Need some input on designing a traditional rod & custom show and vintage drags

[Brad54]

I'm torn about this guys, and I need some help.
Next May 11, 2013, I will be doing a traditional hot rod & custom show, vintage drag race and swap meet called The Gear Jam, at the Atlanta Dragway.
It'll be anchored by the NE Georgia Swap Meet, that had over 155 vendors this month for the October show... I'm anticipating nearly 200 vendors by May's show.

The criteria for the car show is a pretty straight-forward formula: Pre '64 traditional-styled hot rods, customs and trucks. No billet, no modern-looking wheels, paint, graphics and interiors.

For the drag racing, the cars will have to look the part--no modern looking wheels, no modern "Nostalgia" cars like gassers with huge wings and aero noses, no EFI, etc. etc.

The classes I am planning right now are:
Gasser
Front Engine Dragster
Altered/Comp Coupe
Nostalgia Super Stock
Hot Rod

Qualifying in the morning, and a heads-up Quick 8 elimination after lunch, with everyone who didn't make the Quick 8 getting to run heads-up against the car in their class closest to their ET. Everyone won't be in it for the money, but everyone will get to make passes for the whole day, with evenly matched competition.

I went to the Atlanta $10000 race this weekend, and they had a lot of muscle cars competing in the drag race... I'm as sick of '69 Camaros as anyone, but it was cool to see the early Pro-Stock style Vegas, Monzas and Pintos... And I didn't mind seeing the later Nostalgia Super Stocks, a friend's retro-style '70 Challenger that was an IHRA record holder in the early '70s, etc.

So at another friend's suggestion, I'm thinking of adding a "Muscle Car" class to the drag racing program ONLY, with the same kinds of criteria... no Pro Mod, no Outlaw cars, etc. Just muscle cars running like they would have back on a Sunday in '72, just like they were still running gassers and FEDs.

Since I'm aiming The Gear Jam at guys like us, I thought I'd get everyone's take on having muscle cars in the race ONLY... not on the show field. It'd make for a fuller race show... and who doesn't like watching drag racing?

Maybe us? I dunno... what are your thoughts guys? (and girls)

-Brad

 

[Flipper_1938]

You drastically limit your pool of participants with the "no modern wheels" rule.

 

[Brad54]

You drastically limit your pool of participants with the "no modern wheels" rule.

Yeah, I know... but Moon Discs are cheap, as are steelies.

It's a traditional rod n custom show... 18-inch Foose wheels don't belong.

-Brad

 

[Sam_Fear]

What they did at this years Torque Fest was to have a VIP parking corral for cars that didn't fit the show criteria. The local car club ran it. It had well over 100 cool cars in it alone. The idea is you can still bring your hot rod Camaro and not have to worry about door dents in the public parking and the guys with billet wheels, etc. don't go ape about not being allowed in the show. I hear it worked well.

That way you can also have somewhere for the drag cars to park that don't fit the main show. Makes it so they don't have to worry about wheels and such to race.

 

[Flipper_1938]

Yeah, I know... but Moon Discs are cheap, as are steelies.

It's a traditional rod n custom show... 18-inch Foose wheels don't belong.

-Brad

I'm guessing you really don't like my 20's...

 

[old man dave]

I don't know how to help but I will be glad to lend a hand when the time comes, as I live in Marietta. Sounds like a great day at the track but I agree with Flipper about the wheels part.

 

[dmw56]

I'm guessing you really don't like my 20's../QUOTE]

Halibrand made smoothies like those years ago!

A lot of us on here own muscle cars, so including them would fine.

 

[bob w]

I'm planning on going to the Meltdown Drags in Illinois next year. I know the Weld wheels on my car are not permitted so I'll put other wheels on it for the event. No big deal as long as you let people know before they get there.

 

[LilD]

What they did at this years Torque Fest was to have a VIP parking corral for cars that didn't fit the show criteria. The local car club ran it. It had well over 100 cool cars in it alone. The idea is you can still bring your hot rod Camaro and not have to worry about door dents in the public parking and the guys with billet wheels, etc. don't go ape about not being allowed in the show. I hear it worked well.

That way you can also have somewhere for the drag cars to park that don't fit the main show. Makes it so they don't have to worry about wheels and such to race.

They did the same at the Iron Invasion over here in IL a couple weeks ago. They called it the friends section and it was a hodge podge of newer cars, drag cars and 60s cars that didnt quite fit the mold of traditional customs or rods but still felt like we were participating.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Sam guy - John Wells, coordinates both events.

 

[Bamamav]

Most tracks won't let you run wheel covers. Safety thing, don't want a flying pizza cutter! Might want to check that out before you say it's OK to run Moon style discs.....

 

[Brad54]

Thanks for the input guys... I do like the big 20-inch discs shown earlier! I guess it's the "design" wheels I don't like.

I'll have to give this a bunch more thought.

What I don't want is a bunch of Foose and Boyd rods...

-Brad

 

[Sam_Fear]

Definitely check out the Torque Fest entry rules - zero Easter eggs show up. The motorcycle rules are different years still. You can always make slightly different relaxed rules for the strip cars. First year you can always flex a little to see how it goes, then get a little more serious the next year. No matter what you won't please everyone.