If you like trucks, go to the Super Chevy Show in Phoenix. At this year's show we saw a collection of the finest early-models, late-models, stock, custom, four-wheel-drive, and two-wheel-drive trucks and SUVs, not to mention some great El Caminos. If it wasn't at the Phoenix Super Chevy Show in March, it probably wasn't built yet. Of course, there were great cars ranging from early models to new Corvettes and Camaros. Phoenix is one of our favorite locations for photographing the car show entrants as well as feature cars for the magazine. We definitely weren't disappointed this year, so look for some of those show cars in the pages of SUPER CHEVY magazine.
Nitro Coupes ran a two-for-one special, contesting the rain-delayed finals of Pomona on Saturday afternoon and winding up the Phoenix competition on Sunday. Defending '01 Champion Jim Nordhougen was in both finals, winning the Pomona title and then being Runner-up to Dan Nickelson on Sunday. These two teams took it down to the wire last season, and it's likely to happen again in 2002. Look for John Reynolds and his Nitro Coupe team to be back and running hard at the next Super Chevy Show in Memphis after their engine let go at Pomona.
Once again, we had lots of young Chevy fans enter their cars in the show. Winner of the Super Chevy Show Young Star Award, Tyler Kurth from Alta Loma, California, was standing by after the show on Sunday evening to get his beautiful '84 El Camino photographed for a possible car feature. When we told him it might take some time, he told us "That's okay, as long as you get me out of here in time for school tomorrow." That was the second week in a row we talked to a young person who drives his or her beautiful Chevy to high school. It makes us feel good about the younger generation.
Phoenix Super Chevy Show Stats
Saturday Awards
Editor's Choice Top Ten Show Cars
Jerry Arnett, Peoria, AZ, '65 Malibu
Bob Cockrill, Queen Creek, AZ, '67 El Camino
Mary Hendrickson, Lake Havasu, AZ, '37 Chevy
Mark Higginbottom, Mesa, AZ, '55 truck
Dale Jager, Henderson, NV, '62 Nova
Dennis Jenkins, Phoenix, AZ, '72 Monte Carlo
Jack Owens, Queen Creek, AZ, '66 Impala
Kelly Post, Chandler, AZ, '67 Camaro
James Schaefer, Phoenix, AZ, '65 Chevelle convt
Bob & Nancy Smith, Lake Havasu, AZ, '55 Bel Air
Specialty Awards
BEST INTERIOR
Larry Wilson, Gilbert, AZ, '38 Chevy
BEST PAINT
Smoky & Diane Crosman, Chandler, AZ, '66 Nova Pro Engineered
BEST ENGINE
Chris Christonsen, Tempe, AZ, '68 Chevelle
BEST DETAIL SPONSORED BY RACING COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Gary Trahan, Houma, LA, '69 Camaro
BEST WORKMANSHIP SPONSORED BY WATERLOO INDUSTRIES
Randy Duke, Phoenix, AZ, '72 El Camino
BEST ACHIEVEMENT STOCK
Jag Amdahl, Fountain Hills, CA, '67 Chevelle
BEST ACHIEVEMENT STREET
Howard Groff, Northridge, CA, '66 Nova
BEST ACHIEVEMENT MODIFIED
Dave Lowther, Glendale, AZ, '55 Nomad
ESPN2 Award Of Excellence
Roger Harris, Phoenix, AZ, '63 Impala
"TRANSPORT AWARD"-FEATHERLITE TRAILERS
Chuck & Barb Hawkins, Hollister, CA, '57 Bel Air
"GRAPHICS AWARD"-AMERICAN COLORSCANS, INC.
Bob Parren, Las Vegas, NV, '54 Chevy
ISCA "AWARD OF EXCELLENCE" - ISCA
Ernie Padilla, Peoria, AZ, '72 Chevelle Pro Street
SUZUKI "OUTSTANDING 4X4" AWARD
Tom Tait, Camarillo, CA, '74 truck
"OUTSTANDING STREET ROD" AWARD - STREET RODDER MAGAZINE
Joe Cathell, Phoenix, AZ, '22 T-bucket
"OUTSTANDING CLASSIC TRUCK" AWARD - Classic Truck Magazine
Manny Navarro, Mesa, AZ, '67 truck
SUPER CHEVY MAGAZINE 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY AWARD
Ralph Warnstrom, Mesa, AZ, '57 Chevy convt
Sunday Awards
Specialty Awards
Workmat Car Of The Show Award-Workmat
Manny Navarro, Mesa, AZ, '67 truck
MEGUIAR'S "MEDALLION AWARD" FOR OUTSTANDING BODY APPEARANCE
Smoky & Diane Crosman, Chandler, AZ, '66 Nova Pro Engineered
"ATTENTION TO DETAIL" AWARD - SOFFSEAL
Howard Groff, Northridge, CA, '66 Nova