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2002 SHOW RESULTS
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SOUTHERN TRANSAM REGIONALS SHOW: Pensacola, FL. (March 15th-17th) 2nd �82 to present Heavy Custom�
WHITLEE LAKEWOOD: Atlanta, GA. (April 6th-7th) 1st in �3rd gen. Firebird Custom�
GAFBA SPRING SHOOTOUT: Reynolds, GA. (April 28th, 2002) Runner up 15.00 and up Bracket racing
GODFATHER CUSTOMS: Conyers, GA. (May 11th) Top 50 �Car Division�
THE FBODY GATHERING: Marietta, GA. (May 24th-27th) 1st �Full Custom�
SUPER CHEVY SHOW: Commerce, GA. (June 1-2) 1st �Conversion Street�
2002 NOPI MINI TRUCKIN' NATIONALS: Sevierville, TN. (June 28th-30th) 1st �Domestics Wild�
BUFFALO'S CAFE: Jonesboro, GA. (July 13th) Top 10
LOWER PERFECTION�S SLAP SHOW: Marietta, GA. (July 21st) 1st �Domestics Full Custom�
T/A NATIONALS: Dayton, OH. (Aug 23-25) 1st �HEAVY CUSTOM 1982-1992�
LAKEWOOD SLAP SHOW: Atlanta, GA. (Sept 7th-8th) 1st �Domestics Custom� & �Best Engine�
SUPER CHEVY: Montgomery, AL. (Sept. 29h) 1st �Modified Conversion�
LOVEJOY HIGH SCHOOL: Lovejoy, GA. (Oct. 5th) Top 20
COVINGTON BLAST FROM THE PAST: Covington, GA. (Oct. 6th) top 50 �80 and newer�
GAFBA FALL SHOOTOUT: Reynolds, GA. (Oct. 20, 2002)
Did not compete!
BIRMINGHAM F-BODY ASSOCIATION SHOW: Birmingham, AL. (Oct. 26th) 1st �82-92 Custom�

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SHOW DETAILS ON ALL 2002 SHOWS ENTERED
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SOUTHERN TRANSAM REGIONALS SHOW: Pensacola, FL. (March 15th-17th)

Well we made it that was 90% of the battle. It was strictly a Firebird/Formula/TramsAm/Firehawk Show. The cars were broken down into divisions based on the # of modifications. I was in the most modified category. Class M: 1982 and newer: Heavy Modified Custom. There were only 2 of us 3rd gens in the class. The other 13 were 4th gens. I placed 2nd. Not bad considering I had a 10-year-old paint job (Shaved areas and hood had a fresh coat) and the engine had been hosed with radiator fluid the day before and had only been cleaned with a damp towel... Now to mention a bent up air filter and cracked nose thanks to an Armadillo we hit on the way down. The winning car was a 4th Gen. anniversary car.
Turns out you got extra points for safety equip. I had a fire extinguisher, but no first aid kit. The winner had both. Live and learn� First Aid and tool kits are going in ASAP.

WHITLEE: Atlanta, GA. (April 6th-7th)

We got to the show late on Saturday and got registered for the judging on Sunday. After much deliberation the officials put me in Full Custom Domestic. The first official who looked at the car only saw 8 mods. Huh? So the main official came out and looked at the car. He stopped counting at 25 mods.
They actually used my car as a training device for the new officials, so they could learn to spot mods.
I ended up with 1st in the Firebird Full Custom Division.

GAFBA SPRING SHOOTOUT: Reynolds, GA. (April 28th, 2002)

Well I decided to race the car again had to see if all the work we had done had paid off. Nope. 20.54-20.88. I did bracket race though. I had a blast. I had to TNT to see what my time would be (20.54). I set my dial in for 20.50.

There were 5 of us. In the end it came down to me and Andy Mitchell (He is a high school bracket racing champian)(Me this is my first time bracket racing)

I left first .506 reaction time. Then he was allowed to go. He raced to catch me. All he needed to do was barely beat me to the line and he could win. All because my car was so consistent See his car ran faster than 15.00, so he could easily breakout. But if he gauged by me he would be fine. He almost did. I was told he had to stand on the brakes in the end to not blow by me. He got me. I did get a runner up trophy though.

GODFATHER CUSTOMS: Conyers, GA. (May 11th)

They had top 50 cars and top 50 trucks. I got in the top 50 for cars. I believe, based on entry numbers,
there were at least 411 vehicles registered.

TANGER SHOW & SHINE: Locust Grove, GA. (May 18th)

Well this show was not for a car like mine. It was mostly older street rods and restored muscle cars. There were a few ACFA guys there with me with their 4th gen f-bodys. They gave out 10 trophies, none to any of us. Some nice cars were there though.

