The Goodguys Rock Rhinebeck

Back East, the summer of 2003 will be remembered as being one of the soggiest on record. Since there were so many rainy weekends, rod and custom enthusiasts got used to it. After all, it is something we take in stride. When it began to rain midway through the Goodguys 12th Annual East Coast Nationals in Rhinebeck, New York, no one missed a beat. Umbrellas started appearing Saturday afternoon, along with a few raincoats, and participants found themselves wiping down vehicles. No one complained. A little rain cannot spoil a good time, and the participants at this event were having a very good time.

The sun was beaming brightly Friday when the curtain went up for the show. The Hudson Valley Street Rods had a poker run that allowed participants to see some great Catskill Mountains scenery. Times Square strolled the Dutchess County Fairgrounds serenading everyone with popular doo-wop tunes and entertained later that evening at the TGIF party.

One of the best features of the expansive fairgrounds is its layout, with gently sloping grassy areas amid tall shade trees and plenty of paved lanes for cruising. All weekend long, rods, customs, classics, and musclecars were cruising the grounds. With a host of vendors on hand, plus the Ladies Marketplace, a model and pedal car show, car corral, and swap meet, there was plenty to do, and judging by the crowd, people were enjoying themselves.

Gray skies greeted participants Saturday morning, but the fairgrounds filled up quickly with entrants and spectators. On-and-off drizzles throughout the afternoon failed to dampen the enthusiasm for all of the activities. In fact, as one hot rod owner looked up at the clouds, he was heard commenting, "Well, that's why they make towels." There was a good turnout for the special parking areas Saturday, with this year's spotlight on Custom Country, Willys Round Up, and Young Guys.

Kids had a good time at the Make-'N'-Take model-building session while Rick K and the Allnighters performed some good old rock and roll Saturday afternoon and evening. Rain, however, did force cancellation of the planned fireworks display later that night.

Sunday dawned with gray skies and light drizzle, but by late morning the sun was peeking through the clouds. There were more than 75 picks for awards, and all winners were assembled in a special parking area before being lined up for the awards ceremony. Several participants had their lucky numbers drawn as finalists for some special Goodguys prizes, including a Hemi-powered Dodge pickup, Ford and Mopar engines, billet wheels, garage lifts, and many others that were to be awarded at the Southeastern Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina, in October.