Mopar Nationals In Columbus Ohio

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Bill "Maverick"

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What is everyones favorite Mopar Nationals memory? Mine was when I got married at the starting line. The Mopar Nationals is always a great time.
 
I was there and seen that one! Mine was probably the "burnout" contests, the vintage race and exhibition cars. Also had fun yelling "YHEEE HA" with John Schnieder (Bo Duke) after getting his autograph!
 
Me & a buddy took his 65 Belvedere down from Canton, Oh. in 1988 just after we graduated high school. I still go with him every year, I just commented in 2007 just how big it has gotten. When we went in '88 you could still drive through the front gate and park at the track, there weren't near as many vendors, displays, people, etc. Roland Osborne from Chrysler Power Magazine gave me a new T-shirt to replace one that I got for subscribing to the mag, the lettering had all worn off from wearing it so much. Good times.
 
Never got out to the nats.Bill, but i remember seeing you at the atlantic nats.@e-town some great shows,any chance of you ever coming back..
 
I remember when you got married at the nats ,there was a table size wedding cake .......truly a memorable event, great hearing from you and hope you and yours are well !!
 
1. The "Return To Brice Road Caravan"

2. Finding a 71 340 Cuda Vert that was a dealer demo at the dealership that I worked at. I was the 1st one to thrash it after it came of the transporter.

3. Not getting caught doing a 30 second burn-out on Brice Rd with my Dakota R/T (with my Dart Sport on the trailer) with a cop standing across the street. Lucky for me,a Dodge Ram van was stopped next to me with his front bumper at my gas cap.
4. Realizing how old I am when a 7 year old kid said that my Dart was cool for such an old car.
5. Realizing how many Hemi Cuda verts that I could have ordered at cost! Could not afford them them and still can't!!!
 
340srule said:
Never got out to the nats.Bill, but i remember seeing you at the atlantic nats.@e-town some great shows,any chance of you ever coming back..
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That would be nice, but that show is about dead! As far as the Mopar Trashanials, I stopped going years ago. Maybe when the decide to put some effort into running/ organizing the place I'll go back! To Jim B :thebirdm:
 
MoparGod said:
That would be nice, but that show is about dead! As far as the Mopar Trashanials, I stopped going years ago. Maybe when the decide to put some effort into running/ organizing the place I'll go back! To Jim B :thebirdm:
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From a racing standpoint that show is far from dead,same people show up every year to race,maybe the show field and swapmeet area are on their way down,but the people that race don't go there for either of those..
 
340srule said:
From a racing standpoint that show is far from dead,same people show up every year to race,maybe the show field and swapmeet area are on their way down,but the people that race don't go there for either of those..
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Well, peole that vend there don't go to race! :angry7: They race there every weekend, no need to call it a Mopar event just for racing!
 
MoparGod said:
Well, peole that vend there don't go to race! :angry7: They race there every weekend, no need to call it a Mopar event just for racing!
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Sure there is,this assures me that i'll be racing and converting with Mopar guys/gals only...no brand-x allowed that weekend..:cheers:
 
62v200 said:
When we went in '88 you could still drive through the front gate and park at the track, there weren't near as many vendors, displays, people, etc.
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I remember things being like that also - which brings me to my favorite memory. In 1990 (I think - may have been 1991) I flew up to the show from Florida with two friends. We rented some Olds-mo-bile (Ciera???), wrong-wheel-drive, four door, piece of crap at the airport. When we got to National Trail they let us enter it in the show, which we did, because it was cheaper to do that than to purchase three individual three-day passes. The guy at the entry gate told us that they were not responsible if anyone threw rocks at the car or anything else; what did we care? It was just a POS Olds rental... That was great! No walking all the way around the track just to grab a beer or drop off a newly acquired part. You'll never do that now...

Ray
 
If all goes right I will be at this years event. I will be signing autographs and giving a seminar. This will be my first time there not doing a wheelstand. I guess I will see how it goes.
 
