Weird how there are people who still call this event the Oakland Roadster Show. Maybe they're forgetful. More likely it's the show's heritage. For decades the Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) was held at the Oakland Coliseum. If traditionalists were upset when "Oakland" moved to San Mateo a few years ago, you should've heard them moan when they found out that it was leaving the hallowed shores of San Francisco Bay for the smog-swathed netherworld of L.A. County.
We, on the other hand, were thrilled. Southern California is not only the home of hot rodding, it's our home as well. Going to the GNRS is no longer a day's drive-it's a freeway away. Sweet!
The L.A. County Fairplex in Pomona is the perfect location for the Show, with a heritage all its own. The NHRA Museum is there, the Winternats and World Finals open and close the drag racing season there, and the L.A. Roadsters have their gig there every June. Of course, the GNRS isn't about drag racing, or even shade tree parking. It's about primped and pampered show cars. That's fancy stuff for hot rodders but a treat just the same, especially when you're talking about the most mouth-watering rods, customs, and bikes assembled under one roof-actually three roofs since almost 300 cars spilled over into three separate buildings at the Fairplex.
Move or no move, the turnout from participants and spectators exceeded expectations, according to GNRS head honcho Dan Cyr, who told us that he was very happy with the number of entrants as well as the representation of both high-tech and traditional cars. Cyr says the Grand National Roadster Show will expand into five fairground buildings when it returns to Pomona in 2005, and that he and the Fairplex folks are currently negotiating several more years in Pomona. Even sweeter!