THE FBODY GATHERING: Marietta, GA. (May 24th-27th)

All Firebirds and Camaros. All years. I showed with the 85-87 Firebirds. I was put in the Full Custom Class. Got first, but only got 925 pts out of a 1000. I'm sure it was the seat covers and paint. They will send up comments in the mail, so I will see soon.

SUPER CHEVY SHOW: Commerce, GA. (June 1-2)

This is technically a Chevy only show, but since GM graced my car with the same Chevy engine as the Camaros, I was allowed to compete. At first I was in the modified Camaro Class. Then the judge switched me to Conversion since it was a Pontiac body with Chevy Engine. Strangely he put me in Street instead of modified. We had originally thought the shaved handles put me in Modified. Well in the end I won the Conversion Street class. Got a jacket too. Should have it up on the web site soon: www.superchevyshow.com. I think it will be published in the Sept Issue of Super Chevy with some pics.

TANGER SHOW & SHINE: Locust Grove, GA. (June 15th)

More of the same. Met up with some nice guys from thirdgen.org so the trip was worth it.

2002 NOPI MINI TRUCKIN' NATIONALS: Sevierville, TN. (June 28th-30th)

Car handled great on the drive up there. They had drive thru judging again this year. The rep who classed my car put it in Domestic (Mustangs, Firebirds, & Camaros: all years) Conservative (Stock). When I got to the judge I asked if this was right he called the guy back over to change my classification. I ended up in WILD (custom) instead.

I ended up winning the Class. I was lucky the judge owned a 3rd gen Formula, so he knew the ins & outs of these cars and could actually recognize all the modifications. I'm not sure how many I competed against, but 1st-3rd was awarded.

BUFFALO'S CAFE: Jonesboro, GA. (July 13th)

Well it rained cats and dogs. I was not prepared to show. It was a last minute thing after the car club meeting. I even had groceries in the back. I still somehow managed to get in the top 10.

NOPI REGIONALS: Snellville, GA. (July 20th)

Top 13. They changed divisions. Trucks, Imports, and Domestics. They only gave one trophy away in the Domestics & it went to a gaudy, totally chromed and gold plated New Corvette. The judge later told me he would have rather given it to me, but the guy had done so much, grated it was too much.

TANGER SHOW & SHINE: Locust Grove, GA. (July 20th)

More of the same. Met up with some thirdgen.org people so the trip was worth it.

LOWER PERFECTION�S SLAP SHOW: Marietta, GA. (July 21st)

I ended up in the full custom class for Domestics. I got 2nd after a trailered 1st Gen. Firebird. It was very chromed in the engine bay and fully restored. I never got to see it, but I was told about it.

T/A NATIONALS: Dayton, OH. (Aug 23-25)

From the TA Nationals website:
"M- MID
HEAVY CUSTOM
1982-1992

1ST SHANNON HAAG, GA. 1987 RED FIREBIRD

2ND KEN FISHER, CAN. 1986 RED TRANS AM"

I was again placed in the heavy custom class for 3rd gens. There were around 8 in the class. There were only 1st and 2nd awarded in our class. I received 1st.

Since the car was fresh from the paint booth and was not even totally assembled yet, here�s how we got up there! Now this was the first and the last time the car was ever trailered to a show. If I had had time to finish getting it together I would have driven it! As It was I had stayed up 48hrs straight and could not keep my eyes open the whole trip up there.

TIPP CITY CRUISE IN: Tipp City, OH. (Aug 24th)

Now while the TA Nats is going on, there is a local city that actually shuts down its town and will only allow firebird to come in. They line us up and down the streets. There is almost no way to see all the cars. See even the spectators that are not showing at the Nats bring in their birds. Now the town gives away 8 trophies. 1st & 2nd to their favorites of each body style.

LABOR DAY SHOW: Austell, GA (Sept 2nd)

Well I found out after we signed up and paid our money that this group hates late model cars and will never place them if given a choice. There were 4 Club members there and only 2 of us got an award.
The 2 that did were the more stock looking cars. Live and learn.

LAKEWOOD SLAP SHOW: Atlanta, GA. (Sept 7th-8th)

Well I was placed in the Custom Domestics class.
Well I won and got a special treat, Best Engine of show.

COVINGTON NIGHT CRUISE IN: Covington, GA. (Sept 7th)

Well thanks to getting stopped for my window tint, I got there a touch late. No ticket by the way.
I really surprised that cop with a permission letter from the GSP.

NOPI NATIONALS ATLANTA: Atlanta Motor Speedway, GA. (Sept 21-22)

Ok this show is fixed, I�m telling you! [rant]

1)We head over to the track at about 8:30-9am. We get in the insane line. It was backed out on to the local hwy.The line had to be 3miles long. And there was another line snaking through the speedway as well. Lord only knows how many cars were in line at that time. We sat for a while. I decided since we were barely moving I would clean the car in line. I'm glad I did. We were in line prob. till 10:30-11Am.

