The Grand National Roadster Show - 75 Years Celebrating Hot Rods, Customs, and American Muscle Cars

The 75th Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Grand National Roadster Show, presented by Meguiar’s, celebrated America’s longest-running indoor car show. From January 31 to February 2, 2025, the Pomona Fairplex hosted hundreds of the nation’s finest hot rods, customs, muscle cars, trucks, and motorcycles for a weekend that showcased automotive artistry of the highest level.

 

1967 Mercury Cougar Fastback? 

Above: Yes, Cougar cats, you read that correctly. There was a most cleverly customized 1967 Mercury Cougar that had a fastback roof and a 1967-68 Shelby Mustang spoiler on the trailing edge of the deck lid. Can you dig it? We know you can. The Cougar looks to be painted in the Cougar/Mustang hue of Lime Gold. Delightful! Lead photo, second photo, and Ford F100 below courtesy of Gabe Flores.

This year’s milestone event featured an unparalleled collection of classic vehicles, including over 50 past winners of the prestigious America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) and Al Slonaker Memorial Award. Presented in Building 9 of the Pomona Fairplex by the Petersen Automotive Museum, this exclusive display was the largest gathering of past winners ever assembled under one roof. 

Above and two below: Ron Michels is the proud owner of this 1968 Dodge Charger. The pro build shop for the delicious Mopar was South City Rod & Custom. Santini's performed the body and paintwork. Advanced Plating took care of the chrome work. A 6.4-liter Chrysler Hemi V8 resides in a Roadster Shop custom chassis. Special thanks go to: Chris Squire, Jim Farnham, Company Color, Tony Parker, Authentic Detail, Ron Roach, and Travis Highlander.

Above and two below: Desi DosSantos, of Moorpark, CA, owns this road racing themed 1951 Ford Shoebox coupe. The vehicle was featured on an episode of Jay Leno's Garage and is well-worth a watch.

Above: You're being captivated by the 2017 America's Most Beautiful Roadster, a 1936 Packard "Mulholland Speedster" owned then and now by Bruce Wanta. Superb! The Packard is parked next to a 1932 Ford highboy (fenderless) roadster.

Above and below: A couple of CI's esteemed colleagues set up the Classic Industries' booth in Building 4 at the Pomona Fairplex on Thursday, January 30, the day before the start of the GNRS. Gabe Flores shot this well wrought 1965 Mustang fastback in the Precisions Designs booth and the restored 1967 Camaro in the Old Anvil booth. Pony cars look awesome whether they're in their birthday suit (bare metal) or are lavished with a spot-on, period correct exterior paint scheme. 

Above: Dave Martin still owns his 2018 America's Most Beautiful Roadster. His pride and joy is a 1931 Ford highboy roadster that is a Dry Lakes or Bonneville Salts Flats speedster themed road, dry lakes, and salt flats burner.

Above and two below: Victor Costelli, of Danville, CA, is the owner of Costelli Inc. and the builder/owner of this Street Touring 1965-74, highly modified 1967 Ford Mustang fastback. Check out the signage beneath this second photo. The light blue and white vehicle next to the Mustang is a two-door post 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air. Sweet.

Above and below: Another AMBR 2025 contender was this 1932 Ford highboy roadster owned by Tony and Paula Jorado. The Jorado's call their '32 Tony's Tiger. A 671 Littlefield supercharger equipped 383-cubic inch small block Chevy V8 engine backed by a Muncie four-speed manual transmission powers the roadster. A special Thanks They're Grrreat! (get it?) goes to the pro builders: Steve and Michael Moal, Andrik Albor, Ken Stephens, Roy Brizio, Gary George, Shawn McNally, and George Atkins.

Above: Larry Croom, of Cerritos, CA, owns this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible. The Bel Air competed in the Custom Convertible 1949-59 Mild class at the show.

The 75th Edition of the Grand National Roadster Show

America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) Competition
Eleven stunning new roadsters and phaetons competed for the coveted AMBR Award, considered the most prestigious honor in the hot rodding world. With a grand prize of $12,500 from ARP Fasteners, contenders this year included everything from classic timeless '31 Fords, ‘32 Fords, and ‘36 Fords.

