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Goodguys 2020 Street Rod of the Year Top 12 Award moved to the Heartland Nationals on July 3-5

Goodguys 2019 Street Rod of the Year shown above – Phil & Debbie Becker’s 1932 Ford Vicky built by FastLane Rod Shop

Amidst uncertainty and an ever changing 2020 event schedule, Goodguys has made the tough decision to move the Classic Instruments Street Rod of the Year Top 12 award from the now canceled PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio to the 29th Speedway Motors Heartland Nationals in Des Moines, Iowa on the July 3-5 weekend for the 2020 season.

So how can you get involved and get your Street Rod on the radar for this prestigious award? Well here’s the lowdown…

1. First off, your vehicle must meet the following criteria to be considered for the award:

  • Street rods through 1948 vintage
  • This award is designed for a true modern masterpiece. Quality of craftsmanship, body and paint, overall engineering, the three F’s (fit, form and functionality) stance and overall creativity in design and concept is what the selection committee will seek.


2. What event can I compete at for a chance to win the Street Rod of the Year Title?

  • You must have your Street Rod registered, and present, at the 29th Speedway Motors Heartland Nationals presented by BASF. All award candidates must park in the south side lot of the Varied Industries Building (the Builders Choice lot for those familiar with the Heartland Nationals event) on Friday, July 3 by 10am. Any candidates arriving after 10am will be disqualified. Email [email protected] if you have any questions or are looking for more information on how to enter.

3. And how about the overall winner? How is it selected?

  • The selection committee for these awards are made up of industry experts and Goodguys staff members. Each member of the selection committee places their Top 5 picks in order of preference. The first choice will receive five points, second choice four points, third choice thee points, and so on.
  • The winner is then determined by whoever receives the most total points and is honored during an Awards Ceremony held Saturday evening.

4. What does the winner receive for having the coolest Street Rod in the country?

  • National bragging rights
  • Beautiful billet aluminum award from Goodguys
  • RaceDeck garage flooring
  • Display Stanchion from Hot Rod Halo
  • Car Care products from Meguiar’s
  • Full color feature in the Goodguys Magazine and Yearbook
  • Special feature on FuelCurve.com
  • Exclusive invitation and travel accommodations to the season-ending Goodguys 23rd Southwest Nationals in Scottsdale, AZ where all of the “Top 12” cars and trucks of the year will be on display
Director of Media & Marketing

A lifelong car kid, Steven grew up around drag strips – his name may sound familiar because his grandfather is Bob Bunker, a Pro Mod pioneer who piloted the “Folsom Flash” ’55 Chevy from the ’70s through the ’90s. Steven’s father, Bob Bunker Jr., heads up Bunker Motorsports and is a regular in the West Coast racing scene, building chassis and race cars for more than 30 years. With genetics like that, it’s no wonder Steven has a passion for both cars and motorsports. In addition to helping his father and honing his fabrication skills at Bunker Motorsports, Steven began shooting photos at the drag strip and capturing the action with his Canon camera. He is now artfully crafting stories around the awesome machines at the shows, as well as the men and women behind them. When he's is not on the road covering events, he spends his downtime out on the water fishing, building his 1962 Chevy Nova, or cruising his 1987 GMC Suburban.