25 or Older Only
THE 51ST ANNUAL NSRA STREET ROD NATIONALS
The 51st Annual NSRA Street Rod Nationals
THOUGH THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC THREW MORE THAN A FEW MONKEY WRENCHES IN THE WORKS THIS SHOW SEASON, ONE MAINSTAY HELD THE LINE: THE 51ST EDITION OF THE NATIONAL STREET ROD ASSOCIATION STREET
ROD NATIONALS. Just over 7,400 rides rolled up to the massive grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, Aug. 6-9, 2020, despite the specter of COVID-19 still in the background.
The first edition of the Street Rod Nationals took place in Peoria, Illinois back in 1970. Originally founded by the staff of Rod & Custom Magazine, just 600 turned up for the festivities that year.
The Nationals moved all over the country, taking place in cities like Detroit, Memphis and Tulsa before settling down in Louisville 23 years ago. Through it all, the annual gathering grew from 600 to nearly 13,000 street rods, muscle cars and cool-ass trucks from not just the United States, but countries including Canada, England and Australia.
Any ride is welcome to the party, so long as it’s 25 years of age or older. Thus, the youngest trucks anyone would see in 2020 would be from 1995 (though we noticed a Chevy SSR in the big parking lot out front; we’re guessing it looked classic enough). And it’s quite the party, too. The NSRA— founded the same year as the first Nationals—works to ensure there’s something for everyone to enjoy during the four-day extravaganza.
It’s a bit like the Kentucky State Fair, held at the Kentucky Expo Center in late August every year, but instead of fairground rides, there are V-8powered, tire-destroying monsters of all shapes and sizes.
Though last year’s Nationals drew a record 70,000 guests and 12,000 vehicles for the 50th anniversary, the pandemic meant low numbers at the gate for 2020: 7,402 vehicles, and an unknown (though smaller) number of guests. Those who did attend were required by the state government to wear masks while indoors and when social distancing isn’t possible when outside, and to stay 6 feet apart.
Meanwhile, the kickoff to the Nationals—a parade from Cardinal Stadium at the University of Louisville to the Fourth Street Live entertainment district downtown—was cancelled this year in light of the ongoing protests regarding the death of Breonna
Taylor, a Black woman from Louisville killed by police in March during a no-knock warrant.
Yet, the show carried on despite the circumstances. The weather certainly helped, hanging out around the low to mid-80s for most of the Nationals, not to mention the sunny skies with few clouds around. Of course, if things did get too hot, guests could go inside to check out the latest and greatest from Summit Racing, Edelbrock, Evapo-rust and more. They could even have their items shipped from the UPS booth, with Worldport just across I-264 at Muhammad Ali International Airport.
Though the future is still unwritten regarding the pandemic, the NSRA is ready to return to Louisville August 5-8, 2021. We can’t wait.