I've walked NSRA events in Tampa, Knoxville and Louisville for years, but had never taken my '56 to one of their events since my car was 'too new' until a few years ago. I've been to Goodguys events (from Florida to CA) for more than 25 years, so I've experience a lot of show 'stuff'. But today in Tampa was a new one. I pulled into the fairgrounds around 7:30. There were open spaces in this one area, so I pulled between two cars, parked and walked. When I got back to the car, the guy in the next vehicle asked me if I was there 'with their group'. I said: No, I'm here by myself. The space was open so I parked. He accused me of moving chairs, stakes, rope, signs, etc., that he'd put up to save space for their group. I said I'd never move anyone's chairs, etc., and that I never saw any of that stuff. He acted like I was untruthful. A few minutes later the guy next to him comes over and asked why I moved their stuff. I said I didn't. He said: Sure you didn't. Nice at***ude. Anynow, I found an NSRA guy and he said people are not supposed to do that. But I know from walking their events that people use chairs all over to save space. Not parking under a club's big tent is proper. Only a fool would do that. But, in this case, I didn't do anything wrong, other than park in an open space. My guess is that someone from NSRA pulled all that stuff out of the way over night. I was a Goodguys Rodders Rep for years and I know Goodguys actually has what we used to call "chair police" who didn't let people do that. So what's the deal with NSRA? There was no way I was going to move my car; they didn't 'own' the space. Thoughts?
Thoughts? I wouldn't have thought to go to a NSRA event. Guess you didn't have enough gold chains on for the boys.
I hate to make generalizations, but that event attracts some very snobbish people. Not all of them, but enough to make it an event I do not attend. Years ago my then wife and I went there as spectators and she had a coffee in her hand as we paid our $ 20 per head to get in. As we went through the turnstiles a rent a cop yelled at her, "Hey, you with the coffee, you can't bring coffee in here, you have to buy it inside !" I didn't like his tone and got in his face a little but he said if she didn't dump it out we couldn't come in. We did it, and I went to the swap meet, picked up my two stainless mufflers they were holding for me, turned around and drove 3 hours back home. I refused to stay longer. A few years later I went back, thinking that was a fluke, and found the same kind of "better than you" at***ude. I saw a nice little yellow roadster and said to the owner "Nice hot rod you have there." It was like I was invisible, not a word from him and he looked away as if to say "Who the hell are you ?" If it was just those two occurances I would shake it off, but there were similar brushoffs all day long, even from people trying to sell you something in the swap meet area. A good friend was a vendor there and he told me he stopped going to that one event because the people were just "weird". That is the vibe I got too and have never wanted to go back. Don
I have been to Tampa a couple of times and didnt have any problems. Even traded cars once. However Im with you if someone would got up in my face about a parking place we would have words. Its funny what people will fight about. Designated parking is one thing but an open field is another. Just chock it up as another ***hole gold chainer. Your 56 probably made them look bad because it was not on a trailer.
Hate it when the so-called car guys try to reserve spots for their goldchainer late *** buddies. Some clubs set it up with the events to reserve spots for their clubs. Sounds like you ran into a couple of what we call in Florida Village Goldchainer Idiots. I would have just had to tell them to go get the event staff to straighten out the problem or just kiss my ***.
Sounds like you meant some wanna be street/hot rodders. I wouldn't have moved either! Sounds like NSRA pulled the chairs or whatever markers overnight and you caught the blame. I don't like the chair game at all. It goes on at alot of events not only nsra, goodguys, and everyother little show.
Identical thing happened to me at Louisville. Was jumped by three guys with a lot of bad words. Told me if I valued my paint job and I didn't stand guard over my car I had better move it. I was there at 5am and I had parked in that same spot the day before. They put there chairs there after I left. I did not move them. They show up at 9AM and cause a major scene. I moved the car before they could key it. I bet it was the same Bullys.... I have been to 41 Street Rod Nationals but may be done with Louisville... Louisville is turning into Tent City, You need to rent a tent to get a parking spot. Look at the picture from the Helicopter in this months Streetscene. Nsra must be getting a big kick back on tent rental...
yeah the power parking gold chainer gas and wax guys i've ran into the type before,i would've moved my **** in a minute, who would even want to look like your even part of that chump club
If somebody said that **** to me I'd leave it there and tell em I'm hoping to find some key marks later. Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
That is generally a rule of the fairgrounds that the event is held at and the concept is that will force you to buy refreshments and food from the vendors. The organizer (NSRA in this case) rarely has any control over that.
Shows ****. Some of the people who run them also **** because they don't enforce their rules and kick out the ***hole goldchainers. Why I don't go to shows and park it. I'd rather drive it.
Yah, I'd take their plate numbers and tell them that if anything happened to my car, they'd better hire bodyguards and increase their insurance.
cool. another car show ***** thread. lots of chest t******* and internet *** kicking. this is the best part of the HAMB. ought to add an x to Tampa, that would be a more fitting ***le.
