Hot Rods Changing times

The N.S.R.A. East Coast Nationals is this weekend in York PA and I haven't seen anything posted about it. Years ago about a week from the show, the net would be nothing but talk about the show, "who's going, when do you get in" etc. My friend called a motel Tuesday about a mile away from the Showgrounds and got a room. I can remember having to reserve a room at least 6 months in advance.

 

Seriously, the only time I start up the D D, is because I have to.

 

...York has lost much of its' luster for me and I've been going for over 50 years, first time was in 1974 when the NSRA held the event in Timonium, Maryland. So many things have changed and not just the "late model" stuff, which really didn't have the impact that a lot of people thought it would. It's still largely a "street rod" event with a few late models and sometimes even a few "traditional" hot rods. So many of the regulars who went year after year have p***ed or can no longer deal with the walking and God forbid, the heat. It's always HOT that weekend. I remember when a dozen or so tractor trailers from various vendors, packed with parts, graced the fair grounds. Internet sales and questionable decisions by NSRA in regards to fees to those vendors has changed all of that. I remember when the bldgs. were filled with vendors, not so much anymore. Remember when Apple Chevrolet gave away a Chevy crate motor and an S-10 pick/up!!! That will never happen again. Those who used to camp on the fairgrounds were forced out and had to rent over-priced hotel rooms or just quit attending. It's a shell of its' former self, but if you have nothing else to do and you don't mind walking, you will get to see a lot of nice cars. Guess I'm just getting old.

 

N.S.R.A. use the be the only big show around, they have lost a lot of us traditional guys when they started there ideas of opening up to almost anything.

I drop out years ago. HRP

 

At least it looks like a dry weekend.

 

Clarence and I were there in '97. Sounds like it's faded since then. I haven’t been to an nsra event since the "new car" change. Those of you who go enjoy yourselves.

Too bad about the camping. I spent some time with the canned ham folks. They were certainly having a good time.

 

I think people are tried of sit in your lawn chair and stair at your quarter panels shows!

 

...It is a lot more fun if there is something else going on, like some Nostalgia Drags or something.

 

Actually I think 97 was the one and only year i was there too!

 

I saw somewhere that they were having driving games there again. They used to do that years ago. When there was only about 2000 cars. I guess the car count must be down quite a bit.

 

.....There used to be "Rod Jousting".

 

I was from that area originally so I used to enjoy going but like was said, we are all old now and really don't enjoy sitting in a chair all day. I can still remember going to my first NSRA meet in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1988, it was like heaven to me.

 

This same discussion came up recently at a cruise night where a bunch of us were talking about the early days in front of some younger guys. We explained to them we used to travel long distances to go to car shows and we would camp out for the whole weekend. It was usually hosted by whatever local car club was there and there would be a program of events given to us that included poker runs, dances, games all day and a cook out dinner included.