Summer officially began at 3:50 p.m. on Thursday, June 20. For many, that meant hitting the beach or the pool, but for us, it meant gathering with our gearhead friends at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds for the Street Machine Nationals (SMN). We made the four-hour trek up from the Edelbrock Group headquarters to the little town in Southern Illinois to take in the “Parade of Power.”
Du Quoin SMN History
When it was run by Petersen Publishing’s Car Craft magazine from 1977 to 1986, the Street Machine Nationals’ storied past saw it face numerous challenges. It was kicked out of various cities and towns before finally finding its home in Du Quoin in 1986. Recognizing they should just concentrate on publishing, Petersen handed management over to Family Events that year. The ‘80s and ‘90s marked a turning point, making SMN famous and infamous at the same time.
Car Craft and many other Petersen publications, such as Hot Rod, were still supporting and covering the Du Quoin SMN event. It was “THE” place to unveil a new build and get noticed by the big magazines. Some of the biggest names in the hot rod industry made their names right there in the fairgrounds. Pro Street was born out of the competition to build ever more outrageous cars to catch the eye of the magazines.
It was a glorious time inside the Du Quoin Fairgrounds fences, with thousands of cars covering almost every inch of the place. However, outside the gates, it was a different story. With close to 100,000 people flooding the area, things got out of hand in the streets of Du Quoin and the surrounding towns of Carbondale, Benton, Pinckneyville, Mt. Vernon, and others. In 1998, the city of Du Quoin voted for the show to leave town. It was the end of an era and the end of the craziness.
Du Quoin SMN Today
After several years of behind-the-scenes work, Du Quoin welcomed the show back with a very short leash in 2013. But the landscape (and the world) changed significantly in the 15 years since SMN was last in Du Quoin. It seems like everyone matured. The show is nothing like it was, and comparing the current iteration to the ‘90s version would be unfair because of how much things have changed.
SMN is still a vibrant showcase of automotive culture, but it is a more family-friendly experience. The Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, with its immaculately kept green spaces, tree-lined roads, and sparkling lakes, is still a perfect setting for a big three-day car show. Understandably, the show is much smaller and more laidback than in its heyday, and it is now run by Bonnier Events.
Community and Camaraderie
With high temperatures and humidity cranking up leading up to the show, the first weekend of summer came in like a lion. It was hot in the sun; however, the many trees afforded showgoers a place to hide. Also, the open expanses of the Du Quoin Fairgrounds yielded a welcomed breeze all weekend. Mother Nature threw in an early Sunday morning thunderstorm to make things interesting — it wouldn’t be Du Quoin without it.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Street Machine Nationals is the sense of community and camaraderie it fosters among attendees. Car enthusiasts from all walks of life come together to share their passion, swap stories, and make lasting connections. The event provides a unique opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and celebrate a shared love for all things automotive. People who attend Du Quoin do it for their love of the place and to see friends they may only see once a year.
SMN Features
The Street Machine Nationals is mainly known for muscle car-era vehicles. Du Quoin never disappoints in delivering an impressive lineup of vehicles spanning the ‘60s through the ‘80s. However, SMN is open to all vehicles, and there is something for everyone, whether stock, restored, or modified. Probably the one feature that is unique to SMN is the cruise route that snakes through the event. The cruise route not only allows spectators to see the cars but also hear and smell them, too. It is automotive overload to all the senses!
Pro Street Alley
Of course, the heaviest modified cars are usually found on Pro Street Alley, which runs just in front of the historic grandstands for the horse track. Here, you’ll also find the greatest concentration of cars and people on the fairgrounds. Everyone is always excited to see wild creations with fat tires, superchargers, turbos, and nitrous systems. It is definitely a treat to see these ground pounders loping around the cruise route; you can often hear them before you see them.
Vendors
SMN 2024 was relatively light on vendors, something Bonnier has struggled to bring back since taking the show over a few years ago. Whether it is the timing of the show with so many others going on in late June, Du Quoin being located in the middle-of-nowhere Southern Illinois, or the state’s politics, the cause is unclear. However, there were a few local vendors and a small swap meet to peruse while the merchandise trailer was busy all weekend long.
Closing Time
On Friday and Saturday, cars cruise the small downtown area after the fairgrounds gates close. Spectators sitting in their lawn chairs line the streets, watching the cars drive by as day turns into night. Of course, Illinois’ finest are also watching to ensure things don’t get too loose. With only two hotels in the town, many participants have a bit of a drive to get back to their homes or another city, so things usually die down shortly after sundown. The weekend culminates on Sunday with the most exciting event — the burnout competition — followed by the car show awards ceremony.
The (Uncertain) Future
The 2024 car and spectator count appeared to be about the same or slightly less than the prior year, and quite a few Pro-Street mainstays did not attend this year. The lack of vendors is concerning. Also, some past attractions, such as the chassis dyno and a DJ playing music, were off the slate this year. Typically, these are not signs of growth unless other things are added in their place.
Much like last year, the weekend rumor was whether the show would stay in Du Quoin next year. SMN is undoubtedly a draw for an area that sure can use the show’s economic punch. Also, the community seems to love it when their fat-tired friends roll into town. But is that enough to keep it there?
Du Quoin was picked back in 1986 because they had a very short time frame to find a venue that could accommodate a huge number of cars and people, and the Fairgrounds were available. It was a very different time. SMN was the big-dog show with the backing of the biggest automotive media outlets, and the World Wide Web wasn’t even born yet — it was practically a keg party on wheels rolling into Woodstock. The show itself was the attraction, and the only amenities attendees cared about were beer and food. Some didn’t even care about a bed; they slept where they fell!
However, the world has changed a lot since then. The internet exploded, changing the way people absorb media, giving them infinitely more choices, and essentially moving print media to the rear. By the time SMN returned in 2013, other shows had already filled the void, and the whole scene had evolved. Nowadays, people and vendors expect more because they have experienced more. With so much competition in the car show world, promoters have to work harder than ever to find the right combination of location, amenities, and attractions (both inside and outside the venue).
Has SMN run its course in Du Quoin? We hope not, but it doesn’t look good. We’d like to see the event stay where it is for sentimental reasons, but it must add attractions, amenities, and vendors to make people hate it when they miss it, and that doesn’t seem to be the case. Whatever happens, we’re sure it will be announced on the Street Machine Nationals website, so be sure to check it from time to time. Maybe we’ll see you there (or wherever) next year.
If you like what you see here, check out our SMN coverage from last year or go to our Lifestyle section for other show coverage!
