Not just a race and show, the Nationals also host a top notch swap meet brimming with Buick goodness, as well as tech sessions organized and offered by club chapters that are designed to teach or discuss the cutting edge in Buick performance, troubleshooting, and maintenance. Among the vendors, RJC Racing from Utah came loaded for bear, selling massive intercoolers for the fastest of the turbos, as well as their signature Power Plate. HRPartsNStuff was also on hand, offering everything from engine mounts to suspension goodies. Eighty-three vendors included 27 manufacturers of performance parts along with the plethora of used parts, cars, bodies, suspensions, and just plain old yard sale fare. Two hundred and seventy-eight cars competed for various trophies in the Car Show. The level of competition was staggering, and according to Lasseter, some folks are avoiding the show because of it. Various GSCA chapters are working on suggestions as this is written to help owners perceive the show portion of the event as more accessible and competitive for lower dollar rides.
For its 26th year, the Nationals saw 412 cars make at least one pass down the strip. Members of the GSCA and its member chapters, including the Chicagoland, Indiana, and The Carolinas, helped out a great deal. Winners of the Car Show included Tommy Riggs and his 82.5 Turbo Regal, Rodger Goodwin, Gregg Weiner, and Mark Sheffer for their '87 GNs, and John Bowling, winning for heavily modified turbos in his 1987 GN. First Place for Stock T-Types went to Victor Segovia and his beautiful blue '87 T LTD. Tony Rigano took home First Place honors with his grey '87 T, as did Paul Castle with his modified '87 T-type. The largest Buick show and races in the world came off of a very successful 25th anniversary event last year, and plans for the 27th are under way. Now if only gas prices can remain at reasonable levels in the next year, perhaps more Buick lovers will decide to dust off their old war horses and burn rubber down to Bowling Green!