How do you round up one of the best shows of the year in just a few words?
Easy. It was simply epic!
Yes, this year’s NSRA Hot Rod Supernationals on the 10th – 14th of August 2022 lived up to its name as the premier pre-1972 hotrod and custom car show in Europe. From start to finish, this anniversary-themed show was a non-stop celebration of the NSRA’s 50 years. With almost 20 cruises, live music in two different marquees, and hotrods, customs, and American cars in their hundreds, this year’s event will be remembered for a very long time.
Keeping the crowds entertained, there were talks with well-known rod shops, a 50th Anniversary Movie on the big screen, the Tot Rod racetrack, NSRA memorabilia spanning the past 50 years, free entry to the Shuttleworth Collection, the Demon Drome wall of death and so much more.
The mark the 50th anniversary of the NSRA, participants were welcomed to join the show a day earlier than usual. A welcome drinks reception got the party started on Wednesday evening with a free drink and everyone dressed for the occasion in their favourite NSRA T-shirt from the past 50 years.
The cruises and drive-outs began on Thursday with the anniversary cake cruise. As part of the celebrations, five special displays took centre stage throughout the event. Each of these special display groups had its own cruise to a nearby destination where cake, teas, and shade were waiting for them, with other participating show cars joining them later. Coordinated by the 50th Anniversary Working Group, these special displays included a collection of past Supernationals Participants’ Choice Winners, Cars of Significance, the Ford Model “T Party” organised by Maurice Takoor, 32nd Street celebrating the 90th anniversary of the ’32 Deuce organised by the NSRA’s Valuations Officer Chris Smith, and Ford Pops, Prefects, and Anglia’s with the Popstalgia Pop Festival.
If you were able to brave the heat, the cruising continued on Friday and Saturday with more fun drive-outs and photo opportunities. The games and refreshments organised by Dave and Lesley Brown were a welcomed break from the 30-degree heat – especially the frozen T-shirt competition! Once back on site it was time to cool down. Shade was at a premium, and if you were lucky enough to have a small paddling pool to dip your toes into, you were guaranteed to make new friends! The local shops and supermarkets could barely keep up with the demand for ice and bottled water and cars were tested to their limits. Some did fall casualty to overheating and fuel vapourisation, but help was always on hand, and no one was left stranded.
Saturday was to be a very memorable day. The Nick Butler-built C Cab T, Revenge had been taking part in a 1,201-mile reliability run around the UK and was scheduled to stop off at the Hot Rod Supernationals around 11am. To add to the nostalgia, two other iconic Butler-built T’s drove down to Baldock Services to greet Revenge and driver Gerry. The three Ts, Andromeda, Nykilodeon, and Revenge all cruised back to the site together and drove on to the show field to be greeted by all the other participating Model Ts forming a guard of honour. This was such an emotional and poignant moment in the history of British hotrodding.
Sunday’s show and shine saw record attendance, both in terms of numbers of pre-1972 show cars and public visitors. The public gate welcomed almost 3,500 visitors to the show and an incredible 110 ‘32s joined the 32nd Street Deuce display. The records continued with £1,122 being raised for the East Anglian Air Ambulance through auctions, raffles ticket sales, and donations.
The show field looked it’s very best with cars parked as far as the eye could see. The past Participants’ Choice winners and Cars of Significance displays fanned round the central arena, and the T Party, Pop Festival, and Deuce display drew in the crowds. The celebration came to a close with the prize giving ceremony on Sunday afternoon, and you can find a full list of NSRA Hot Rod Supernationals 2022 winners below.
For the ClassicLine team, it was great to catch up with so many of our hotrodding clients and friends. Sunday’s show and shine is, of course, our highlight of the event, and this year we awarded our trophy pick to the “Tetanus” Cord built by renown custom car builder, Andy Saunders. Keep an eye out for a feature on this car coming soon!
”The biggest and longest hotrod show ever held in Europe, and all in our 50th Anniversary year, we couldn't have asked for any better! Scorching weather, great custom cars and hotrods, all made possible by the dedicated mass of help from the Committee, Blue Crew, 50th Team, and all of the helpers. Job well done, thank you all!
John ProctorNSRA Chairman
We hope you enjoy the photos, and if you would like to find out more about the NSRA’s dedicated insurance scheme with ClassicLine, please call us on 01455 639 000 or visit our contact us page.
