Kindred Spirits
A s I contemplate this month’s Curbside, time is not on my side. We final approve this issue’s files with the printer tomorrow and the next day my wife and I are hitting the road to attend the 57th Annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The SEMA Show experience, much like the NSRA Street Rod Nationals, have been on my calen- dar of must-attend events throughout my career and I’ve been fortunate to have attended most of these shows for nearly 50 years. Both shows offer similar stimuli for your next build, purchase or friend, and I always seem to return home rejuvenated by the expe- riences. Each year the SEMA Show also marks the public release of next year’s NSRA Event Schedule at our National Street Rod Association display on the main floor of the show. You can also find the upcoming 2025 schedule on page 90 of this issue or at www.nsra-usa.com. Consisting of eight Divisional Events and the 56th Street Rod Nationals, there were no new events added for 2025 and seeing both new 2024 two-day shows, Mobile Bay and Quad Cities, hosting their 2nd Annual events in 2025 is exciting. With the schedule completed an Event Director for each event is designated and the symphony begins. For over 50 years NSRA members have chosen to vol- unteer their efforts and skills to make the word ‘Association’ in National Street Rod Association mean something. The sheer volume of volunteers prove the kindred spirit amongst all of us that love restoring or modifying 30-year-and-older automobiles exists within the ranks of our membership. From street rodders helping each other out in the very early ‘70s to what have become world-class services, volunteers have driven the progress. The three major areas of volunteerism within the NSRA include members of the free Safety Inspection Program, the Michigan Hot Rod Association Rod Repair Shop and the State Directors in the Street Rod Division that organize and promote NSRA nation- wide. Each has played an important role over the past half Century as have an untold number of Host Clubs, individuals and facilities staff. Since 1972 the MHRA Rod Repair Shop has logged over 400,000 miles traveling to events helping rodders at no cost with repairs to get them back on the road. Testimonials to their services would fill a book and seeing their volunteerism at work is simply amazing. Early on the NSRA divided the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, into seven Divisions including the Northeast, Southeast, North Central, South Central, West, Northwest and Southwest. In
the Street Rod Division the seven Division Directors report to the National Field Director, currently Charlie Bryson. These Directors appoint State Directors for all 50 States and the number of volunteers needs to be doubled due to multiple positions in larger states and Advisor positions in some cases. The State Directors stay in touch with clubs in their area and hold NSRA Appreciation Days (usually in conjunction with Safety Inspections) at local shops or club events. These vol- unteers also travel to non-NSRA events with member- ship displays and volunteer at NSRA events wherever needed. Winter doesn’t stop these guys and gals because when the indoor car shows come around they set up NSRA displays and promote membership or answer questions from show goers. Many NSRA volunteers include husbands and wives enjoying the rodding lifestyle together, working to ensure smooth- running events and spreading the joy of “Fun With Cars.” On the Safety side of things, Roger Barnhill is the current National Safety Director and was recently dis- cussing the origins of the NSRA Safety Inspection Program with 54-year member Tom Vollbrecht Sr. Tom is one of the original Minnesota Safety Team members and he remembered inspections being performed at Detroit in 1972 and in 1973 Safety Inspections were actually listed as an activity at the Nationals. In 1976 Street Rodder magazine reported the NSRA’s rollout of the Safety Program nationwide within the seven Division structure and each would be appointed a Chief Inspector for their Division. They also reported that three inspectors would perform inspections, each focused on certain areas of the car. One checked for approved safety glass, wipers, lights, horn and neu- tral safety switch. The second inspector checked brakes, tires, shocks, steering and emergency brake. The third inspector focused on chassis fasteners including rod ends and bushings, fuel system, throttle linkage and exhaust. Today there are hundreds of Safety Team members across the country with teams in every state doing their best to spot trouble before it begins. In addition to the ‘structured’ ways of volunteering within the NSRA there were 39 Volunteer Clubs that stepped up to help produce this year’s Street Rod Nationals alone. Host Clubs across the nation volun- teer at Divisional events as well and every now and then you run across an individual volunteer that proves the kindred spirit is alive and well in our rod- ding world. Tom Vogele tomvogele@verizon.net
8 DECEMBER 2024
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