The '32 Ford sedan of Cale, Bridgett, and Carlee Kern of Bedford, Indiana, won the Goodguys '08 Hot Rod of the Year award presented by Hot Hues at the Goodguys 20th Hot Rod Nationals on Sunday, June 8. The family of three had quite a weekend in Indy, having just finished a yearlong thrash to build the car the night before the event began.
This year's Hot Rod of the Year competition featured 25 eager participants. The Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year competition is a driving and dragstrip event held annually at the Hot Rod Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park. This year's participants drove a 100 course through greater Indianapolis, which took them on a track cruise of the Indy Motor Speedway, up to the small town of Sharpsville, Indiana, then back to O'Reilly Raceway Park for a run down the world-famous Indy dragstrip.
With all the mandatory criteria completed, it was up to the selection committee to select the overall winner. The aesthetics of the Kerns' '32 sedan, its exposed and seriously polished 401-inch Buick Nailhead, the subtle 1-1/2-inch chop and 1-inch channel, and the cool story behind the car was enough to stamp the sedan the Hot Rod of the Year. The car also sports a Winter's quick-change, handmade chrome lakes-style headers, pleated red and cream interior, '40 Lincoln Zephyr dash, Schroeder side steering, and runs the eighth-mile in 10.414 seconds at 65.26 mph. Did we mention the car was originally a right-hand-drive car from Argentina?
This freshly finished hot rod is truly a family affair, according to Cale, a mechanic and hot rod builder by trade. "The only thing we didn't do as a family on this car was the upholstery," he said. "My wife, Bridgett, did a lot of the design and chose the colors and look of the car. She also handled all the final sanding and prep of every panel on the car. She reads all the magazines and visits all the Internet chat rooms, keeping up with what's going on. My 7-year-old daughter, Carlee, was right there with me every day, building the engine. She lapped the valves!"
The Goodguys/DuPont Hot Hues Hot Rod of the Year Award is presented annually at the Goodguys Hot Rod Nationals in Indy. Hot rods 1948 and earlier are eligible. The basic criteria calls for street-driven hot rods that make noise, have a mean attitude, and scream the words "hot rod." For a closer look at this award, visit www.good-guys.com.