Joe Houston's '53 Buick from Winteapock, VA.  There were lots of interesting...  There were lots of interesting features on Jason Ernst's '31 Ford five-window, including a radical suicide perch for the front suspension and what might have been hand-formed aluminum bucket seats.  We saw this channeled '29...  We saw this channeled '29 Ford roadster at last year's show when it had black steelies (with caps 'n' rings), but this year saw the addition of red wires. The entry card for this '29 Ford roadster said it was originally built in 1955, and it certainly has the look. C.S. Bagshaw from Kannapolis, NC, owns the channeled hot rod now, which comes with a 241 Hemi mated to a Lincoln three-speed trans.  Those spears in the front...  Those spears in the front fenders identify it as a Buick, but Don Georguson from Spartenburg, SC, took his '61 Lesabre a lot farther with the addition of big-inch wheels, a modified suspension, and a 350 engine package.  Nearly every custom we saw...  Nearly every custom we saw at the show was sharp, including Stan and Joyce Eilmann's super-black '51 Ford convertible. Based in nearby Mooresville, NC, the Eilmanns had a 350/700-R4 engine and trans in their shoebox.  We didn't see too many T-buckets...  We didn't see too many T-buckets in Charlotte, but Randy Harrington's '23 stood out. An LT1 is found up front but dressed in vintage aluminum.  Sometimes simple is best....  Sometimes simple is best. Bill Herd's '33 Ford has just enough of the right stuff to make a statement. In from Conneaut, OH, the Herds (Bill, Nancy, and Mikayl) cruised the speedway's infield squeezed into this dark green highboy.  Fatman Fabrication's Brent...  Fatman Fabrication's Brent Vandervort and Dickie Lowder are partners on this '57 Chevy, which was built as a tribute car to what the pair thought Smokey Yunick would have built. Equipped with a 383 and a four-speed, the car not only goes in a straight line well, but it gets through the corners quick and easy due to the Fatman chassis upgrades.  With a basic 350/350 drivetrain,...  With a basic 350/350 drivetrain, a nice set of rollers, and you're down the road, just like David Brown is in his '53 Chevy wagon. David hails from North Myrtle Beach, SC.  Tim and Debbie Brown's '61...  Tim and Debbie Brown's '61 Chevy Impala SS was long and lean, and powered by a 409 big-block coupled to a Tremec five-speed trans. The Brown's are based in Jacksonville, FL.
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