The Triple Crown of Rodding Raises the Bar for a Stellar Second Year
When the news of the final Shades of the Past circulated through the hot rod world in 2022, it marked the end of an era. Bobby Alloway had a long history with the event, and he wanted to continue the tradition of a world-class car show that lands on the weekend after Labor Day. He partnered with Gary Case to create the Triple Crown of Rodding presented by PPG, and the result was a spectacular success in 2023, with plans to go bigger and better for 2024.
Held at the Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee, the 2nd annual Triple Crown of Rodding broke attendance records in all aspects: more vendors, more cars and more spectators. More than 2,000 cars filled the expansive speedway infield, with hundreds choosing to enter the judging area on Friday morning. Awards consisted of a Top 30, Elite 10 and the Triple Crown awards, which are split into three categories for cars and three categories for trucks. More than a dozen specialty awards, including a Goodguys pick, were part of Saturday’s award presentation on Saturday evening. The creativity and craftsmanship of each trophy spoke volumes of the significance of this event.
The Triple Crown winners for cars went to:
Street Rod of the Year – McKenzie Murphy, 1932 Ford Roadster built by Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop
Street Cruiser of the Year – Dave Maxwell, 1953 Corvette “Twelveair” built by Kindig-It Design
Street Machine of the Year – Ed Ganzinotti, 1968 Dodge Charger built by Classic Car Studio
While the Triple Crown winners for trucks went to:
Late – ’72 Truck of the Year – Bill and Cainya Paul, 1934 Ford Pickup built by Vintage Fabrication LLC
1973-1987 Truck of the Year – Bruce Griffin, 1985 Chevrolet C10 (Goodguys Giveaway Truck) built by Goolsby Customs
1988-1998 Truck of the Year – Ty Zito, 1993 Chevrolet Pace Truck built by Twin States Rod Shop
The Triple Crown of Rodding presented by PPG will continue to draw interest from the top builders in the hot rod industry in the judged portion of the show, but no one can forget about the 1,700-plus cars and trucks that filled the rest of the speedway throughout the weekend. From traditional hot rods to contemporary customs, you’ll see it all in the non-judged area of the show.
Additionally, the Triple Crown of Rodding featured a nitro dragster exhibition presented by ARP, and the BFGoodrich Share the Ride program, that provided hundreds of rides on the high-speed course throughout the weekend. A special feature included a ride-along opportunity with Kyle Tucker, behind the wheel of the carbon fiber ZR10 truck that won the Triple Crown Truck of the Year last year. Spots for the Kyle Tucker ride-along were auctioned off. The final acts of the Triple Crown of Rodding included two big giveaways: a new crate engine from BluePrint Engines and a brand-new Chevrolet truck with the Alloway touch.
The Triple Crown of Rodding presented by PPG is quickly becoming the premier event for hot rods and trucks, and there are more plans in the works for next year. Registration is already open for the 2025 event, which is scheduled for September 5 & 6. For more information you can go to TCR24.
Photos and Story by Tommy Lee Byrd