2)Now we have waited and waited. I go through the check in and they do not give us all the stuff they are supposed to. We have to go back later and go through all this crap.

3)We get in and the parking is all screwed up. They have me parking with the Ford Focuses. OK so its not a big deal they have me in the right class via my window sticker. But the Focuses have parked all goofy and there is only one place to park thanks to some Integra illegally parked. He is blocking the area where people are to drive through. So now people are yelling at me because I'm parking where I'm supposed to, but its the only place that anyone can cruise through. Now the rules say no cruising, but they conveniently forget that. So I say tough I was told to park in row "S" and I'm parking in row "S". If they don't like it get some one to tow the Integra who is not even registered to be in the show!

4)Now we are frantically trying to unload the car. I see judges in the distance. I figure I have some time. They have to judge 10-12 cars first. Thank goodness we had touched up the car in line. The judge comes over about 15-20 mins later. Now this puts me at having just drove in and gotten parked and set up. Joe and I were still cleaning the tires and dusting off the car. I ask if he can give me another 10 min or so and explained the line and parking.

5)He says no problem he can tell the diff b/w a little road dust and real dirt. I say OK?!? So I begin trying to point out some of the mods I have done. I know to 3rd gen people they are obvious, but to others they miss alot. As I start to tell him things like having converted the headlights, the taillights, that I have strobes and neon...He says no that�s ok, we don't judge what bolt-ons you have. Huh?!? You don't judge if the car is clean and you don't consider what mods have been done!?! OK, how do you judge? So he walks around the car once briskly. He is maybe at my car for 1 min, including the time talking to me (no joke),
and he puts the sticker on it and is done.

Needless to say I'm totally ticked. $75 for that... I'm not ever going back, even as a spectator. I will go to NOPI Nat�s in TN and that�s it. They have some people they hire to judge. Its drive through judging, but it works! They usually have either a group of judges, or one that spends 10 min going over the car.
This is crap. Oh, and no, I did not receive a trophy. And that is not why I'm mad, it just helped fuel the fire.

Actually I thought it would have played out differently. I have played by their rules and I have proved myself to those guys. They all know the car and me by now. Its not like I'm new to the game. The thing is that they have a Firebird/Camaro Division. Supposedly they had something like 50 entries. I never saw the cars though...

See at any other decently organized show, they would split a class like that into like body styles. Lord knows with the $75 entry fee they got the capital. They needed a 3rd gen and 4th gen split. Then Camaro and Firebird for the 4th gens. That would have made the classes more bearable for us all. But you are right they cater to the imports. Heck neons aren't put in with PT Cruisers even though they are the same platform right? I'm sure they screwed the Mustang owners too...

I talked to them about this last year when we were 20 deep in the same class. He said they were going to split it. Well they sure did didn't they. With that many competitors they could go 5-6 deep with trophies. Heck the TA Nat�s does this. They give out 8 to 9 for really large classes and 2-3 for smaller classes. The trophies are generic anyway... Heck they could do what the f-body gathering does. Give out a generic trophy and send a small plaque later with the place and class engraved that you can attach to the trophy.

Well found out some more info at Super Chevy. A gentleman helping at the show look familiar, but I could not exactly place him. He asked me about NOPI, what I won. I told him that I was disappointed, that I won nothing. Explained I thought the judges went through to quick. Then he admitted it he was my judge. I gathered that he and the others were professional judges that NOPI hired. Well he said he remembered my car well. That he judged it so quick because it was so nice. He said there was not a thing wrong with the car and that with the score he gave me he expected me to win. Well they give the score sheet to NOPI and NOPI figures it out from there. So my sheet was either lost, or they really are fixing the show.

SUPER CHEVY: Montgomery, AL. (Sept. 29h)

Well I was in the conversion class again. This time the custom class. I won again.

LOVEJOY HIGH SCHOOL: Lovejoy, GA. (Oct. 5th)

They awarded top 20. I received a trophy.

COVINGTON NIGHT CRUISE IN: Covington, GA. (Oct. 5th)

Late again. It�s a very nice show though with nice cars.

COVINGTON BLAST FROM THE PAST: Covington, GA. (Oct. 6th)

Well the Show was huge. It was top 50 80 and above, top 50 79 and below. Well an insane rainstorm commenced. Well I got in the top 50.

GAFBA Shootout: Reynolds, GA. (Oct.20th)

Had some serious mechanical problems. Alternator failed.

BIRMINGHAM F-BODY ASSOCIATION SHOW: Birmingham, AL. (Oct. 26th)

We all took off that morning and drove to the show as a club. We had the show in a parking deck. It was great because it started to rain. Well I was placed in the Custom 3rd gen class. I won first place. I also won a $100 gift certificate from TBryne. Talk about a worth while show!

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