I don't mind late model cars. Hell, I like almost all aspects of the car hobby even though I prefer early iron. And yes, we're all in this together. However...I liked the NSRA specifically because of the 1948 cut-off. I never made the big 'Nats, but I did attend the NW Nats in Spokane 6 times. I really enjoyed going to the event and seeing nothing but pre-49 rods. No PT Losers, no tuners, no donks, no muscle cars, etc. Just street/hot rods. I left the NSRA in 2002 after they lied to the members and pulled out of Spokane. I'm glad I did...this 30-year sliding scale sucks. I can go anywhere and see newer stuff.
I knew it was going to happen but I still cant F####g believe it This is from their web site .. Good Guys will grow !! Complete and mail with correct amount to National Street Rod Association, 4030 Park Avenue, Memphis, TN 38111-7406. A confirmation of entry and official entry number will be furnished by return mail. Please include photo of vehicle if possible. ONLY VEHICLES OF 1980 AND EARLIER MANUFACTURE ACCEPTED FOR PARTICIPATION AND/OR ENTRY TO EVENT. All vehicles subject to year-of-manufacture verification. All vehicles at any/all NSRA events, must be licensed, insured and registered for the event. No motorized or non-motorized contrivances which do not comply with these requirements shall be ridden or driven on the grounds. Only recognized, single occupant handicap contrivances, motorized or nonmotorized,will be allowed. The decision of the NSRA Officials will be final.
I also have dropped my membership with NSRA and with the Nationals always being in Louisiville my attendance has slowed anyway because of the room rates. Just like the Frog Follies my attendance has slowed because of the increased room rates. I guess some day they will find that I am going to Springfield Mo for the Swap meet in August and then down to th HAMB Drags at Asbury Mo the same weekend and raise the room rates. My thoughts are I stayed with the Good guys since all my cars 31, 41, and 54 can get into all there shows and there is no reason to be a member of 2 clubs doing the same thing.
I spent nearly $1,000 dollars at the NSRA last year......they may not miss it but the Frog Follie people will sure enjoy it. Plus they appreciate it and go out of their way to make you feel at home down there.......and they are HOOSIER'S!!!!!
It seems to me that the NSRA could have approached the issue in a couple of different ways. Based on attending the Nats East in York, the attendance peaked 4 or 5 years ago. I had trouble finding a space to park my car at that time. It was annoying to drive past "saved" spaces that the NSRA always warned against but did nothing about. I found it less inviting to drive my car to York but the "problem" went away when the attendance went down. I think they also increased the cost for vendors to the point that a lot of vendors are skipping regional nats. As a business I would guess that extending the cutoff would increase attendance, at regional Nats, of both members and spectators. Maybe the NSRA should have tried a smaller move of the cutoff or just tried the 1980 cutoff at regional nats. I have not attended Louisville in a number of years but I have seen the aerial photos and there never seems to be open spaces to park. That would lead me to believe that they have reached the max on the number of cars that can be accomodated on the fairgrounds. That means that they have the maximum number of people paying to enter with their cars. In order to make more money, the NSRA wants to increase the number of spectators that will attend. I'm sure they hired a marketing company that told them that more people will attend as spectators if the cutoff were raised. The problem, as discussed in earlier posts, is that they may lose the core, pre-49 attendees, while getting trying to get more spectators. I'll bet that the Company (NSRA) spends a lot less on spectators than it does on attendees, not that it spends so much on us! It also charges attendees way more than attendees. Follow the money! I think the "Company" touts around 13,000 as the number of cars registered for the Nats. I have suspected that the number is inflated by guys who register but don't bring their cars for a number of reasons. These people may also go away. I wonder if the "official" number of cars attending the Nats goes down to below 10,000, the NSRA will see the light!
You've obviously never been to Back to the 50's! All volunteer, no paid positions. In 2009: 11,510 Registered Cars Over 350 Vendors Over 350 Swappers Over 300 Crafters 125,000 Spectators It is 1964 and earlier. If NSRA had to do something they should have gone with 64 and earlier. They went way too far!! Wont see me there.
Paid my dues and supported them for well over 30 years. I'm sure I can find something to spend my money on. The renewal notice went into the trash can. Frank
Okay B.A....I had my say and I'm done...Take some pics and send them to me.. Man,it was good to see you in Nashville..Don't be a stranger....
what i should have said was"i'll stop by and pick ya'll up in my 80 mailbu wagon with roof rack.need the rack to carry walking stick. hey ya'll know there is a swap meet this weekend at talladega don't ya. i know thats a haul.... o well back to the show....next
Must be part of one of those groups who have big tents set up in the parking lot and sit here all day long in their rocking chairs!
I'm going just to see what shows up. Registering a car isn't a cheap undertaking. What's it cost? A $30 membership & $40 or so to register? That in itself will keep the junk out. Sure, someone will show up in a 1980 K-car just to make a statement but it won't be run over with shitty late models. Pre-48 numbers will be down & post '48 numbers won't be enough to make up the difference. Write that down. That's how it'll shake out. JH
Started going to the nats in St Paul[before the crowds]. Always enjoyed Lville for the vendors and friends. Im done also. Goodguys events are friendlier, some have drag racing, great award programs, and best of all the Gazette and KIRK! Certain aspects of nsra have always annoyed me, but not enough to quit. This move did it. As someone stated pages earlier, the recent editorial in the last streetscene offended me also. Tell me more about VSRA please. See ya in Evansville this year.
Might turn out to be a better show,They did go overboard on the 1980 crap they should have at least kept it at 1972.Instead of having 14,000 cars it may top 20,000 cars.And yes they are GREEDY but still an ausume show.Worst part I hate about NSRA is their regestration process.At least GG you can register right on the grounds.
Great points Chalkboard and Hnstray NSRA can hang themselfs on their gold chains. MSRA is a class act always respectful of their customers ie everyone that comes through the gate. I can't say that about NSRA
I'm a lifetime member, thinking about writing and telling them I want to cancel my membership and want a pro-rated refund for the years from now until I die.
Okay...you guys took me to the woodshed for trying to get the 81 K Car in this year's event. i thought about changing plates, but I do not do that kind of stuff! Damn!!!! Since my mullet is in full "bloom" already and while i would like to bring a Pacer, this is what I am bringing:
The Jalopy Journal
