The 51st Nats Has Plenty to Show Off
By Brian Brennan – Photography by Gary Rosier
Each year the National Street Rod Association sponsors the Street Rod Nationals and since 1997 it’s been held in Louisville, Kentucky at the Kentucky Exposition Center, which houses an amazing indoor facility and well-maintained outer grounds. (In its 51-year history of the Nationals it has appeared 26 times in Louisville.) While the grounds are undergoing major enhancements the expo center management has kept the facility in pretty good shape. Can’t wait until next year and when the updates and upgrades will be fully finished.
The year 2020 may be on many of our minds to be a “year to be forgotten” as we are smack dab in the middle of a pandemic. For the past five or six months many of us have had to put aside our daily routines and sources of enjoyment (including having fun with cars) to get through our current situation. Knowing this the NSRA has done its best to bring some relief to rodders who come from near and far to enjoy one weekend of fun and camaraderie.
The 51st NSRA Street Rod Nationals is underway with what appears to be something close to 7,000 street rods and about half the spectator gate we might have normally expected. You know what that’s pretty darn good. One of the highlights of the Nats is the Builders’ Showcase that the NSRA refers to as America’s Elite Builders. Should you find yourself at the event take in the sights of the showcase but in the meantime enjoy some truly great examples of craftsmanship bringing to fruition these amazing feats of creativity.
Follow along with this representative sampling and you can see what is out there for all of us to enjoy. MR
