GNRS - Grand National Roadster Show

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MyHotRodTV
Published on Jun 22, 2019







The Grand National Roadster Show is now in its 71st year. Once known as the Oakland Roadster Show, it is the longest running indoor car show in the world! Produced at the Fairplex in Pomona for the 16th consecutive year. Over 500 show vehicles will compete for awards inside the Fairplex buildings. Another 400-800 vehicles will join the event Saturday & Sunday for the 15th Annual Grand Daddy Drive-In. Oakland Roadster Show Believe it or not there never was an "Oakland Roadster Show". The show held originally at the Oakland Exhibition Hall, Tenth & Fallon St and in the later years at the Oakland Coliseum until 1997 was the "Grand National Roadster Show" but every body including the magazines always called it the "Oakland Roadster Show". Since 1998 the show has been held across the Bay in various places. I've been very lucky to have been involved with the show as an exhibitor or vendor since1958. My '40 Ford Pickup has the distinction of having been in the show the most times (a total of seven). I was also inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 1997 was the last year the show was held in Oakland. In 1998 (the first show held across the bay) the Grand National Roadster Show was held at the Concourse a converted warehouse. A neat old building with exposed wood beams and carpeted through out. But the roof leaked, lousy parking and it wasn’t in the best part of San Francisco. 1998 was a fun year. Herbie Martinez was inducted into the Hall of Fame and I was asked to introduce him. When I first met Herbie thirty some years ago he had a tall wife (or girlfriend) who was about a foot and a half taller than Herbie. It used to crack me up every time I would see them together. Anyhow before the ceremony I had spent some time at a little bar across the street. So I was in rare form. 1999 it moved to the Cow Palace. After the 50th show held in 1999. Don Tognotti sold Show Promotions (producer of the Grand National Roadster Show and the Sacramento Autorama) to Dan Cyr. Where it stayed for another year. Then it moved again to the San Mateo Fairgrounds in 2001 til 2003. Meanwhile Rick Perry former manager of Show Promotions decided it was time to return to Oakland. So in 2001 Rick returned to the Oakland Coliseum with a new show called The Oakland Rod & Custom Show----Yeah. But unfortunately it was very short lived. Not enough room, expenses too high and etc, etc. The last show was held there in February of 2003. Bummer no more Oakland. 2004 Moving Time Again In 2004 the show moved to the Cow Palace with a new name the San Francisco Rod & Custom Show. The Grand National Roadster Show moves from San Mateo to the Los Angeles Fairplex with the same name. So Oakland goes to San Francisco, San Mateo goes to LA. Hopefully both shows will do well we will have a booth at S.F plus my ’40 again (at Rick’s request) will be at the Cow Palace. Soundtrack.. "Hot Coffee" provided by AudioBlocks