Weekend Rewind! Goodguys 35th RaceDeck West Coast Nationals
Goodguys marked a major milestone this weekend as the RaceDeck West Coast Nationals celebrated 35 incredible years! Long regarded as the Crown Jewel of Goodguys events, this storied California gathering brings together the coolest rides and the most energetic enthusiasts in the west for an extended weekend of good times, incredible cars, and fun-filled traditions.
Much more than just a weekend affair, the good times started on Monday as we kicked off Hot Rod Week – four days of excursions to cool shops and stops in the region, culminating in a laid-back Thursday Poker Run. These drives had everyone primed and revved up for sun-filled, fun-filled hot rod weekend, West Coast style!
Pleasanton is the original “home turf” for Goodguys and anyone who has ever attended an event at the Alameda County Fairgrounds knows how perfect the venue is for an event. The historic facility has plenty of trees, grass, and a combination of indoor and outdoor spaces that make it a great place for Goodguys Good Times.
Among the many highlights for the West Coast Nationals weekend is the competition for the BASF America’s Most Beautiful award. Formerly known as America’s Most Beautiful Street Rod, this Meguiar’s Top 12 honor is now open to pre-1998 vehicles, broadening its appeal and increasing the variety of cars and trucks in competition. This year’s Top Five was as diverse as ever, featuring classic trucks, a muscle car, a reimagined Euro classic, and a traditional street rod. During a special Saturday evening awards presentation, Amadeo Angelo’s stunning 1940 Chevy Suburban built by Roseville Rod & Custom claimed the 2022 BASF America’s Most Beautiful crown.
Aside from the America’s Most Beautiful title we also selected finalists for two of the regional Meguiar’s Top 12 titles. Art & Ronnie Toy debuted their ’40 Ford this weekend and drove off with the Scotts Hotrods Truck of the Year Early finalist spot, while Mark Perez and his immaculate ’69 Camaro Z28 earned a spot in the Snap-on Muscle Car of the Year running. The Goodguys media team chose Derek McCowan’s homebuilt ’63 Ford Ranchero for the Goodguys Feature Pick – just wait until you see underneath and inside this thing in a future issue of the Goodguys Gazette!
Leonard Lopez from Dominator also got in on the award picking action and chose the events Top 10 Builders Choice awards. Just like he always does, the crème rose to the top. Check out the ten rides that caught his eye below!
Traditional street rods are another longstanding West Coast Nationals tradition, and we celebrated them in style with a spectacular gathering of ’32 Fords commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Deuce. An incredible indoor ’32 Ford display couldn’t contain all the dynamic Deuces, so we also had a plus-sized Deuce Doins parking area outside sponsored by Affordable Street Rods, in addition to the customary field of ’32s brought out by Roy Brizio Street Rods and their family of friends and customers. From historic hot rods to modern street rod masterpieces, it was a fantastic gathering that Deuce fans won’t soon forget!
After a month off, Goodguys CPP AutoCross Series racers were back on track and ready to punish tires and flog engines in corner-carving class competition and in Saturday’s West Coast Shootout presented by FiTech Fuel Injection. NorCal local David Carroll topped the Speedtech Performance PRO-X class in his familiar Datsun 280Z and doubled up by winning the PRO-X portion of the shootout. Brian Hobaugh topped the Summit Racing PRO class in his ’65 Corvette, while Charles Huffhines was able to pull off the PRO shootout victory in his ’72 Nova.
Matt Roberts ran his ’82 Corvette to a double victory in the Forgeline Street Machine class, winning both the class and shootout, and Scott Fraser did the same double-up trick in the Gearstar Sports Car class behind the wheel of his ’89 Corvette. Dustin Reed claimed the top spot in the LMC Truck class in his ’72 C10 but was unable to hold off David Carroll’s ’74 Blazer in the shootout. Alex Ayzman claimed the FiTech Challenger class racing his ’68 Datsun 510, and Jason Trantham went home with both the Tremec All-American class and shootout wins in his 2021 Corvette.
The RaceDeck West Coast Nationals celebrates the automotive lifestyle with an incredible array of attractions, including a Pinstripers Brush Bash showcasing fine lines and automotive art, an extensive Swap Meet and Cars 4 Sale Corral with countless great deals, a Goodgals Gallery with crafts and clothes, plus a great display of model cars and pedal cars. We also had several rounds of ground-shaking Nitro Thunderfest exhibitions, live music to get your feet moving, and scores of vendors showcasing and selling parts, accessories, food, and more. Add in an extensive indoor car show in addition to the thousands of fine rides outside, and you had enough to occupy your attention and senses for as long as you cared to stay.
Goodguys is proud of the many traditions we’ve established through the decades, and none are more significant than the West Coast Nationals. This event has a good-time vibe and a laid-back feel like no other and we’re excited to see it running strong after three-and-a-half decades. Thanks to all the members, participants, and spectators who made this another memorable year, and to all those who have ever been a part of this Crown Jewel event through the decades.
Photos by Steven Bunker, Terry Lysak & John Jackson
