(Words and photos by Darr Hawthorne) The Ventura Nationals, across the street from the surfing beach at the Ventura Fairgrounds has grown. Since its inception, this event gave locals a place to show off their hot rods, but in this part of California that usually means entrants are gong to be driving in, not trailered.
Being a “drivers” show, there weren’t many Pro Street or racecars coming through the gates, but hot rodders are here to show their cars in many different states of finish, a lot in a finished primer with found or borrowed parts. It seems as though it is more important to just be part of the 300+ entrants, drink some beer and hang out with friends.
Some of the drivers are fully painted and flamed, painted old school lace over lace, lowered and bagged. What a collection of old iron!
There are very cool 40’s and 50’s coupes and sedans, 60’s Caddies, wagons, vintage trucks, vans, a few roadsters and coupes, bikes, pedal cars and tats. The single-day Ventura Nationals is lifestyle – just bring your car and there may have been less than a dozen car trailers in the parking lot!
Weather is usually awesome and in the late afternoon the sound of roaring engines pours over the parking lots and beer lines when adjacent Ventura Raceway begins 360 Sprint Car practice for the Saturday evening dirt show. The car show also features a Friday cruise down the main drag in this small coastal town, with plenty to do in the beach air.
Music from live rockabilly bands is almost hourly and there was a strolling mariachi and lots of kids.
With so many great cars, the photo galleries are broken into coupes, lead sleds and sedans with trucks, vans, panels and bikes in the second gallery. Enjoy the Ventura Nationals!
Great gallery of dare to be different cars. Any more pictures of that shortened Chevelle wagon with the Camaro grill?