What appened to the "Nats"

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Mojoe9955

Mojoe9955

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Years ago, I'm talking about over 25 years ago I remember being on Moparts and it seemed like going was a pilgrimage for true belivers. At the time I was too busy and it was a haul to go. I finally went just before Covid and was like...meh. I didn't make a dedicated trip, but did include it as a stop coming home from a West to East cross country road trip. It reminded me more of a bigger local car show/swap then a national
event. What did I miss?
 
I've been going since 1984 and Carlisle since 1992. When Chrysler was involved and the NHRA teams used to show up and race, that was a great show! Plus the bathrooms used to be clean, the trash cans emptied, and the cruising was awesome. Ever since the came back from Indy it has gone down hill. Carlisle has gotten better mostly and the Nats keeps going down hill. Another issue is that we have just plain gotten old, and half the people that used to go are no longer with us or can't handle a weekend of heat and beer anymore...
 
The Nats have been going downhill for a while in my opinion. I agree with HemiSSDart, we are getting older. I have been going to the Nats since 1991 (less than 2hrs away) but if I hadn't already registered my car, I wouldn't be going for the weekend. Rough on the body now! However it will be a good time with friends. Holley Moparty is getting bigger every year and I now prefer it over the Nats even with the 3.5hr drive for me.
 
"Back in the day" (80's/early 90's), it was something you would not want to miss. The evening cruising in Reynoldsburg was also a must-be-there event. I stopped going in the mid-90's as life got in the way. I went the last 3 years and it is nowhere near the fun and excitement it used to be. Not sure why...they still drag race and the swap is still decent. National Trails pit area with all the hills is also a turn-off.

But these last few years...a burnout contest? Not something for me. Jumping a Dukes of Hazzard look-alike car? Total turnoff. It just seems the organizers may be trying too hard for unneeded "entertainment." The midway has also been very weak or non-existant.

Get back to the basics...no "special" entertainment needed. Old-school drag racing (1/4 mile of course. I know, I know...no commentary needed!) and car show with full midway support, decent food options (also weak the last 3 years), and clean restrooms. Gee - what a concept!
 
We quit going a few years back. Even a goid friend who went for 17 years straight hadn't been back for a few years. Just like looking the event up on the net. You might see 2 or 3 announcements but they are from different years and don't include a simple 2024 in the date.
 
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I only went one time in 1990. It had to have been at the height of the NATS. 6 people deep watching all the cruising on Brice Rd. Raising hell with the non-Mopar cars that would purposely try to taunt us... we threw water balloons...lol. massive all night burnouts in the Red Roof in parking lots. The racing ( watching Ronnie Sox race the 68 Cuda) it was sensory overload. Carlisle has always been a massive swap meet to me. I've had spaces there ( spring and fall) from 80-94. The car show is huge and some amazing cars come.. but it's not the wow factor for me since my 1st Nats in Ohio. My 2cents.
 
I agree with everyone above. Been going since the late 80's. Brice Road was a show of it's own. The exhibition runs were cool - The Dodge Boys, Little Red Express wheelstander, Sox and Martin, etc... massive midway, great swap meet, and a great show overall. I think the organizers just got lazy. Five T-shirt vendors and a wax guy don't make a midway. The judged show field is now a tractor trailer parking lot. Very sloppy show field. They aren't even trying.
I won't be back. I'll give the Moparty a try this year.
 
I have been about 6 times. I always enjoyed it, but it was always hot. The last time I went, it was over 100 degrees with a ridiculous heat index. By 2:00, I was done and left. I could not stand the heat any longer. I was absolutely drenched with sweat. I was in my car with the AC on max for several hours and drank a ton of liquids before I felt better. That was probably 15 years ago.
 
The Nats went to **** a few years back.
The good news is Jim has let someone else take over the management of the show and they seem to be doing a better job of running it.
The swap has gotten bigger than the last few years, and it's way more organized and less empty spaces.
Chrysler isn't coming back, at least not as long as Fiat owns Chrysler. That was apparent at Carlisle this year. Kudos to Carlisle for adding the autocross BTW.
The midway is suffering the same thing that Carlisle is, the big vendors aren't doing shows anymore. Vans and Year One have been absent from all shows for the past couple of years. They can do the same business online without the headache of dealing with shows. Outfits like Detroit Muscle and Laysons set up in the swap area, which I think is a good move on their part.
As others have pointed out, people get older and some have even died. There hasn't been a "Survivor" tent for a few years now. Mel passed away and Bob Malcom is in a nursing home.
Overall, its a better show than it was a couple of years back. It's getting better every year with the new management, so that's a plus.
I vend at three shows, Nats being the last of them. I still go because I still make money there.
I'm also planning on going to MoParty this year too. If I don't sell my Dart before then, I'll bring that down for the Survivor display. I'm curious as to how that will go. The guy who organized and put that on passed away just prior to last years show. There was a question as to whether or not it was even going to happen this year. It took them forever to get info on the website, whats it going to be like at the venue?
Don't give up on the Nats just yet. I think it still has a few more years left in her.
 
