The Goodguys Columbus Nationalsshow
always has big expectations built up around it, being the largest show,
the most cars, the Street Machine and Street Rod of the Year awards,
and this year the sponsor shootout. Let’s just say those expectations
weren’t just met, they were shattered. The show kicked off with some
skepticism as a mighty thunderstorm plowed its way through Columbus just
as Friday morning festivities were kicking off. After the cats and dogs
were finished dropping from the sky, the event roared to life
mid-Friday morning.

As
the sun started to burn through the clouds, the show kicked into high
gear as thousands of enthusiasts poured through the gates to see the
plethora of Hot Rods, Muscle Cars and more. There was also great
participation by vendors as everybody was putting out their best whether
it was new products, new project cars or both. After the minor delay
due to the rain friday morning spectator competitors and vendor
competitors drove over to the autocross to start burning some rubber and
testing out their vehicles. Kyle and Stacy Tucker along with DSE
engineer Ryan Mathews got in line early to start feeling out the track
and perfecting their runs for the Vendor competition as well as the
Sponsor Shootout that was scheduled for Sunday. After beating up the
Test Cars for a few hours it was time to head back to the hauler to help
any customers with questions on all of DSE’s products including the new
X-Gen Front Suspension modules that debuted at the hauler and the Best
New Product Award area.

Saturday brought with it plenty of sunshine and an overwhelming feeling in the air that the event 
was really starting to kick into high gear. The crowds were even more
abundant then Friday and the amount of show cars was staggering.
Autocross action started off almost immediately as the line was formed a
good 1/2 hour before the course opened at 9:00. Spectators lined the
fence by the hundreds to get a glimpse of the awesome power that is the
autocross. Kyle Tucker driving the DSE 1970 Camaro Test Car, Stacy
driving the DSE 1969 Camaro Test Car, and Ryan driving the 1963 Chevy II
Test Car continued to lower their times throughout the morning putting
in runs in the high 32′s and low 33′s. After the morning session ended,
everybody was geared up and ready to run for the Vendor trophy in the
afternoon. It seemed every other run somebody was eclipsing the top time
as the end of the afternoon drew near. Brandy Morrow from Spectre
Performance then decided to lay it all on the line and boy did it pay
off. Brandy put in a run of 32.6 to take the top spot with Ryan Mathews
in the Detroit SpeedChevy
II sitting in 2nd place with a 32.8 with limited time remaining. Kyle,
Stacy and Ryan went all out as they chased the top time but at the end
of the day just couldn’t quite catch that number. Detroit Speed would
like to congratulate Brandy for her first Vendor class victory. Her
along with Stacy Tucker and Mary Pozzi have really opened this event up
to all the young ladies out there and let them know that it is possible
to compete with this “boy’s club” and even give them a little beating!
Stacy, Brandy, and Mary also took the time to sign autographs of their
newly released poster that was available at the the show. 

After
the track cooled down on the Saturday autocross the masses gathered at
the Celeste building for the much anticipated Goodguys Woman of the Year
award, Street Machine of the
Year award and the Street Rod of the Year award. PPG’s Cristina Fronzaglia took home the Woman
of the year award that was much deserved. Christina rose through the
ranks of PPG starting off as a sales trainee to her eventual role as
Manager of Marketing and Communications for PPG. Congrats Cristina! As
the rest of the crowd slowly gathered, the anticipation in the room was
at a high as the Street Machine and Street Rod of the Year participants
eagerly awaited the announcement of the 2011 winners. Alex Covington and
his Roadster Shop 1967 “Innovator” won the Street Machine of the Year
award while Phil and Debbie Becker’s Fastlane Rod Shop ’32 Ford took the
top honors for the Street Rod of the Year award. With another fantastic
Saturday in the books at the Goodguys Nationals, anticipation was
slowly growing for the 1st ever Sunday Sponsor Shootout.