THE BACK FENCE MOB
By noderel:
If you want to see the very heart and soul of street rodding, go straight from the entrance gate to the event back fence. Yep, way back there away from all the cruising and the power parking and the posing. Back among the peasant life, the unwashed masses, the very core of American hot rodding. That’s where you’ll find the real media professionals, those members of the press who make their livings by getting to the core of everything automotive. You’ll like the atmosphere.
It’s always interesting to note who shun the obvious spotlight of rod runs, particularly the “Big Ones”. These are the people who do not need the adoring crowds falling all over themselves to fawn over the latest gee-gaw or whizz-bang. While those amongst us who must make a living playing to the throngs realize the need to see and be seen, it is still remarkable how many of the stellar gravitate to the more calm waters of reason. That is, most of the so called Big Names of hot rodding prefer to let their performances do the talking. Sounds a lot like a champion athlete, doesn’t it?
In wheel-to-wheel competition, the results are objective. He who gets there first wins. In street rodding, it is much more subjective. Here it is more about who gets the most notoriety, and that translates to more work in the shop, more product sold, more bankable assets at day’s end, more ego salve for the rodder customer.
Yet even with this dichotomy, there is a kind of back fence to the hot rod building business. The country is overflowing with some really outstanding commercial rod builders who seem to get practically no national publicity. But at those national rod runs where the pro’s gather out of the limelight for a breather, those lesser known rod shop individuals are readily recognized and appreciated.
Back at the front gate, meanwhile, the wannabe’s are clamoring for the best seats (their lawn chairs) in the streets. Near the main intersection or entrance to the biggest exhibit hall.