The Grand National Roadster Show (otherwise known as GNRS, or unofficially as the Oakland Roadster Show),[1] is a showcase of custom cars and hot rods held each year at the Fairplex in Pomona, California, in either late January or early February.
Established in 1950 by Al Slonaker, the GNRS is one of the oldest and longest continuously operating exhibitions of custom vehicles in the United States, featuring an estimated 1,500 vehicles annually.[2]
The GNRS is best known as home to the America's Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) Award. The AMBR is presented to the best pre-1937 vehicle in show, and has been won by many well-known car designers and builders, such as Blackie Gejeian, Carl Casper, Boyd Coddington, and Chip Foose.[3]
Together, the Grand National Roadster Show and AMBR Award are considered among the two "Crown Jewel" competitions and awards for professional show car builders in North America, alongside the Detroit Autorama and its Don Ridler Memorial Award.[4]
In addition to the AMBR, the GNRS created the Al Slonaker Memorial Award in 1974 to recognize the best "Non-Roadster" in show.[5] The Slonaker Award has too been won by well-known car builders and owners, including rockers Eric Clapton[6] and James Hetfield.[7]
In 1949, while Al Slonaker was preparing for his first automobile show at the Oakland Exposition, an Oakland area hot rod club convinced him to exhibit ten of their cars .[8] The Inaugural show was a massive success, attracting over 100 cars and 27,674 attendees.[9] The next year, Slonaker decided to focus solely on hot rods, but concerned for potential bad press, he promoted it as the "National Roadster Show."[8] In 1962, "Grand" was added to the title, contributing to the show's long-time moniker as "The Grand-Daddy of them All".
In 1967, the show moved to the Oakland Coliseum[10] Between 1998 and 2003, the show was held at a variety of other San Francisco-Bay Area venues[11] before relocating to Southern California's Fairplex in 2004.[12] [13]
According to the show promoter, Rod Shows Inc., the GNRS features more than 600 vehicles over seven indoor pavilions, with somewhere between 800 and 1,200 additional vehicles filling the remaining 487-acre Fairplex property.[14]
Over seven decades, the GNRS has been covered extensively in national automotive publications, including Hot Rod, Street Rodder, and Rod & Custom, with several AMBR Award winners gracing their covers.[15]
See main article: America's Most Beautiful Roadster. Since the show's inception in 1950, the grand prize has been the "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" or AMBR award.[1] [16] It is a 9-foot "megatrophy" with the names of past winners engraved on its base.[17] [18]
From 1957 until 1971, there was also a separate "America's Best Competition Car Award" presented at the show.[19]
In 1974, the GNRS created an additional award to recognize the best non-roadster entry: the Al Slonaker Memorial Award. The award is open to all types of vehicles, Rods, Customs, Street Machines, Lowriders, VW's, and Trucks.
In addition to the AMBR and Slonaker Award finalist, the show gives out place awards for more than 100 classes, plus 50 "Special" awards for clubs and outstanding displays.[20]
See "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" (AMBR) Award
| Year | Vehicle | Owner | Builder | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 1909 Ford C-Cab (Country Butcher) | Bob Reed | ||
| 1975 | 1926 Ford T Sedan | John Buttera | ||
| 1976 | 1963 Corvette (The Condor) | Jack Walker | ||
| 1977 | 1956 Harley Davidson | Syd DeSota | ||
| 1978 | 1977 Jeep | Dusty Santos | ||
| 1979 | 1926 Ford | Ken Nannenhorn | ||
| 1980 | 1964 VW Bug (Spellbound) | Ed Papac | ||
| 1981 | 1933 Ford Roadster | Vern Luce | ||
| 1982 | 1932 Ford Roadster (Pinocchio) | Jay Ohrberg | ||
| 1983 | 1957 Chevy (Gold Nugget) | Bob Checchini | ||
| 1984 | 1971 Corvette | Ed Gonsalves | ||
| 1985 | 1932 Ford Sedan Delivery | Steve Lykens | ||
| 1986 | 1966 Corvette (High Plains Drifter) | James Winfrey | ||
| 1987 | 1951 Mercury | Frank DeRosa | ||
| 1988 | 1969 VW Karman Ghia (Rod Buster) | Chris Addington | ||
| 1989 | 1988 Ford Thunderbird (Pegasus) | Jim Thayer | ||
| 1990 | 1955 VW Bug (Pink Lady) | Bernt Karlsson | ||
| 1991 | 1956 Lincoln (Royal Empress) | Bill Abate | ||
| 1992 | 1992 Harley Davidson | Bob Dron | ||
| 1993 | 1984 Jeep CJ-7 | David Sellers | ||
| 1994 | 1932 Ford Woody (Speed Wagon) | Dan Fink | ||
| 1995 | 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery | Richard Mattioli | ||
| 1996 | 1940 Ford Coupe (Dominator) | Leonard Lopez | ||
| 1997 | 1937 Ford Coupe (Aero Coupe) | Fred Warren | ||
| 1998 | 1954 Corvette Nomad | Tom Armstrong | ||
| 1999 | 1947 Ford Convertible (Job-One) | Dave Crook | ||
| 2000 | 1932 Ford | Larry Anderson | ||
| 2001 | 1933 Ford | Bud Meyer | ||
| 2002 | 1949 Chevy Coupe (M-80) | Chris Williams | ||
| 2003 | 1961 Corvette | Rich Stadelhofer | ||
| 2004 | 1936 Chrysler | Jack White | Extreme Customs and Tim's Hot Rods.[21] | |
| 2005 | 1936 Ford Coupe | Jorge Zaragoza | ||
| 2006 | 1932 Ford Track Roadster | Zane Cullen | ||
| 2007 | 1935 Ford Woody Wagon | Jim Noteboom | ||
| 2008 | 2006 Caresto V8 Roadster | Leif Tufvesson | ||
| 2009 | 1939 Ford Woody Wagon | Brian Hill | ||
| 2010 | 2009 VSR Concept Sports Rod | Wayne Cherry[22] | ||
| 2011 | 1936 Ford Tudor Sedan | Andy Barcheck | KR Customs | |
| 2012 | 1932 Ford 4 Door Vicky | Eric Clapton | Roy Brizio Street Rods[23] | |
| 2013 | 1939 Ford 2 Door Hard Top | Jerry Kjensrud | A&M Deluxe Customs[24] | |
| 2014 | 1948 Jaguar Coachbuilt | James Hetfield | Rick Dore Kustoms | |
| 2015 | 1950 Chevy Fleetside PU | Craig Moyes | Kindig-It Designs[25] | |
| 2016 | 1933 Ford Coupe | Wayne Halabura | Creative Concepts and Restorations[26] | |
| 2017 | 1957 Chevy Nomad (ShoMad) | Ron Maier | A&M Deluxe Customs[27] | |
| 2018 | 1929 Ford Tudoor Sedan | Mark Marianin | Rad Rides By Troy[28] | |
| 2019 | 1957 Chevy (Imagine) | Johnny Martin | ||
| 2020 | 1936 Willys Pick Up | Ron Ernsberger | The Tin Man's Garage[29] | |
| 2021*[30] | ||||
| 2022 | 1932 Ford Coupe | Pat Gauntt | Devlin Rod and Custom[31] | |
| 2023 | 1960 Buick Invicta | George Eliacostas | CAL Auto Creations[32] | |
| 2024 | 1959 Chevy Impala (Bespoke) | David and Robin Rush | Steve Cook Creations[33] |