Weekend Rewind! Goodguys 40th All American Get-Together
Middle age never looked so good! Goodguys celebrated the 40th edition of the All American Get-Together this weekend, bringing springtime hot rod vibes to the Alameda County Fairgrounds as we commemorated four decades of hot rod fun in Pleasanton! Despite gray clouds and a little rain mixed in with the sunshine, NorCal car and truck enthusiasts brought positive attitudes and miles of smiles with them as they helped us make the most of the second act of our 2024 spring swing.
Bright-colored cars and trucks and brilliant chrome brought some shine to all corners of the fairgrounds both Saturday and Sunday. We could tell that rodders were ready to get the cruising season started as they wiped down their rides and caught up with friends they hadn’t seen since autumn. This event has always had a laid-back vibe, and you could feel that relaxed attitude as people kicked back and simply soaked in the scenes around them.
Several special indoor displays provided weekend highlights, including a vibrant array of lowriders in one building coordinated by Deadend Magazine, and multiple generations of Mustangs in another in a display presented with the help of the Bay Area Mustang Association. A special display of customs welcomed several contenders vying for the 2024 Fuel Curve Custom of the Year finalist spot. David Zocchi’s chopped ’36 Ford ultimately claimed the nod. And on the other end of the build style spectrum, Phil Quinn’s pro street ’55 Chevy earned the Goodguys Feature Pick selected by our media team.
Rain prevented any Goodguys CPP AutoCross series action on Saturday, but racers made up for lost time on Sunday with some fast and furious class racing action and an exciting American Autocross Shootout on Sunday. Top performers on the track were Casey Cronin in the Speedtech Performance PRO-X class, Mike Maier in the Summit Racing PRO class, Mike Xvereb in the Forgeline Street Machine class, Scott Fraser in the Sports Car class, David Carroll in the No Limit Engineering Truck class, Alexander Ayzman in the Challenger class, and Geon McKenzie in the All American class. When it came to the All American Shootout races, it was all double up victories for these class winner drivers except in the the Street Machine class where #4 shootout qualifier Jason Benson defeated class winner Mike Xvereb in the opening round and carried that momentum through the final round claiming the shootout win.
A full schedule of happenings kept things lively throughout both days. Inside activities included a Pinstripers Brush Bash, a Cruiserama bicycle display, a model car and pedal car display, a Goodgals Gallery, an R/C car drift exhibition, plus games for kids and family. Outside you could find a sizeable Swap Meet and Cars 4 Sale Corral, automotive vendors scattered throughout the grounds, multiple Nitro Thunderfest exhibitions shaking the pavement, and an exciting special exhibition of R/C drag cars. Talk about a full calendar!
Leave it to Goodguys members and participants to dismiss a little inclement weather and make the most of the weekend in Pleasanton. You brought the Goodguys Good Times once again and we’re grateful that you wanted to come out and help us celebrate 40 years of the All American Get-Together. We can’t wait to extend the West Coast party two weeks from now as we head to SoCal for the 23rd Meguiar’s Del Mar Nationals. We hope to see you there, or at one of the dozen other Goodguys events across the country this season!
Photos by Todd Ryden & Steven Bunker
