As one nationwide series of hot rod shows announces that it will depart a longtime venue for one of its shows, another makes plans to return one of its shows to an old venue.
For 2012, Goodguys will move its 21st annual East Coast Nationals – held since its inception at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, New York – to the Eastern States Exposition Grounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts. According to Goodguys spokesmen, the move was the direct result of the fairgrounds not providing a date for 2012 that works with Goodguys’ schedule. Scheduling had already caused the East Coast Nationals to switch from its traditional September date to June in 2009. Next year’s East Coast Nationals will take place Father’s Day Weekend, June 15-17.
Meanwhile, Billetproof, which runs a five-show, two-drag schedule, will return to the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala for its 2012 Florida show. One of the two shows added to Billetproof’s schedule after Alan Galbraith bought the series in 2007, the Florida show took place at the museum in 2008 and 2009, then moved to Gainesville in 2010 and 2011. Next year’s Florida Billetproof show will take place March 17.
While we were at it, we checked in with the National Street Rod Association, which doesn’t appear to have made any changes to its event schedule for 2012.
UPDATE (14.October 2011): Hudson Valley Street Rods, which served as the host club for Goodguys Rhinebeck, has announced that it will step in to fill the void left by Goodguys at Rhinebeck with the inaugural Rhinebeck Nationals – what the club calls “The Affordable Alternative” – on the weekend of July 27-28. For more information, visit HudsonValleyStreetRods.com.
UPDATE (26.October 2011): Goodguys released the entire 2012 schedule. No other major changes.
