Friday First Look! 23rd Summit Racing Nationals presented by PPG

Goodguys got back to the Buckeye State this week as we rolled into Columbus, Ohio for the 23rd Summit Racing Nationals presented by PPG! Rodders from around the region and across the country have converged on the Ohio Expo Center for what promises to be a big-time blowout hot rod weekend for the ages!

Gearheads and car enthusiasts have anxiously awaited the return of “The Big One” to Columbus and the excitement has been palpable today as hot rods, customs, muscle cars, cruisers, trucks, and classics of all varieties rolled through the gates and cruised the expansive grounds. We saw lots of familiar friends and rides and scores of smiling faces as enthusiasts soaked in all the good vibes and cool scenes.


It was especially exciting to see a fresh crop of fine rides showing up to compete for Classic Instruments Street Rod of the Year and PPG Street Machine of the Year. These are two of our longest-running and most coveted Top 12 titles and always bring out the best creations from the country’s top builders. It’s a great-looking field of contenders and we’re anxious to see which are named as the Top Five and which will be crowned the winners during the special Saturday evening award ceremony, where we’ll also unveil our 2022 Grand Prize Giveaway vehicle. Stay tuned for updates throughout the weekend!

Of course, there will be plenty of action throughout the facility, too, as the Goodguys CPP AutoCross Series will be running hard all weekend. There was a special Sponsor Shootout this afternoon where Bob Bertelsen emerged victorious racing his “Green Mamba” Corvette for AutoMeter. All AutoCross eyes will next be on Saturday’s Buckeye Shootout presented by Forgeline.

There will be a little something for everyone here in Columbus, from multiple Nitro Thunderfest exhibitions and a Burnout Contest, to a massive swap meet, hundreds of vendors displaying their wares, a New Products Competition, and more cool cars than you can imagine crammed into one place. It will all lead up to our Sunday afternoon awards finale, where we’ll not only be giving out lots of hardware, but also sending someone home with the Designer Street Rods-built Grand Prize Giveaway ’67 Nova!

Buckle up, folks! It’s going to be a cool time in Columbus. Come join us if you can and watch this space for more highlights in the coming days!

Photos by Damon Lee & Steven Bunker

Editor, Goodguys Gazette

Damon Lee began snapping photos at car shows when he was 10, tagging along with his father to events throughout the Midwest. He has combined his passion for cars and knack for writing and imagery into a 20-year career in the automotive aftermarket, writing for titles like Super Chevy and Rod & Custom and, more recently, working for respected industry leaders Speedway Motors and Goodguys Rod & Custom Association.