By Brian Brennan – Images by Not Stock Photography
Classic Instruments Street Rod of the Year
Two of the more prestigious awards offered by the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association are the 2026 Classic Instruments Street Rod of the Year and the 2026 Goodguys Street Machine of the Year. These awards were selected by a builders’ judging committee and by Goodguys themselves. This took place during the Goodguys 28th Summit Racing Nationals presented by Grundy Insurance in Columbus, Ohio.
Let’s start with recognition for John and Jennifer Fairleigh and their 1933 Ford roadster, named Goodguys’ 2026 Classic Instruments Street Rod of the Year. If their names and their roadster look familiar, they should. Earlier in the year, this roadster was in competition at the Grand National Roadster Show for the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster award. It took home three very impressive awards: Blackie Gejeian Memorial Award, as well as the AMBR Outstanding Interior. The roadster is based on a Speed33 body by American Speed Company, with an impressive powertrain comprising a Kaase Boss 520 and a Bowler 4L80E.
Forgeline Street Machine of the Year
Congratulations to Matt Jewell and his 1970 Chevelle, winner of the Goodguys 2026 Forgeline Street Machine of the Year.
After more than 30 years with the car, Matt turned to Eddie Pettus and Eddie’s Rod & Custom to transform the iconic 1970 Chevelle Super Sport into a modern street machine that blends classic muscle-car attitude with contemporary performance and craftsmanship.
The Chevrolet DNA remains, but the sheet metal was refined with fender extensions, sectioned panels, hand-fabricated bumpers, a custom hood and decklid, and revised roof lines. Inside, original cues carry into a fully custom leather interior by Avant-Garde Design, aided by 3-D scanning and printing.
A custom Roadster Shop chassis, coilovers, Brembo brakes, one-off cantilever IRS, and one-off machined wheels set the stance, while a twin-turbo Steve Morris–built Chevy LS3 delivers more than 1,300 hp. After a six-year build, it is easy to see why this Chevelle took one of Goodguys’ top honors.