Two above and two below: The winner of the America's Most Beautiful Roadster for the 2025 Grand National Roadster Show was this spectacular 1936 Ford highboy roadster. Ross Myers, of Perkiomenville, PA, owns the '36 Ford, which was built by Rad Rides by Troy. Myers’ earned the title’s $12,500 prize sponsored by ARP Fasteners. Ross Myers name will be etched on the award’s 9.5-foot-tall perpetual trophy alongside legendary hot rod and street rod builders like Chip Foose, Andy Brizio, and Roy Brizio.

Al Slonaker Memorial Award
Twelve top-tier hot rods, customs, and street machines battled it out for the Al Slonaker Memorial Award, the show’s top non-roadster prize. Vehicles vying for this honor included a rare ’33 Pontiac, a classic De Tomaso Pantera, and an array of iconic builds like the Plymouth Roadrunner, Ford F100, and more. A most deserving recipient - the 1933 Pontiac coupe won the the Al Slonaker Memorial Award for the 75th Edition of this awesome event.

Above: Bill Barbato's stunning 1933 Pontiac Sedan, designed by CAL Auto Creations, won the 2025 Al Slonaker Memorial Award. Barbato triumphed over a diverse field of 11 competitors, which included a dual-engine 1935 International Truck, a 1973 DeTomaso Pantera (photos below), and a 1971 VW Thing. This award, which honors Al and Mary Slonaker, the founders of the Grand National Roadster Show in 1950, has been awarded to the top non-roadster vehicle since 1974. Barbato also received a $12,500 prize from ARP Fasteners and a billet trophy. Photo provided courtesy of Kahn Media.

Above and three below: Purple was a popular hue at the 2025 GNRS. This 1973 De Tomaso Pantera was in the running for the Al Slonaker Memorial Award. It's very easy to see why that was so. Bobbi Brown, of Los Angeles, CA is the super car's current owner.

Above and below: Carl and Tracy Jones, of Black Diamond, WA, are the proud owners of a Wicked Fabrications, Byers Custom (for body and paint), and Stitches Custom Upholstery built 1960 Corvette restomod. The GM LS3 engine is replete with a hot cam, is backed by a Tremec TKX five-speed manual transmission, and a Ford nine-inch differential/rear axle. With its Art Morrison custom chassis underpinnings, the Corvette no doubt handles like a modern sports car.

The 75th Anniversary Feature - Located in Building 9

For the first time ever, over 50 AMBR and Al Slonaker winners were on display in a dedicated Feature Building, showcasing the evolution of hot rodding over seven decades. Curated by the Petersen Automotive Museum, this special exhibit featured tributes to GNRS Hall of Fame inductees and iconic historical memorabilia.

2025 Builder of the Year: Bill Ganahl

The team at South City Rod and Custom was honored as the 2025 Builder of the Year. Known for their impressive custom builds and restorations, Bill Ganahl’s shop has cemented its place as a powerhouse in the industry. Their award-winning creations were showcased in Building 4.

Above and below: Brian Markey owns the Orange Crush 1971 GMC K2500 that is painted Hugger Orange and Pearl White. A Muncie SM465 four-speed manual transmission backs the GMC Invader 350-cubic inch V8 mill that makes 250-horsepower. Brian completed a frame-off restoration of the prodigious 4X4 in 2020.

The 19th Annual Grand Daddy Drive-In

Above: A Ford F100 pickup and a 1965 Ford Econoline pickup reposed in front of Building 8 and were part of the Grand Daddy Drive-In documented just below. Later in this article there are more photos of the Econoline. You're welcome to read-on or scroll down and look at the photos.

The Grand Daddy Drive-In returned as a special outdoor event, offering the perfect place for hot rod owners and car clubs to cruise in and show off their rides. Three-day cruise-in access, complete with prime parking, a dash plaque, and a goodie bag was provided to the GDD-I participants.

Above: The sign dangling on the rear view mirror of this well-patina'ed 1932 Ford roadster reads 'Do Not Tow - it runs...'. 

Above: Apparently, Brian Markey is also the owner of this 1972 Corvette. The sign below provides the details on America's Sports Car.

