2007 Ames Performance Pontiac Nationals

The HPP Editor's Choice Award...        read full caption The HPP Editor's Choice Award was presented to Glenn & Regina Kovach, of Benton, Illinois. Their '72 Hurst SSJ Grand Prix caught Editor Tom DeMauro's eye and the Kovachs caught the trophy. The SSJ is a beautiful example of a rare GP.

Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick...        read full caption Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick looks on as Jeff Sams lunges off the Norwalk starting line in his replica of Beswick's "Mr. B's Runabout" '63 LeMans. Both Sams and Beswick participated in the exhibition rounds.

Rich Roup must be the smoothest-talking...        read full caption Rich Roup must be the smoothest-talking guy who ever lived. Not only did he propose to his longtime love, Carol, he also gambled that she would say yes, as he had a minister waiting at the starting line. Fortunately for him, Carol replied in the affirmative, the vows were made and the happy couple made a post-nuptial pass down the Norwalk quarter-mile. Congratulations to the Roups-we bet we know where they'll be for their anniversary!

King of the Pontiacs award went to Rick Cole Jr., of LaGrange, Ohio, in his Third-Gen Firebird. Cole waded though countless rounds, making it to the semis on Saturday in the Indian Adventures Pro Class, and winning on Sunday. He won in the final against Shannon Calhoun, of Columbus, Ohio, who won Saturday's Tin Indian Performance Stock trophy with his Second-Gen Trans Am. Cole will receive a limousine ride to the starting line at the '08 APPN.

The Ames Performance Pontiac... 

   

  read full caption

The Ames Performance Pontiac Nationals always boasts one of the best swap meet areas and the '07 edition broke new ground. A total of 144 vendors used 247 spaces. If you needed it, it was probably in the Norwalk swap meet area.

The show area was also full of spectacular Pontiacs, Oaklands and GMC trucks. POCI President Verne Howard managed to round up 14 Can Ams for the second of his 30th Anniversary Reunions. Not since the cars were new had so many of these rare machines been in the same place.

Kenny Colacino brought his spectacular '63 Super-Duty Catalina sedan, which not only won an Ames Performance Engineering Best in Class Award, but also managed to win the Randy Williams Memorial Award of Excellence.

Also on display were the Beswick "Righteous Judge" and a 1-of-1 Carousel Red '69 Ram Air IV GTO convertible, both fresh from John Kane Restorations in Pennsylvania. Glenn & Regina Kovach, of Benton, Illinois, took the HPP Editor's Choice Award with their beautiful '72 Hurst SSJ Grand Prix, and yours truly presented the Smoke Signals Editor's Choice award to Joe Wheat of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his spectacular '58 Star Chief Custom Safari station wagon.

The Pontiac-GMC Division was well represented, as the large traveling Pontiac Motorsports display rig was once again positioned at the end of the midway, courtesy of GM Racing Marketing Director Fred Simmonds. Axelrod Pontiac in Parma, Ohio, the sponsoring automobile dealer for the event, brought several new vehicles out for display.

If you missed the '07 Ames Performance Pontiac Nationals, there's always this year's event. Woodruff has confirmed for HPP that the 17th edition will be held at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park the weekend of August 8-10. For information, log onto www.pontiacnationals.com.