Yes, I'm glad I didn't make a special trip...550 miles one way as I would have been very disappointed. I've been going to Carlisle...180 miles, which is always fun. The past few years it's been hot as hell and there seemed to be quite a few empty spots, especially this year. Combine that with gas, tolls, hotel. I sometimes wonder if it's still worth it...
 
harrisonm said:
I have been about 6 times. I always enjoyed it, but it was always hot. The last time I went, it was over 100 degrees with a ridiculous heat index. By 2:00, I was done and left. I could not stand the heat any longer. I was absolutely drenched with sweat. I was in my car with the AC on max for several hours and drank a ton of liquids before I felt better. That was probably 15 years ago.
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This is the reason why I don’t go to Carlisle anymore. Why they have to have the event in the middle of July is beyond me. It’s not my idea of fun cooking in the heat hour after hour.
 
1971 CY Dodge Dart said:
This is the reason why I don’t go to Carlisle anymore. Why they have to have the event in the middle of July is beyond me. It’s not my idea of fun cooking in the heat hour after hour.
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Carlisle is big, fun and impressive but I sure can't stand the heat like I used to. Not fun anymore.
 
I still like the racing, and I like to wander the parts area, although I really don’t need any parts. One of the highlights of the Nats is Hemi Dennys tent, and all the cars and friends he brings out. We are going for the day on Friday this year, as the hotel prices have kept us from staying the whole weekend for years now.
 
The HDK area is the highlight of the whole thing, for me. This year, I'll only be driving down to visit my friends, rather than showing in their display.[health issues] It's a great group of guys, with mopars that have to be seen. The most fun I had, was racing heads-up with one of the guests. The cars couldn't have been more closely matched.

Nats 2019 cuda-1.jpg


The Carlisle thing is cool, but it's like being in a tropical rain-forest.....on the side of a ski-hill, with no racing. Unless you're inside...no thank you.
 
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PA Dodger said:
I agree with everyone above. Been going since the late 80's. Brice Road was a show of it's own. The exhibition runs were cool - The Dodge Boys, Little Red Express wheelstander, Sox and Martin, etc... massive midway, great swap meet, and a great show overall. I think the organizers just got lazy. Five T-shirt vendors and a wax guy don't make a midway. The judged show field is now a tractor trailer parking lot. Very sloppy show field. They aren't even trying.
I won't be back. I'll give the Moparty a try this year.
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You nailed it right here!!
 
I went for twelve years straight from 2000 to 2011, even got a tattoo with Bruce Rd forever in it. Need to put some tombstones by that line.

I'm glad I got to see it in its funner times with all the burnouts all over the place. Once they moved the cruising to Hebron or wherever, it was never the same after leaving the show. I never understood how low the car could not was for the judged cars, chances are you could get a trophy if your showed up. I loved the drag racing, and seeing the old time guys like Bill Maverick and Bob Riggle, as well as the likes of Alderman, Geofferion and Skuza. It was always fun to prowl the swap, and see the same parts I saw in Minnesota at Mopars in the Park, for an additional 20-50% mark-up in price!

I had a lot of fun, so I won't totally bash it, but it definitely dropped off after the years.
 
Commercial vendors like Roy and Jamie from Mega Parts bailed on the Nats a few years back. They got tired of fighting with the management about vendor spaces and the tent companies showing up 2 days late with pieces for their display. Commercial vendors have thousands $$ invested in multiple vehicle travel expenses, food, and lodging for a week. You have to sell a lot of license plate screws to make enough profit to cover that. They can make more profit by staying home and manning the phones and internet.
 
I'm going this year. I haven't been in several years...maybe before Covid. I started going the first year they had it in Indy, at the speedway. 1983 or 84 maybe? I went to Michigan the year after that, then to Columbus for years thru the heyday of The Nats. I never went to Indy when they went back there, but returned to Columbus when it came back. I've always enjoyed it and made friends from all over the country even back before Al Gore invented the internet where we gather on forums like this, today. I turned 67 three days ago, so I realize my trips to Mopar Nationals will be less do-able sometime in the future, so I am going this year and plan on having a good time mainly in the swap meet looking for parts that I don't need...lol. I'll for sure go to Denny's tent to hang out a bit. It's a 7 hour drive, so I don't even go to the track on Sunday...just get up and go home. Hopefully, I will see some of y'all there.

:thumbsup:
 
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