Chip Foose Appearance

Car designer and TV personality Chip Foose made a special appearance to autograph a limited-edition 75th Anniversary GNRS poster. Foose, a former AMBR winner and Hall of Fame inductee, met with fans and signed autographs on Saturday from 1–4 p.m..

Above and five below: The sixth photo in this series is the signage for this amazing 1959 Corvette that is owned by Steve Sheats. Many of the 'Vette's glorious details can be found on the sign.

John Ewald Memorial Nitro Fire-Ups

Classic Top Fuel and Funny Cars participated in the John Ewald Memorial Nitro Fire-Ups. The cacophonous dragster start-ups were in honor of legendary drag racer John Ewald. Fire-ups took place on Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at noon and 5 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. outside Building 3.

Above and two below: This 1965 Ford Econoline pickup was way cool! In the next photo, you'll see the suicide doors. In the third photo, there's signage that gives the details of this righteous truck.

2025 GNRS Hall of Fame Inductions

The Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Fame welcomed four new legends on Friday, Jan. 31. The 2025 inductees were Scott Bonowski (owner of Hot Rods & Hobbies), photographer Eric Geisert, Robert Williams (the “Godfather of Kustom Kulture”), and Larry Wood (“Mr. Hot Wheels”). 

George Barris Tribute Display

In Building 9, the “King of Kustomizers,” George Barris, exhibited 12 of his most iconic vehicles, including the Hirohata Merc, Batmobile, Munster Coach, and Dragula.

Above and below: A car that needs no introduction, the 1967 Batmobile, was part of the George Barris "King of Kustomizers" exhibit.

Above: Dragula, 'vants to bite your neck'. Get it?

Above and below: That's Elvira Mistress of the Dark's 1958 Ford Barris Custom T-Bird. Regrettably, Elvira wasn't on hand to bite anyone's neck at the show.

Above and below: A 1974 Custom Barris Custom Lil Redd Wrecker was also on display. The Wrecker was supposedly a promotional vehicle for the Sanford and Son sitcom starring comedian Red Foxx. That's a hemi Mopar big-block, blown V8 mid-engine mounted for perfect weight distribution powering the Wrecker. 

 

Above and below: The George Barris Munster Koach was also on display. Light 'em up!

More Highlights:

• Industry-Leading Builds: Dyno Don’s restored 1976 NHRA Pro-Stock Mustang II, Bill Niekamp’s record-setting 1927 Ford roadster, and a new creation by Dan Webb—the French-inspired Panhard Razor were all on display.

• Evolution of the Hot Rod Panels: Expert panels on the evolution of hot rod designs and automotive careers was hosted by industry leaders like Larry Woods and Dave Marek.

Above: Wearing wide white spats (tires), pinstriped flames, a lavender exterior and interior, a 1955 second series to 1957 Chevrolet truck was in its rightful residence in the Suede Palace.

Above: Jon Aramoni, of Upland, CA, displayed his 1934 Ford five-window coupe in the Suede Palace. His Ford appeared to have a red oxide primer hued suede paint job. Here's a quiz question for you: Do you know who invented the term 'suede paint job'? That was none other than famous 'Hot Rod' magazine and 'Rod & Custom' magazine - automotive journalist Gray Baskerville (RIP). Accomplished automotive scribe, Chris Shelton and his pop, Jim Shelton, currently own Gray Baskerville's red and red oxide primer suede hued 1932 Ford Roadster. Mr. Baskerville's hot rod is certainly in a great home. Jim and Chris Shelton displayed their (and Mr. Baskerville's) '32 Ford roadster at the 71st Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance (photo below).

• Suede Palace: This is the building where classic hot rods, customs, and drag cars from the ‘40s to ‘60s, complete with vintage music and costumes were displayed.

• Pinstriper Charity Auction: Show goers watched talented pinstripers at work and could bid on their unique automotive art, with all proceeds benefiting the Gavin R. Stevens Foundation.

Rod Shows Produces the Grand National Roadster Show

Don’t miss out on this prestigious and downright awesome event next year! Whether you’re a lifelong hot rod enthusiast or a first-time attendee, the 76th Annual Grand National Roadster Show will be the place to be. Visit RodShows for upcoming events this year and for information on the GNRS for 2026.

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