Trackside-Suzy
07-17-2015, 06:12 AM
Okay, well that might be an exaggeration but it's definitely HUGE and it's definitely a circus (in a good way).
First and foremost, it has to be said: Columbus is the biggest show of the year for Goodguys, for a reason: the absolute best-of-the-best show up. No idea why because it's VERY hot and VERY humid and almost always rains at some point, but people go all out for this event. Spectators line the roads to and from the host hotel like they're watching a parade with the Pope waving a confederate flag and they wait all day just to see you in your rusty '62 Falcon drive by - it's like no other show.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/IMG_1360_zpsknja4qup-1.jpg
Big Red Camaro attracted a lot of attention appearing for the first time at Goodguys.
An average of 5,000 cars park at the show and nearly 100,000 visitors spend all weekend appreciating the chrome and sparkle of those parked and the burned rubber and crushed egos of the autocross. I didn’t get the total number of autocross entries but there were thirty five in the pro class. THIRTY FIVE PROS and the pit went on forever.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8850_zpsnc0twi3l-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8085_zpsapaugbd4-1.jpg
This year’s Columbus autocross was no exception, the fast and furious came to play and the competition was fierce. In the mix for the first time were West Coast royalty Brian Hobaugh and Mike Maier mixing it up with Danny Popp and the Leisinger boys. The course was small, tight and slow. Columbus was a great place to learn that sometimes in autocross, slow is fast. Average times were in the mid thirty-second range with the fast guys getting down in the low thirties.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8556_zpsnzzde3ar-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8546_zpswmgudzrp-1.jpg
Along with a huge field of competitors, Goodguys puts on a couple of special events within the autocross that include the Street Machine of the Year (SMOY) run-off (to win the title, you must complete a certain amount of runs on the autocross) and the Vendor Shootout. This year’s SMOY race was exceptional, not only were the competitors for this prestigious award some of the most gorgeous cars I have ever seen (seriously not seen this many innovative and gorgeous cars in one place) but the cars ran flawlessly!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_7876_zpszxgc3ars-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_7745_zpsxz62tsap-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_7525_zpsjxx7oeqm-1.jpg
Usually there are break downs and mishaps that take forever to complete the event, while the cars toddle around the track barely making an effort. Kyle Tucker came to kill in a beautiful orange MOPAR - yes, you heard that correctly - among the show-quality Camaros and Corvettes.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_7698_zpsibmu17eh-1.jpg
This year the cars (and drivers) were going for it, running fast laps and successfully getting off of the track on their own power. The Vendor Shootout is a bit more of a lengthy competition, with a bracket-based shootout. Vendors choose cars and drivers to represent their brand and the drivers go head-to-head in elimination rounds. As always, this is the best-of-the-best in autocross.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8995_zpszctyky65-1.jpg
Noteable appearances other than those from the West Coast included a new whip for Al Unser Jr and the Speedway Motors team – a second gen Camaro that looked to be fast and nimble for Al on the tight course. The Unsers haven’t given up their three-wheel turns that give the crowd a thrill in both the Nova and Camaro. (I'm sorry, I don't have a picture of the Speedway Camaro) Also finally, more than one hot rod showed up to give the autocross a go!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8113_zpsgwbbyza4-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8424_zpsru7yoikd-1.jpg
Overall, the rain stayed away for almost the entire weekend and everyone had a great time; Danny Popp came out on top for the pros and Ken Hiebert took the top spot in Street Machine class with his ’72 Triumph TR6 running a 34.166 lap. It is worth mentioning that Ryan Buck wheeled his ’63 Nova and came out right on the heels of that tiny Triumph with a 34.698 to take second place.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8065_zps3iizegxf-1.jpg
First and foremost, it has to be said: Columbus is the biggest show of the year for Goodguys, for a reason: the absolute best-of-the-best show up. No idea why because it's VERY hot and VERY humid and almost always rains at some point, but people go all out for this event. Spectators line the roads to and from the host hotel like they're watching a parade with the Pope waving a confederate flag and they wait all day just to see you in your rusty '62 Falcon drive by - it's like no other show.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/IMG_1360_zpsknja4qup-1.jpg
Big Red Camaro attracted a lot of attention appearing for the first time at Goodguys.
An average of 5,000 cars park at the show and nearly 100,000 visitors spend all weekend appreciating the chrome and sparkle of those parked and the burned rubber and crushed egos of the autocross. I didn’t get the total number of autocross entries but there were thirty five in the pro class. THIRTY FIVE PROS and the pit went on forever.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8850_zpsnc0twi3l-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8085_zpsapaugbd4-1.jpg
This year’s Columbus autocross was no exception, the fast and furious came to play and the competition was fierce. In the mix for the first time were West Coast royalty Brian Hobaugh and Mike Maier mixing it up with Danny Popp and the Leisinger boys. The course was small, tight and slow. Columbus was a great place to learn that sometimes in autocross, slow is fast. Average times were in the mid thirty-second range with the fast guys getting down in the low thirties.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8556_zpsnzzde3ar-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8546_zpswmgudzrp-1.jpg
Along with a huge field of competitors, Goodguys puts on a couple of special events within the autocross that include the Street Machine of the Year (SMOY) run-off (to win the title, you must complete a certain amount of runs on the autocross) and the Vendor Shootout. This year’s SMOY race was exceptional, not only were the competitors for this prestigious award some of the most gorgeous cars I have ever seen (seriously not seen this many innovative and gorgeous cars in one place) but the cars ran flawlessly!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_7876_zpszxgc3ars-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_7745_zpsxz62tsap-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_7525_zpsjxx7oeqm-1.jpg
Usually there are break downs and mishaps that take forever to complete the event, while the cars toddle around the track barely making an effort. Kyle Tucker came to kill in a beautiful orange MOPAR - yes, you heard that correctly - among the show-quality Camaros and Corvettes.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_7698_zpsibmu17eh-1.jpg
This year the cars (and drivers) were going for it, running fast laps and successfully getting off of the track on their own power. The Vendor Shootout is a bit more of a lengthy competition, with a bracket-based shootout. Vendors choose cars and drivers to represent their brand and the drivers go head-to-head in elimination rounds. As always, this is the best-of-the-best in autocross.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8995_zpszctyky65-1.jpg
Noteable appearances other than those from the West Coast included a new whip for Al Unser Jr and the Speedway Motors team – a second gen Camaro that looked to be fast and nimble for Al on the tight course. The Unsers haven’t given up their three-wheel turns that give the crowd a thrill in both the Nova and Camaro. (I'm sorry, I don't have a picture of the Speedway Camaro) Also finally, more than one hot rod showed up to give the autocross a go!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8113_zpsgwbbyza4-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8424_zpsru7yoikd-1.jpg
Overall, the rain stayed away for almost the entire weekend and everyone had a great time; Danny Popp came out on top for the pros and Ken Hiebert took the top spot in Street Machine class with his ’72 Triumph TR6 running a 34.166 lap. It is worth mentioning that Ryan Buck wheeled his ’63 Nova and came out right on the heels of that tiny Triumph with a 34.698 to take second place.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/07/DSC_8065_zps3iizegxf-1.jpg