Hi to all, and particularly Bill, who started this thread. Well, I'm thinking of getting over to see this incredible event this year. Many of our Mopar (UKMMA) fellas talk about doing this, and one or two of our more experienced members have done so on numerous occasions. The video footage they return with - particularly of the Brice Road cruising - leaves us gasping.
My boy and I are going to Sweden again this year to see their PowerBigmeet at Vasteras, near Stockholm. We enjoy fields of classic American power, and there are plenty of Mopars amongst them. Plus, they cruise outside the show site, and it's a great event.
I would be grateful to anyone who could advise about the Columbus event, where to find reasonable accommodation etc, and believe it or not, the actual date of the event. A link is fine.

Thanks,
Mike
 
IndianaDodge said:
Visiting while it was held in Indy in the 90's. About an hour from home!
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Apparently you don't remember all of the harassment by the local Cops, all of the tickets written for typical Bryce Road antics, and all of the "Return to Columbus" flyers pasted to the windshield or one of the windows in virtually every vehicle - and all of the tickets subsequently written to the owners of those vehicles for "vision obstruction"...

Those were the WORST Mopar Nationals EVER. Thank God National Trail & the NHRA stepped up to the plate and invested some capital into the facility so that the Nats could return to its rightful home.

Ray
 
The local Mopar people here in Arkansas speak of you all the time. You have given us great memories as well as all people accross the country. Thanks. Hope all is well with you and we hope to see you at the Nats this year.
Dan Wilson and Mopar Friends!
 
mikey said:
I would be grateful to anyone who could advise about the Columbus event, where to find reasonable accommodation etc, and believe it or not, the actual date of the event. A link is fine.

Thanks,
Mike
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Reasonable and relatively close accommodations have long been snapped up - since right after last year's Nats. I'd say your best bet would be in Zanesville 0 about 25 miles east of the Nats.
 
Bill the event you got married at the line was great for me and my dad.
I was at a friends house and someone said nats was going on so I called dad and said why are we not there, he said crap i have had a few and cant drive.I quickly reminded him I now have a license (17 at the time)
30 min later ON OUR WAY haven't missed it sense
 
I've gone every year since '88. But I have to say...It really feels as though the Nats have grown stale. What with the factory having pulled out. I think the best years were the early nineties, with Miss Mopar, Gene Snow, and yourself Bill. The move to Indy was a disaster. And now...forget finding that original NOS part. The venders know what they have, and they are going to charge you an arm, and a leg to part with it. The swap meet is everything you don't need. Including cheap jewelry. Last year I drove up, got what I needed, and left within' an hour, and a half. Not counting eight hour drive, round trip. And except for being around the REAL racers, I don't feel the Mopar camaraderie their used to be everywhere. And don't get me started on dodging the F***ing golf carts all day. Hey I like to walk. And looking at the state of most Americans waistlines, they need to get off those carts. As for the drags ?? I could care less about watching some clown thrash his Dodge Neon down the track for a sub 25 second ET. Or some tool putting his brand new Hemi Ram trough it's paces. Sorry...I'd rather watch two old Polara's, or Dart's ratchet out low 9's. I hear Carlisle is the show to attend now. Think I'll try this summer. Excuse the rant.:angryfir:
 
I was also there for the nuptials and for Bo Dukes appearance. My brother was at one end of the tent and I was at the other calling out" Shepard to Lost Sheep" and John let out a big yeehaw!!

As I recall, didn't you and the bride take a spin down the track and back in the Wagon, Bill? I remember you being pulled through the pits standing in the back with the bride and greeting the fans, of which there were many!!

I also loved the way the Wagon would chug against the motor at the line, and then with just a blip of the throttle would gently lift the front off the ground!! Still trying to get my car to chug like that.... Pure mean!!

Thanks Bill for being such a great ambassador to the sport for so long, and for inspiring so many young 'uns, myself AND my son too. He loved meeting you more than his dad and still talks about you and the Wagon with great admiration!! Geof
 
I go to the Nats with the same group every year. Mopar Joe was having his Challenger painted and on display at a vendors booth. We had never seen the car painted and neither did Joe. It was a grand unveiling for us all. There was lots of buzz from the Mopar magazines and the car ended up in Mopar Collectors Guide with a article titled "The Parts Car". It was fun to be part of it all. tmm
 

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Bill, I got a chance to meet you at Cedar Falls Raceway (Cedar Falls, Iowa) for one of your last shows before you retired. I hope to catch up with you at the Nats this year. Mike
 
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