One of my favorite things about vintage racing is that it’s a presentation of cars doing what they were built to do. Often, as the car ages and replacement parts become scarce, many owners become fearful to drive the car. Goodguys Rod and Custom Association has an established event series that is traditionally thought of as a static “show n’ shine” with a swap meet, car corral, and vendor areas. Over the last few years the organization has worked to incorporate elements of performance and style in the form of autocross, a feature that has spread to more events within the series.

Goodguys autocross is open to professionals and weekend warriors alike with a season point structure. At each event, first to tenth place in various classes receive points and season points champions get a feature in the Goodguys Yearbook. This structure provides incentive and a potential reward for non-PRO competitors who compete at multiple Goodguys events.

This idea of motion and encouraging drivers to really drive is an ongoing trend, but it’s not limited to autocross.

The event series has adjusted its eligible participation years to include 1987-and-earlier vehicles in addition to “Spectre Performance All American Sunday’s” to 13 of the national events. All American Sundays allow late-model American made and/or powered vehicles of all years to compete in the Goodguys Autocross racing competition and participate in other show activities.

Recently, Goodguys partnered up with QA1 to present the “Ya Gotta Drive ‘Em” area – a special parking section at each event dedicated to attendees who have driven over 300 miles to get to the show. For QA1, sponsoring the area is part of their #goDriveit initiative which encourages owners to enjoy their vehicles and proclaims that vehicles were meant to be driven, not hidden.

“We want to recognize those people who aren’t afraid to get into their car and put some miles on them. That’s what this hobby is all about” says Dave Kass, QA1 Customer Service Manager. “We appreciate that Goodguys created a special area to acknowledge those people who actually drive their vehicles, so this seemed like the perfect partnership.”

QA1 aims to celebrate the miles logged, the rock chips, and other badges of the road that show these vehicles represent more than just bragging rights. The hashtag, #goDRIVEit, was created to encourage more people to get out and drive their vehicles, and a way to see all of the vehicle photos, videos, and stories from other people who enjoy driving their vehicles.

For more information or event schedule, see Goodguys. To learn about #goDRIVEit, see QA1. 

Photography by Nicole Ellan James