It seems that everyone with a talent for building something is finding a career in television these days. Channels that were once dedicated to the preservation of rainforests and historic perspective have turned their attention to various forms of reality shows centered on street rods, choppers and wicked creations that defy description.
If you think you’re particular about your street rod—the quality of the build, the effectiveness of the drivetrain and chassis, and the aesthetics of the entire effort—consider what it must be like for someone who has specialized in high-level manufacturing for most of his life.
The 28th Summit Racing Nationals presented by Grundy Insurance took over the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio, July 10–12, 2026. As the biggest event on the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association calendar, Columbus brought together thousands of hot rods, customs, classic trucks, muscle cars, and street machines for three action-packed days.
You’ve heard the saying, “They went to different schools together.” Well, Ginny and Barry Lobeck did just that. In the 1970s, street rodding was well into its “rebirth,” and mail-order business was just a fledgling industry. In southern Ohio, a young Barry Lobeck was busy finishing a ’65 Riviera. Slammed and slick—a trend that started early for Barry and continues to this day—the Riviera was somewhere between a custom and a hot rod, and it drew its fair share of attention.
For three days, Bowling Green, Kentucky, became the center of the Tri-Five Chevy universe as the 11th Annual Tri-Five Nationals rolled into Beech Bend Raceway Park, August 13–15, 2026.
Presented by Classic Performance Products, the annual gathering brought together an incredible assortment of 1955, 1956, and 1957 Chevrolets from across the country. Bel Airs, 150s, 210s, Nomads, Cameos, Corvettes, wagons, sedans, convertibles, gassers, customs, and full-blown pro-touring machines filled the historic grounds, once again proving that few chapters in American automotive history inspire the kind of enthusiasm generated by Chevrolet’s legendary Tri-Five years.
There are car shows, and then there’s the Nats. If you’ve been there, you know exactly what we mean. For four days, the Kentucky Exposition Center becomes its own hot rod city—more than 10,000 street rods, customs, classics, muscle cars, and trucks filling seemingly every available piece of pavement, with cars cruising the grounds and something new catching your eye everywhere you turn.
The 57th Annual NSRA Street Rod Nationals rolled into the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, August 6–9, 2026, once again bringing together more than 10,000 street rods, customs, classics, muscle cars, and trucks for four days of horsepower, craftsmanship, and everything that makes this hobby great.
Extreme weather temperatures and high gasoline prices didn’t keep participants from attending the Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, on the weekend of August 3-6, 2006. Street rods from all over the country drove to the Street Rod Mecca, and all 11,664 rods and participants were in for a pleasant surprise. On Thursday the weather was hot and humid, but a cool front rolled through and the rest of the weekend featured Chamber of Commerce weather with temperatures in the mid 80s.
The Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, has long been the proving ground for some of the finest builds in the country. Each year, the event brings together the builders, designers, and enthusiasts who continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with classic American performance.