I went as a spectator a few year ago... now we in in a sub-tropical climate, and there was a law p***ed that said you could bring an unopened bottled water into ANY event... well, I did just that, and I was h***led at the gate about it, and I informed them of the law... they said, "we ddon't know about this law." Wel I had paid my $15 and I asked if I could get my money back, they said no, so I stood there and drank my water and went in. pissed and sloshing. A few year later, I go with my car club, I brought a folding bicycle so I could walk around and sit on it when I needed to (I got a bum right knee). I was told I had to leave if I did not take the bicycle back and put it away... Now as I look around at all the able bodied people riding around inh rened electric scooters, I didn't need to figure out that if they let people like me do what I was doing, the scooter rental people would not be happy... I'm not exacrly positive, but I think the NSRA is not so much about the SR, but more a about the $... If I were you, I'd save my money for next weekend and come up to a REAL hot rod show up in Ocala, at a hot Rod Museum owned and operated by the Legend, Don Garlit's... the entry fee is half the price of the show in Tampa (only $30 entry for cars), and there will be bands playing, people happy to see you... We love you Don, and Dan, you guys are the best!!! Follow us down to Lakeland on Sunday and then see hot rods moving... Quickly... With lots of tire smoke the next day in Lakeland at the Billetproof Drags. [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Billetproof Drags Florida: Oct 21, 2012 Back to the roots of Drag Racing! Heads up style, run what you brung. You dont need a top fuel rail to compete, bring your stock flathead 4 banger and have a ball. [/FONT]There will be a trophy/prize for Low Reaction Time. Everyone is eligible. <!--Big Daddy's show info We STRONGLY encourage everyone to go to the Hot Rod show at Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing on Oct.22, 2011 in Ocala, FL You can get the info on the show here: http://www.garlits.com/newshome.htm Go to the show, get some tips from Big Daddy, then come race your **** off at the Billetproof Drags. -->[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Lakeland Motorsports Park 8100 State Road 33 N Lakeland, FL 33809-1705 (863) 984-1145[/FONT] Gates at 9am (registration at the gate is $35 includes car and driver) Spectators/P***engers $10/ea. (12 under, Police, Fire and Active Military with ID free) Heads up drag racing on an 1/8th mile track Basic tech inspection required. Helmets and seat belts for open cars. Helmets, long pants, jacket and closed shoes for mini-bikes/motorcycles Mini-Bike Madness Drags Live Band - Vendors - Lots of racing!
We all have our problems. The Goodguys Show in Columbus took out a few Restrooms, and in under the pavilions, they never open the restrooms in back, so I have to Bum a ride, because the Scooter I Rented for $75.00 for the day, ran out of juice. I charged it up a little, with another Scooter Co. to take back to where I rented it. Do you think they would get me another one, NO. I called my Buddy to come and get me, which he did. This was about 1 pm. He put his chair out to come and pick me up. I don't get around like I used to, because some older lady ran a stop sign. I have had 5 Disk replaced in my back + 5 other surgery's. While he came to pick me up, a late arrival, had a spectator move his chair. We had no place to park, because of his I don't care personality. My Buddy got mad when someone told him what the guy did.. A Club was there and saw what he did. He told my buddy, 3 Hrs. later the guy came back. He said that his car was overheating, which everyone said there were no overheating issues. This happened in 2009, and I just never went back, but did buy my own scooter. the State is responsible for opening the restrooms. More Government money wasted. There is a time when some common sense can be used. I have been into Hot Rods & Street Rods for over 40 years. Just telling the other side of the Story.
I've been to this event many times in the past, only because it's about the only car show of any significant size in central FL, other than the Turkey Rod Run. From a spectator's point of view, I would describe it as mediocre at best. After reading the stories about not being able to take in a coffee or bottled water, it makes me furious. I'd of probably told them to kiss my ***, and proceeded on my way. Who the hell do they think they are saying you can't bring in a coffee or a water. It's not like you've got a cooler full, trying to short sell the vendors. **** like this pisses me off so bad, because it's rediculous. They can take their ******** policies and stick em' up their ***. This is just enough to make me say **** em'.
This type of bull **** happens every where. I was at Americruise years ago in Lincoln Nebraska standing in line for the free feed. We had been standing in line for quite a while when a group of people from a large car club comes walking up and start to get in line. They had one guy holding their place in line while they sat on their ***es back at their cars. As they started to get in line the guy standing in line behind their buddy told them that the first one of them that got in line would get their *** whipped and the same for the next and so forth. He meant it. They decided that maybe the should go to the back of the line like everyone else had. I think that was a smart move on their part. I had been a member of that car club but when my membership ran out at the end of the year I did not renew. Later, ****
I'm sure that you are correct in that NSRA moved the stuff. I know that at the NSRA shows I go to ( York, Burlington ) they do just that to discourage people from hogging spaces.
NSRA regularly moves the chairs early in the morning. Next time, calmly tell them that you will get an NSRA official there and they can tell them themselves what the problem is.
I went to that show once when I lived there and never went back, Way to many I'm better than you types.
I'm on my way to the show. Now that i've got the scoop, I'll be sure to pick up a fake gold chain on the way so I'll fit in I like to go to shows and see other people's cars - I leave mine at home (except the ones at Garlits - and the Lakeland drags - best fun I ever had at a car event). This event still has some nice cars so its worth going for an afternoon. And some of the folks are real nice. Some aren't but that's life. To each his own.
I agree with GoatDave, if you are going to a megashow, do it as a spectator. I don't need the adulation of crowds with regard to my ride. I drive a hot rod to put a smile on my face, whether it is to the hardware store or just a putt around. I think the right concept is the CA trend towards weekly "coffee and cars". Come when you want, leave when you want, have a coffee and a donut, no throngs of people to maul your car. Out here in New England many of the shows try to lock you in until a certain time or park you in so you can't leave. Not for me, when I want to go, I go. Saw some pictures of a Maine event this year, where Main Street by the beach was long lines of cars, five wide, as far as the eye could see. If you were there, you didn't leave until everyone else leaves. Or the shows where the promoting organization makes you park in specified groupings for trophy purposes. I am a geezer who long ago lost interest in that sort of thing.
Find an Old Timer from the MSRA and ask them why NSRA stopped having the Nat's in Minnesota..........The "Best" thing that ever happened to MSRA....
Lets face it guys, we're just a bunch of hoodlums that don't belong at their tea party. And that is really fine with me! Those ***holes should have welcomed you, but we know that is not going to happen.