Goodguys Car Show Rolls Into Puyallup Fairgrounds This Weekend

From Goodguys:

The Goodguys Rod & Custom Association is poised to produce their eleventh event of the 30th Anniversary season, The Goodguys 26th Wesco Autobody Supply Pacific NW Nationals, July 26-28 at the WA State Fair Event Center in Puyallup. It marks a celebratory year, full of colorful automotive festivals geared towards classic American automobile enthusiasts. What started in March of 1983 as a one day “Get-Together” for California hot rodders has blossomed into a worldwide association of car enthusiasts born out of one man’s passion.

Northern California car nut Gary Meadors founded Goodguys back in the spring of ‘83 as a way to get car people and hot rod aficionados like him together to show off their cars, trade ideas, listen to some live music and have a little fun. 

Falling back on his early years as strictly a street rod show promoter (street rods are widely considered 1949 & earlier American cars), Meadors had the idea to welcome all genres of American car enthusiasts with a lean towards V8 powered, low-to-the-ground eye catchers like hot rods from the 30s & 40s, lead sled customs from the 50s, muscle cars from the 70s as well as the new breed of American Muscle like 5.0 GT Mustangs, Z28 Camaros and more.

At the Goodguys 26th Pacific NW Nationals, fans will get a close up glimpse of just how eclectic the modern day hot rodding scene is though in spirit – the Goodguys core message is unchanged after 30 years – having fun with cars. Literally thousands of 1972 & earlier show cars glistening with candy colors will sprawl throughout the expansive grounds of the WA State Fair Event Center each car owner taking extreme pride in polishing and showing their entry.  

Currently, there are pre-72 cars and trucks pre-registered from 17 US States and Canadian provinces such as Alberta, Canada, Alaska, Arizona, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Idaho, Manitoba, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Northwest Territories, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Saskatchewan, Washington and Wyoming.

For those who need their quarter mile dose of speed, the event will showcase the Friday Night Vintage Drags at Pacific Raceways in Kent on Friday, July 26. Come and see the Northwest’s fastest Nitro Funny cars as they do battle on the quarter mile.  Over 200 sportsman entries will compete in five classes in addition to the headliners.  Gates open at Pacific Raceway at 10 am, tech will start at 11 am, time runs at 1pm and eliminations will begin at 4 pm.  Tickets for the drags are $20 general admission, kids $6 and are available at Pacific Raceways the night of the event. 

Then there’s a vendor midway featuring  commercial vendors offering hi-performance parts and accessories to budding hot rodders and do-it-yourselfers. Having the chance to interact directly with manufacturers has long been an appealing aspect of Goodguys events. Throw in the Ahwooga.com used car parts swap meet and the Auto Trader Classis car corral (turn-key classic cars for sale) and it’s literally auto-utopia for any red blooded American with motor oil in their veins.

A favorite tradition in Puyallup is the cruisin and the night time entertainment.  The Sillyville stage will feature performances on Saturday and Sunday during the event. Bring your dancin’ shoes!

Over 45 pinstripers and artists from the US and Canada will create the Pinstripers Brush Bash, an annual tradition at the Pacific NW Nationals.  This demo of talented pinstripers and artists will run all through the weekend in the Showplex. They will be available for pinstriping vehicles as well at the event.

Goodguys takes their car-lovin’ customers so serious there’s even a model car program sponsored by Revell that sends the little one’s home with their very own model kit forging big dreams to one day come back to the show with a life sized version.  The make n’ take model car sessions will be on Saturday at 1 pm and then again on Sunday at 11 am. 

Rounding it all out is the All American Sunday, on Sunday, July 28 where owners of American powered show cars and trucks of all years, makes and models can come inside the event to show off next to the 1972 and earlier iron. It’s also Sunday that Goodguys displays all top award winning cars together as a group in the winner’s circle spawning endless clicks of amateur and season shutterbugs.

And this, all of it, started on a spring day in March 1983 in Northern California. The American Dream personified in a simple company slogan. “Goodguys…Cool Cars, Cool People, Goodtimes!”

The Goodguys 26th Wesco Autobody Supply Pacific NW Nationals event gates are open Friday 8 am to 5 pm, Saturday from 8am to 8pm and Sunday 8am to 3pm. General admission is $18, kids 7-12 $6, 6 and under are free. Spectator parking is free.  Tickets can be purchased at the WA State Fair Event Center all three days of the event.  Or you can visit www.good-guys.com to purchase tickets or to register a show car. Call Goodguys at (925) 838-9876 for more information.

By the numbers - Three decades of Goodguys:

600 – The number of Goodguys Rod & Custom Association events produced since 1983.

2.5 million – The cumulative total of hot rods and classic cars (1972 & older) which have attended a Goodguys event since 1983.

$250,000 million – the estimated revenue generated in local cities (hotel rooms, restaurants, gas stations, markets etc) hosting Goodguys events since 1983

25 million – the estimated total attendance of Goodguys events since 1983

10,000 – The number of companies who’ve exhibited on the midway at a Goodguys events since 1983

290 – The number of Goodguys Goodtimes Gazette magazines printed since first published in 1989

75 – Number of completed, ready-to-drive-away Giveaway Cars Goodguys has produced since 1983

30 – Number of states Goodguys events have been held in since 1983

31,000 – Number of miles the Goodguys big rig travels annually bringing supplies to events