Yes, you read that right. Due to the threat of snow back on April 7, 2007, the show portion of the 27th Annual Pontiac Show & Go (aka HPP Day) was postponed until September 1st. Happily, the turnout for this makeup event on Labor Day weekend was much better than I had expected, and Mother Nature rewarded us with a gorgeous sunny Saturday.
Though they had separate show areas, the Pontiacs shared the track with Buicks and Oldsmobiles, as the makeup date was run during the Buick Performance Weekend and an Olds event. While some Pontiac purists may scoff at the addition of other models, I thought it was pretty cool to see what the Buick and Olds guys were up to, as well as the Pontiacs.
Bruce Katz's '04 GTO won the...
Bruce Katz's '04 GTO won the Pontiac Radial Class, running 11.795 on an 11.73 dial-in to runner up Darren Kozinski's '95 Grand Am's red light start and a 16.779 e.t. on a 16.53 dial-in.
Since the race for HPP Day was already run back in April ("HPP Day...Lite" Nov. '07), the classes were limited to one for slicks and another for radials. On the show side, there was plenty to see, as always. Some of these showcars have national event caliber restos, like Kenny Colacino's '63 SD Catalina Sedan, which was featured in the last issue, and Rick Mahoney's '70 R/A-IV Judge convertible that ultimately won Best of Show. There were some very cool modifieds as well, such as Nunzi Romano's impeccable '63 Tempest fitted with a Pontiac Super Duty four-cylinder engine. We even found what appeared to be a factory freak '701/2 T/A with a very interesting interior/exterior color combo. Many of these cars you'll learn more about in the photos and captions.
Suffice it to say that HPP Day was still a great time, even if the event had to be split between spring and late summer dates due to weather. For 2008 there is reason to rejoice, however, because the show date has finally been moved from unpredictable early April to warm, and hopefully sunny, June! If you would like to participate in the show, the race, or both, go to www.etownraceway.com or call (732) 446-7800 to get more info, and join HPP for the day with your muffled Pontiac on Saturday, June 28, 2008, at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park for the 28th Annual Pontiac Show & Go.
 Nunzi Romano's latest creation...  Nunzi Romano's latest creation is this gorgeous '63 Tempest that he equipped with a Super Duty four-cylinder engine, a Super T-10 trans and a 12-bolt rear. Note the '65-'67 GTO hoodscoop and the incredibly straight body on this low-mileage machine. |  Rick Mahoney's '70 Ram Air...  Rick Mahoney's '70 Ram Air IV GTO Judge convertible, fresh out of Scott Tiemann's Supercar Specialties, took First in its class and Best of Show honors. |  The overbored 195-cube SD...  The overbored 195-cube SD four-cylinder features an SD four-bolt block, Crower billet rods, Venolia pistons, SD balancer, and a solid cam. Up top is a 421 H.O. head, half of a Torker II intake, and a 625-cfm Carter carb. |