January 22, 2026

Youthful Spirit – Celebrating the Energy of Younger Rodders with the 2025 Goolsby Customs Next Generation Award Winners

While today’s hot rod scene may be dominated by enthusiasts in middle age and beyond, our hobby’s heritage can be traced back to the actions of young people. The phenomenon we call hot rodding came of age, so to speak, in the years following World War II, fueled by restless and innovative young men, many of whom had just returned from the war and were seeking excitement in the civilian world. The performance tricks and trends those rodders pioneered in the 1940s trickled down to teenagers in the 1950s, giving rise to a flourishing hot rod and custom culture that extended well into the 1960s and ’70s and resulted in the muscle car and street machine eras.

Through the decades, new hot rodding trends and styles have typically been driven by young people, as each new generation puts its spin on four-wheeled fun. That tradition continues today and is celebrated by Goodguys and Goolsby Customs with the Next Generation awards. These awards began in the 1990s as part of the Goodguys YoungGuys program, and Goolsby Customs has generously stepped up in recent years to sponsor what we now call the Next Generation. Goolsby Customs owner Jonathan Goolsby is dedicated to encouraging young enthusiasts and is personally involved in talking with and inspiring these up-and-coming rodders at Goodguys events around the country.

Open to enthusiasts 30 years old and younger, a Goolsby Customs Next Generation Award is presented at each Goodguys event throughout the year to enthusiasts who have played an integral role in building their car or truck. Two Next Generation finalists are selected at each event from a special parking area and photos of both vehicles are posted online for social media reaction to help determine an event award winner. At the end of the season, all Next Generation award winners are evaluated to determine a National Champion, who is invited to attend the Speedway Motors Southwest Nationals in Scottsdale to be celebrated with a prime display spot adjacent to our Top 12 winners.

The 2025 Next Generation event award winners are being showcased below, followed by a feature about the yearend winner, Ramsey Sexton and his ’86 Chevy K20 pickup. Take a look at the cool cars and trucks being built and enjoyed by talented up-and-coming rodders that serves as proof that the future of our hobby is in good hands!

At 27, Evan Lampi almost certainly has the coolest car in his peer group with this ’72 Corvette, especially when you consider that it has a modified suspension with Baer brakes and Rocket wheels, along with a Tremec five-speed behind the 350c.i. small-block V8. With Mille Miglia Red paint and OE-style upholstery, this ’Vette is one clean restomod.

Jared Robins started building this ’84 Chevy C10 when he was 14 and had it ready for cross-country desert duty by the time he was 20 when he won the Next Generation award at the 2024 Southwest Nationals. A custom front suspension and 6-inch lift allow more travel for the big BFGoodrich tires, while power comes from a 383c.i. stroker small block. Jared applied the white paint himself, and he sits on a custom bench seat inside.

Nineteen-year-old Julian Lopez cruised this ’68 Chevy C10 to the Spring Nationals in Scottsdale last year. Built in his backyard with help from his father, the Chevy rolls low on massive Billet Specialties wheels and has an old-school 327c.i. V8 and TH350 transmission. The bright red finish is matched by equally red leather upholstery inside.

JL Moore looks ready to hit some mountain trails in NorCal in this lifted ’78 Ford Bronco. The 22-year-old enthusiasts has the benefit of big block Ford V8 power under the Bronco’s hood to get those chunky BFGoodrich tires turning. The factory-style two-tone paint is complemented with blue high-back bucket seats inside.

Hunter Smith is just 18 years old and cruised Del Mar last year in his ’65 Mustang coupe. It remains mostly stock underneath but has a fresh crate 302c.i. V8, headers, a C4 transmission, and 15-inch sport wheels. White stripes contrast the metallic blue finish, while TMI bucket seats and a console keep things stylish and comfy inside.

The spirit of hot rodding is alive and well in young enthusiasts like Brandon Schroder, who bought this ’47 Ford coupe wrecked and got it back on the road in just two months before taking it to the 2025 North Carolina Nationals! The American Racing wheels connect to Fatman and Posies suspension parts, with power coming from a small-block Chevy engine. The flat black finish is straight out of a rattle can.

Though still in his mid-20s, Aaron Rozzell can cruise Vernon, Texas in style his sharp ’66 Pontiac Grand Prix with two-tone paint and a lowered stance over 18-inch American Racing wheels. A Holley Sniper EFI system feeds the 350c.i. Pontiac V8, while the interior sports black leather upholstery.

Trucks are popular with young enthusiasts and 24-year-old Dawson Harrell cruises a great example with this 40,000-mile ’95 Chevy Silverado extended cab with two-tone paint, sport mirrors, and a lowered suspension over big-inch Billet Specialties wheels. It’s a clean and simple driver with the original engine and interior.

Mason Gauntt started working on this ’50 Chevy pickup when he was 10 years old. Now 26, he was cruising in style in Dover this year in the beautiful black classic. A Camaro front subframe, Ridler wheels, and a small-block Chevy engine make it a more reliable, better-performing cruiser, while diamond-stitched vinyl upholstery improves the comfort inside.

Colton Bailey is a 29-year-old enthusiast who rebuilt this ’66 Chevy C10 using an updated original chassis, big-inch rally wheels, and a 350c.i. small-block Chevy V8 connected to a four-speed transmission. It looks sharp with blue and white paint and sports custom upholstery inside the cab.

Samantha Ostriem must have been one of the coolest kids in her high school when she cruised into the parking lot in this ’86 GMC Sierra four-wheel drive. She’s now 20 years old and the 60,000-original-mile truck still looks sharp with its factory two-tone paint and an updated set of Ion 16-inch wheels. The truck is powered by a 305c.i. V8 with a 700R4 transmission and sports two-tone blue factory upholstery.

Keifer Butler is just 19 years old and did all the work on his ’56 F100 in his home garage in Colorado. This one is all Ford, with a 400c.i. V8 and a C4 transmission getting the five-spoke aluminum wheels and Cooper tires turning. A striking purple-and-white finish helps this classic Ford stand out, and it’s finished with a custom dash and upholstery inside.

Michael Peredes cruises Gunter, Texas in this clean ’67 Chevy C10 step-side pickup, and the 27-year-old enthusiast looks good doing so thanks to the truck’s bright blue paint and chrome rally wheels. Power comes from a trusty 350c.i. small-block V8 and TH350 transmission, while a Sony stereo and fresh upholstery keep things comfy inside.