The Grand National Roadster Show, a cornerstone of automotive culture, began its illustrious journey in 1950. It has grown in prestige and scale, becoming an unmissable event for car enthusiasts and builders alike. The show’s long-standing tradition of excellence is best exemplified by its premier accolades: the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) award and the Al Slonaker Memorial Award. These honors are not just trophies; they signify the pinnacle of innovation, craftsmanship, and artistry in the custom car industry. Winning these awards is a testament to unparalleled skill and creativity, cementing the recipient’s place in automotive history. The Grand National Roadster Show continues to be a beacon of prestige, attracting the finest talent and the most spectacular vehicles year after year.
The 2026 Al Slonaker Memorial Award wasn’t just about who won—it was about twelve extraordinary contenders, each showcasing craftsmanship, vision, and execution. From paint and stance to metalwork and mechanical finesse, every build pushed the limits and demanded attention.
The nine-foot AMBR trophy doesn’t celebrate excess. It rewards builders who understand proportion, restraint, and craftsmanship at the highest level—where every decision carries weight and every imperfection is amplified. Under the scrutiny of an expert judging panel, the 2026 AMBR contenders were evaluated on the fundamentals that have always defined America’s Most Beautiful Roadster: stance,
Under the bright lights of the 2026 Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, surrounded by some of the finest hot rods and customs ever assembled, one car quietly—and decisively—rose to the top. Dennis Troggio’s 1955 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, nicknamed “Karma” and built by Buddy Hale and the team at Type One Restorations, claimed the prestigious
At the 2026 Grand National Roadster Show, the spotlight wasn’t just on speed or style—it was on craftsmanship at the highest level. Among nine jaw-dropping roadsters displayed in Building 4, one car quietly—and then undeniably—rose to the top. Nicole Baird’s 1932 Ford Roadster, built by Squeeg’s Kustoms, claimed the coveted America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR)
When a particular car show carries a popular tradition for nearly 60 years, it’s really saying something about the organization that puts the show together. For 58 years, hot rod enthusiasts have been attending the Grand National Roadster Show, now located in Pomona, California, to witness the finest cars in the country.
It doesn’t matter whether this event is held in Oakland, San Francisco or San Mateo—it still gives builders the incentive to strive to win the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) title. For the past two years, the Grand National Roadster Show has been held in San Mateo, just south of San Francisco and across the
We’ve been road-tripping all year long through the Fab’d Four of Auto Shows, chasing the best builds, the wildest debuts, and the kind of iron that makes you stop mid-sentence just to stare. Three shows in, we’ve already seen cars that melted minds and trucks that had crowds three-deep around them.
At GNRS 2025, bare metal builds were everywhere. Let’s be real— some of these builds aren’t finished. They’re just out here flexing. Builders are putting their raw, unpainted cars and trucks on display like they’re staring in the mirror, admiring their own reflection. We saw last year’s AMBR winner in bare metal, and it was
When Scott Killeen picks up a camera, good luck getting him to put it down—and honestly, we wouldn’t want him to. We’re still sorting through the endless shots from GNRS 2025, so here’s another batch of custom cars to admire.
If you’re into the kind of machinery that makes your heart beat faster and your palms sweat, then Dan Webb’s reimagining of the 1926 Panhard Razor is something you need to see. The original was a marvel of interwar-era aerodynamics—a sleek, teardrop-shaped racing car designed for top-speed competition by Panhard et Levassor. Now, Webb, the
The 2026 Al Slonaker Memorial Award wasn’t just about who won—it was about twelve extraordinary contenders, each showcasing craftsmanship, vision, and execution. From paint and stance to metalwork and mechanical finesse, every build pushed the limits and demanded attention.
The nine-foot AMBR trophy doesn’t celebrate excess. It rewards builders who understand proportion, restraint, and craftsmanship at the highest level—where every decision carries weight and every imperfection is amplified. Under the scrutiny of an expert judging panel, the 2026 AMBR contenders were evaluated on the fundamentals that have always defined America’s Most Beautiful Roadster: stance,
Under the bright lights of the 2026 Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, surrounded by some of the finest hot rods and customs ever assembled, one car quietly—and decisively—rose to the top. Dennis Troggio’s 1955 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, nicknamed “Karma” and built by Buddy Hale and the team at Type One Restorations, claimed the prestigious
At the 2026 Grand National Roadster Show, the spotlight wasn’t just on speed or style—it was on craftsmanship at the highest level. Among nine jaw-dropping roadsters displayed in Building 4, one car quietly—and then undeniably—rose to the top. Nicole Baird’s 1932 Ford Roadster, built by Squeeg’s Kustoms, claimed the coveted America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR)
When a particular car show carries a popular tradition for nearly 60 years, it’s really saying something about the organization that puts the show together. For 58 years, hot rod enthusiasts have been attending the Grand National Roadster Show, now located in Pomona, California, to witness the finest cars in the country.
It doesn’t matter whether this event is held in Oakland, San Francisco or San Mateo—it still gives builders the incentive to strive to win the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) title. For the past two years, the Grand National Roadster Show has been held in San Mateo, just south of San Francisco and across the
We’ve been road-tripping all year long through the Fab’d Four of Auto Shows, chasing the best builds, the wildest debuts, and the kind of iron that makes you stop mid-sentence just to stare. Three shows in, we’ve already seen cars that melted minds and trucks that had crowds three-deep around them.
At GNRS 2025, bare metal builds were everywhere. Let’s be real— some of these builds aren’t finished. They’re just out here flexing. Builders are putting their raw, unpainted cars and trucks on display like they’re staring in the mirror, admiring their own reflection. We saw last year’s AMBR winner in bare metal, and it was
When Scott Killeen picks up a camera, good luck getting him to put it down—and honestly, we wouldn’t want him to. We’re still sorting through the endless shots from GNRS 2025, so here’s another batch of custom cars to admire.
If you’re into the kind of machinery that makes your heart beat faster and your palms sweat, then Dan Webb’s reimagining of the 1926 Panhard Razor is something you need to see. The original was a marvel of interwar-era aerodynamics—a sleek, teardrop-shaped racing car designed for top-speed competition by Panhard et Levassor. Now, Webb, the
