There’s nothing quite like the National Street Rod Association (NSRA) Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s always the NSRA’s biggest event, and though it’s changed venues through time, the Kentucky Exposition Center has been home for quite a while now. This year, NSRA celebrated its 55th Annual “Nats,” one of the largest car shows in the nation.
Hot off the heels of Goodguys’ biggest show in Columbus, Ohio, the Edelbrock Group trailer pointed south to Louisville for the Nats. Technical Sales and Support Specialists Jeremy Dent and Jesse Shappley made the trip up on Wednesday from the Edelbrock Group headquarters in Olive Branch, Mississippi, to set up inside the Expo Center. Of course, no trip is complete for those two without a stop at Buc-ee’s (if you’ve never been, it’s essentially a gas station on steroids).
Media, Event & Partnership Marketing Specialist Trent Goodwin also made the five-hour drive northeast to Louisville, but he was on vacation with family. The photos you see in this article came from both Jesse and Trent. We’d like to give them a special thank you for capturing some of the magic of the Nats!
Shaky Weather
Mother Nature can be cruel to the car show world sometimes. The Nats have had a fair share of history with bad weather, including a flood several years ago, so participants are hyper-aware of the forecast. Unfortunately, the forecast wasn’t perfect, and participation (understandably) seemed less than the usual 10,000 cars because of it.
As predicted, a huge storm greeted Jeremy and Jesse Wednesday evening as they arrived, with another storm descending near the end of the show’s first day on Thursday. Showers lingered through Friday morning before the sun took over for the rest of the weekend.
What to Expect at the Nats
The Street Rod Nats takes place at the Kentucky Exposition Center, a sprawling complex next to the “Kentucky Kindom” amusement park. All NSRA shows are open to vehicles 30 years old and older. The Expo building is the center hub around which all activities take place. Outside, in the parking lot, car clubs rent large tents to park under, while others just find an open spot.
Jesse was impressed with the different build styles throughout the grounds. He was particularly impressed with the variety and build quality. From Rat Rods to Street Rods, laying-on-the-ground lead sleds to sky-high gassers, numbers-matching restorations to Pro-Street ground-pounders, and everything in between, all make an annual pilgrimage to the Nats.
“The event was awesome for a guy like me who likes all different styles; it had almost everything,” he says. “From all the people outside under tents conversing about cars they had in high school or their next build to kids with no phone in hand walking around looking at all the cars, I could see that the future of car shows like this will keep the hobby going.”
It was Jesse’s first time at the Nats, and he was blown away by how many cars were there. However, his favorite car was a white ‘68(ish) Impala long roof. Jesse is a self-proclaimed “wagon guy,” as he owns a 1993 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon.
His favorite part of the event was the vendor spaces inside the building. There are so many vendors that the NSRA Nats can be likened to a mini-SEMA Show. He had to admit that he walked away with some extra swag from other booths.
Highlights of the Nats
Other highlights of the Nats included the Builder’s Showcase area in the Expo concourse. Top builders from across the country showed off their latest high-dollar creations. The autocross course was out the back door of the Expo, which is always entertaining, as folks competed for the best time on the coned course. The swap meet is always a big draw, with people perusing the aisles to find that hard-to-find part for their projects.
Another popular component of the NSRA Nats was the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Education Days, which allowed event attendees to participate in high-powered education sessions featuring top manufacturers in the hot-rod and auto-restoration segments. Twelve manufacturers gave hour-long presentations on their product lines and shared tips and tricks for hot rod projects.
There were plenty of non-car-related opportunities at the Nats. Women’s World catered to the ladies in attendance with crafts and items geared toward women. There was even a huge quilt display and a Kid Zone to let them burn off some energy. Live entertainment was rocking all weekend under the big tent.
Special displays are also a unique part of the Nats. For 2024, there was an RC car display and run, Nick Donovan’s Rockin’ Road Show, and Rodder’s Fest. Nitro Knockout presented show attendees with a good dose of nitro-fueled dragsters to clear out their sinuses and their eardrums. Of course, the weekend’s culmination is the Sunday Circle of Winners, where all the award winners are displayed inside the arena.
Working the Trailer
Although the salespeople do get some breaks to see what’s going on during the show, the real reason Jesse and Jeremy were at the Nats was to work the EG trailer, meet customers, and answer questions. Lucky for them, the big rig was parked inside the monstrous Expo Center, so they didn’t have to deal with all the heat outside (and it was a scorcher).
Jesse says the two most-asked questions received while working the trailer were, “How much is that shirt?” and “Do you have XXX part on the trailer?” The answer to both varies. Shirts (and merch) are different prices. While we carry some hard parts on the trailer, our stock is very limited. However, we often run show specials where you can order on-site, and we ship it to you (many times for free).
One curious question they were asked a couple of times was, “Are the cams made in Memphis?” The answer to that is 100% yes! All COMP and Lunati cams are ground in Edelbrock Group’s Memphis facility.
Afterhours Fun
It’s not all work and no play for the folks on the big rig, though. When the day is done, it’s fun for them to go out and experience a new town. This year at the Nats, In The Garage Media invited vendors to a “Last Pin Standing” kickoff event at a local bowling alley the night before the show opened. The guys had a great time before meeting up with the folks at Ridetech for some karting fun at Kart Kountry, a 1.5-mile-long track. Things got a little racy, and a co-worker may or may not have pushed one of the Ridetch guys into the mud.
Jesse found two great eateries in Louisville. The first was Derby City Pizza, just down the road from the Nats. He says the pizza was terrific, and it was a great place to enjoy a draft beer while watching the cars drive by. The second was Mike Linnig’s Seafood restaurant, which opened in 1925 and is family-owned and operated. If you are looking for an overloaded plate of tasty seafood, you’ll want to put that one on your list for next year.
Make Plans for Next Year
The NSRA Nats in Louisville is everything that makes the car community great. The camaraderie among participants keeps them coming back year after year. Some people only see their friends from across the country at this show. They make plans to stay at the same hotels and hang out under tents to catch up — some never leave their area the entire weekend.
Whether you park it in one spot or cover every inch of the complex, it’s impossible to have a bad time around thousands of classic cars. So, plan to attend the Nats in 2025 and keep an eye on NSRA’s website; it’s always the first weekend in August. We guarantee you will have fun as long as you’re on the property.
