NSRA Autocross 2025 Sponsor Spotlight
By Kevin Webb NSRA Autocross Director
G ateway Classic Cars, based in O’Fallon, Illinois, has grown from a converted depart- ment store outside St Louis, Missouri, to 20 locations nationwide, making them the largest classic vehicle retailer in the United States. In this month’s NSRA Autocross Sponsor Spotlight we put the brakes on Ken Dusman, Director of Marketing, to get Gateway’s take on the classic car marketplace. NSRA: Ken, how many vehicles does Gateway Classis Cars keep in stock? Ken: With our 20 stores, we average around 3,400 vehicles of all types. Our inventory constantly changes with an average of 70 to 100 new addi- tions each week and we only except “turnkey” mod- els and focus on premium quality. We do not accept project vehicles, or those we find with obvious defects such as rust. NSRA: How can I find a vehicle that’s right for me? Ken: Our online search engine can provide inven- tory across all our stores, and we can arrange ship- ping to any state. Eighty percent of our sales are to out-of-state or international buyers. Every vehicle has both a video and over 100 photos, plus a full description of the vehicle included, and you can search by year, model or make, then sort by multiple factors to find the right ride for you. Our sales staff at each store are fully trained to help you find your dream car. NSRA: Let’s talk about that for a minute, do you have a lot of people searching for their first clas- sic car experience? Ken: Yes, many times people will reach out to us because they remember a particular vehicle a parent or family member once had. Every person’s experi-
ence is different, but our job is to help find their dream car. NSRA: Are pre-purchase inspections available? Ken: Yes, we do work with independent inspec- tors that can provide a complete report on the vehi- cle’s condition. NSRA: Is financing available? Ken: Yes, we have several lenders who specialize in the classic vehicle market. NSRA: Can I get an extended service policy on a classic vehicle? Ken: Yes, we will begin offering service contracts on select vehicles in June 2025. NSRA: Why the interest in NSRA Autocross? Ken: We have found many of our buyers are look- ing for a “track ready” type of vehicle they can have fun with right away. Not many are looking for long- term, drawn-out project vehicles. NSRA: What if I need to sell a vehicle, how does that work? Ken: Customers can contact any of our 20 show- rooms and we will set up an appointment with you to have our inventory specialist review your vehicle and make recommendations to get your best possi- ble price. Ideally, you’ll want to bring the vehicle to the showroom. Remember, the car must be roadwor- thy and safe, with no visible defects, and we’ll need a copy of the title to list the vehicle. All vehicles are researched to obtain best possible market evalua- tions for that model. After the consignment is accept- ed that full set of professionally done photos, video and vehicle information are listed on our massive website as well as all the top tier automotive sites for maximum exposure. Our global reach helps find the right buyer from anywhere in the world. NSRA: In selling classic vehicles, what country surprised you the most, based on the amount of cars they buy from Gateway Classic Cars? Ken: Australia hands down, they love our American classics! We’ve found our buyers are as diverse and unique as the classics we sell. Don’t for- get, all our showrooms host a Caffeine & Chrome event the last Saturday of every month. Check out our Facebook posts for details. gatewayclassiccars.com.
16 JUNE 2025
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker