Hot Rod Reunion Winners "Show and Shine"

Top Fifty Parade Down Dragstrip, Get Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - (June 19, 2005) - Street rods, muscle cars and classics had their day in the sun, as fifty of the most beautiful vehicles in the land paraded down the Beech Bend drag strip following an awards presentation for the Soffseal Show-n-Shine, part of the final day of the 3rd annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion, presented by DuPont Automotive Finishes.  The 50 were chosen as the best from among more than 1,200 cars and trucks that entered the event.

"Choosing the top fifty vehicles from among such an outstanding field was very difficult," said Reunion Event Director Bob Daniels.  "These cars bring back memories for both their owners and for the thousands who came to the Reunion to see them."  Daniels and his wife Eileen have worked with the NHRA almost since its inception in 1951 and help organize and judge the street rod competition.  "It may be trite, but they just don't make 'em like this any more," said Daniels.

Judged the Best of the Best were such classic vehicles as Ron Thorpe's '32 Ford, Rich Gregorski's '41 Willys and Bunky Bobo's '40 Willys.

"These vehicles are an important part of the history of hot rodding," said Sam Jackson, Executive Director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.  "Their presence at the Reunion helps to bring together various parts of our sport, letting everyone see these historic icons."

Eldon and Nancy Miller of Lawrenceberg, Ind. won the DuPont "Hot Hues" award and the Creitz and Donovan Top Fuel dragster won the award for best restoration paint.  Legendary restorer Tom Hanna, of Wichita, Kan., won the "Grand Marshal's Pick" award from "Gentleman Joe" Schubeck.  Hanna restored the Creitz and Donovan car as well as the Croshier-Baltes-Lavato car to name just a few.

Soffseal Show-n-Shine Winners

Best of the Best

Hot Rod - Ron Thorpe, Glenn Dale, Md. - '32 Ford

Street Rod - Rich Gregorski, Largo, Fl. - '41 Willys

Rat Rod - Danny Burford, Zip City, Ky. - '32 Ford

Custom - Oscar Gamble, Paducah, Ky. - '56 Chevy

Classic - Larry Frederick, Petersburg, Ind. - '62 Chevy

Muscle Car - John Dillard, Bowling Green, Ky. - '69 Chevy

T-Bucket - Sammy and Karen Wyatt, Alvaton, Ky. - '23 Ford

Trucks - Wayne Brown, Bardstown, Ky. - '66 Chevy

Memory Lane - Bunky Bobo, Silver Creek, Ga. - '40 Willys

Top Fifty Soffseal

Memory Lane - Barry Wahner, Carlinsville, Ill. - '57 Chevy

Memory Lane - Dave Whitaker, Boynton Beach, Fla. - '62 Chevy Impala

Rat Rods - Doug Johns, Bowling Green, Ky. - '40 International Truck

Rat Rods - Jensen Masters, Rock Castle, Ky. - '29 Ford

Customs - Rich Mickelson, Kokomo, Ind. - '49 Mercury

Customs - Bud Brummett, Martinsville, Ind. - '51 Ford

Trucks - Robert Wyman, Madison, Ala. - '55 Chevy

Trucks - Bob Baker, Yorksville, Ill. - '50 Chevy

Trucks - Paul Vollman, Montgomery, Penn. - '34 Ford

Trucks - Billy Wellman, Lexington, Ky. - '32 Ford

Trucks - Ron Casper, Murfreesboro, Tenn. - '48 Chevy

Classics  - Dusty Summes, Winchester, Ind. - '62 Chevy Belair

Classics - Larry and Jheri Cline, Cartersville, Fla. - '57 Chevy Convertible

Classics - John Ginn, Cordova, Ky. - '62 Chevy

Classics - Ray and Kathy Dziolowski, Macomb, Ky. - '67 Chevy Corvette

Classics - Mike McAllister, Elberfield, Ind. - '55 Chevy Belair

Classics - Wayne and Connie Eaton, Glasgow, Ky. - '65 Chevy

Classics - Larry Smith, Madisonville, Ky. - '57 Chevy Nomad Wagon

Classics - Bobby Ginn, Franklin, Tenn. - '63 Chevy

Hot Rod - Johnny Pitman, Murfreesboro, Ky. - '57 Chevy

Hot Rod - Joe Kavalanskas, Tipp City, Okla. - '33 Ford

Hot Rod - Kim and Bobby Carter, Louisville, Ky. - '55 Chevrolet

Hot Rod - Charles Hale, Glasgow, Ky. - '55 Chevrolet

Hot Rod - Charles Jackson, Hendersonville, Tenn., '32 Ford

Hot Rod - Terrell House, Morgantown, Ky. - '57 Chevrolet

Hot Rod - Bob and Pat Johnson, Clarkston, Mich. - '55 Chevrolet

Hot Rod - Jeffery Oliphant, Scottsville, Ky. - '55 Chevrolet

Street Rod - Jim and Janie Nichols, Waterford, Mich. - '32 Ford

Street Rod - Jim Wootums, Anderson, Ind. - '47 Ford

Street Rod - Timmy Keown, Morgantown, Ind. - '41 Willys

Street Rod - Cotton Coltharp, Denver, N.C. - '33 Ford

Street Rod - Jack Roberts, Manchester, Ky. - '32 Ford

Street Rod - John Shea, Middletown, Ind. - '39 Ford

Street rod - Vernon Harshfield, Lebanon Jct., Ky. - '34 Ford

Street Rod - Orman McLord, Clarksville, Tenn. - '34 Ford

Street Rod - Daniel and Jana Benedick, Baytown, Tex. - '41 Willys

Street Rod - Ron Hassel, Palm City, Fla. - '32 Ford

Muscle Car - Mark Turner, Hermitage, Ky. - '69 Camaro

Muscle Car - Gary Miller, Fairfield, O. - '70 Plymouth

Muscle Car - Jim and Barbara Lamont, Pittsburgh, Pa. - '65 Chevy Impalaq

Muscle Car - Claude Harley, Martinsville, Tenn. - '65 Chevy Chevelle

Muscle Car - Tim Meredith, Quoify, Ky. - '66 Chevy Nova

Muscle Car - Roger Minyard, Bowling Green, Ky. - '69 Camaro

Muscle Car - Ray Meires, Winchester, Ky. - '67 Corvette

Muscle Car - Ed Miller, Dayton, O. - '65 Chevelle

Muscle Car - Alfen Weike, Louisville, Ky. - '69 Chevrolet

Muscle Car - Danny Griffin, Hermitage, Tenn. - '67 Chevrolet

Muscle Car - Frank Gaskins, Campbellindie, Ky. - '70 Dodge Super Bee

Muscle Car - John Kearn, Morgantown, Ky. - '70 Chevelle

Special - Rusty Symmes, Winchester, Ind. - "The Car Hauler" '56 White