37th Mid-America Street  Rod Nationals Event Coverage

Come on, admit it. When you see or hear “Street Rod Nationals,” you think of a bunch of old men sitting around with their ’30s and ’40s street rods. This may have been accurate at one point—but not any longer since organizers opened up the show to include vehicles 25 years or older. That changed everything. The vibrant scene at this year’s 37th Mid-America Street Rod Nationals in Springfield, Missouri, included a good mix of young and old—as in cars and people. A great mix of trucks was there, and just about every make and model was represented.

After bouncing around in its early years, the show landed firmly in the heart of the Ozarks at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. It’s normally held on Memorial Day weekend, but COVID-19 changed all that. This year, it was held Oct. 16-18, 2020. (Show organizers took all the necessary COVID-19 precautions and complied with CDC guidelines, of course.)

The weather stayed dry Friday and Saturday but turned a little wet on Sunday. Nevertheless, more than 1,300 cars and trucks showed up for all the fun, which included a swap meet and an indoor shopping space with commercial exhibitors and a “Women’s World” section. Each night after the show, hundreds of people lined up along the main drags of Glenstone and Kearney Streets to watch the cars “parade” up and down the streets. Folks were staking out their spots by noon—you’d think it was the Rose Bowl Parade (only better!)!

A National Street Rod Association official reported that they have cancelled five out of 11 events so far this year (there’s one to go as of this writing). He said they were pleasantly surprised and pleased with the turnout. Taking that one step further, a local television station reported that the show was seen as part of a road to recovery for Springfield tourism. Glad we could help!

I would encourage you to come to Springfield, Missouri, next Memorial Day weekend and spend some time with us … and, of course, bring your truck!