The International Show Car Association

KING OF KUSTOMS GENE WINFIELD TO TAKE CENTER STAGE AT 40TH ANNUAL TOWN FAIR TIRE BOSTON WORLD OF WHEELS
By David Hakim —

Gene Winfield, the King of Kustoms, will once again work his magic in the Gene Winfield Chop Shop Presented by Genuine Hotrod Hardware cutting, welding, shaping and bending sheet metal to lend his signature style to a custom car during this weekend’s 40th annual Town Fair Tire Boston World of Wheels. Along with this legendary car builder, the show will feature top-flight show cars, cool customs, muscle cars and hot rods from around the country, and will take over the Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center in the heart of Boston Friday, March 28 through Sunday, March 30.

The Town Fair Tire Boston World of Wheels is one of the longest-running indoor custom car shows in the northeast and has showcased over-the-top award winning cars, trucks and motorcycles to local enthusiasts and hot rodders for over 40 years. Because it is part of the of the 2014 Summit Racing Equipment Show Car Series, many Town Fair Tire Boston World of Wheels participants will be competing for valuable points under the watchful eyes of the International Show Car Association (ISCA), which governs the judging criteria in the numerous classes.

During this year’s event, Ol’ Skool Rodz and DeLuxe Magazine will be sponsoring the ever popular Pinup Girl contest on Saturday. To take you back in time, a special MotoRama display that pays homage to old school custom cars such as Traditional Rods, Customs & Bobbers and will be part of this years’ event.

For show hours and other event information for the 40th annual Town Fair Tire Boston World of Wheels, please visit the World of Wheels website.

GEAR UP FOR THE 59TH ANNUAL O’REILLY AUTO PARTS OMAHA WORLD OF WHEELS
By David Hakim —

Top-flight show cars, cool customs, muscle cars and hot rods from around the country will take over the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska during the 59th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Omaha World of Wheels the weekend of Friday, March 28 through Sunday, March 30.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts Omaha World of Wheels is one of the longest running indoor car shows in the Midwest and has showcased over-the-top award winning cars, trucks and motorcycles to local enthusiasts and hot rodders for over 50 years. Part of the of the 2014 Summit Racing Equipment Show Car Series, many participants will be competing for valuable points under the watchful eyes of the International Show Car Association (ISCA), which governs the judging criteria in the numerous classes.

During this year’s event, Danielle Colby-Cushman from History’s American Pickers will be signing autographs on Friday, March 28, from 6-10 pm. On Saturday, March 30, wrestling superstar Chris Jericho will also be signing autographs from noon until 3:00 pm.

There’s also the All American Motorcycle Show going on within the O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels. Sponsored by Werner Cycle Works, enthusiasts will get to see the latest in motorcycles and riding accessories while watching the freestyle motorcycle stunt show.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels will also feature a special MotoRama display that pays homage to old school custom cars. It will feature Traditional Rods, Customs & Bobbers and will be presented by the Rebels Hot Rod Club of Omaha.

Show hours and other event information for the 59th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Omaha World of Wheels can be found on the World of Wheels website.

2014 Parts Plus AutoRama
By David Hakim —

2014 Parts Plus AutoRama will feature Hollywood Legends, the First Lady of Motorsports, 50 years of Mustangs and much more.

Utah’s largest annual automotive event will once again roll into town, as the 40th annual Parts Plus AutoRama comes to the South Towne Exposition Center for the weekend of March 21-23. The show’s organizers have put together an exciting event with something for each member of your family, and have made sure that this year’s event is packed with even more high-octane fun and excitement for everyone.

A collection of Hollywood Legends cars from the TV and the big screen will headline this year’s show. These iconic cars will include the Fast & Furious 1970 Dodge Charger, Back to the Future DeLorean, KITT from Night Rider, Black Beauty from Green Hornet and the Mad Max Interceptor. There’ll also be rows and rows of the country’s finest show cars, including a Mustang tribute, celebrating 50 years of the iconic Pony car.

The First Lady of Motorsports, Linda Vaughn, will be signing autographs Saturday from 12:00 noon until 5:00 pm. Kelly and Rick Dale of History’s American Restorations will also be on hand Sunday from 12:00 noon until 3:00 pm, and the ever popular Pinup Girl contest is back and will be happing at 8:00 PM both Friday and Saturday.

Make your way to the 40th annual Parts Plus AutoRama this weekend to see the best show cars in the west, and meet your favorite celebrities!

PASSING OF JACK TREPANIER
By Bob Millard —



The Hot Rod World has lost truly a great one in the passing of Jack Trepanier. Jack was a great family man and a loyal friend to many of us in the industry. A regular fixture at so many indoor and outdoor events, jack was always good for a few good jokes and a few well intended wise cracks that came with the quirky little smile at the end. When on the road, which was a lot, he was never without his sidekicks, his loving wife Judy, Brian “Moose” Ferguson and usually Danny Burrow or a current car owner that was proudly displaying one of their latest hot rods.

A couple of my fondest memories of Jack were the night they won the Ridler Award with the First Love entry at Detroit and the night they won the first ever Barrett – Jackson Cup in Reno with the Torino. I don’t know if one meant more than the other but the hugs and the feelings were the same says Bob Millard, General Manager of the International Show Car Association. This past weekend at the Detroit Autorama I was fortunate to send time with Jack as we honored Troy with the Builder of Year Display. You could see how proud he was as the people admired many of Rad Rides by Troy creations. He was a true friend and a great ambassador for the sport we all enjoy.

Jack, Troy, Judy, Moose and the rest of the Rad Rides by Troy team have always had the upmost respect in the industry and that has been earned through the years with Jack leading the way. we will all miss him greatly and our prayers and thoughts are with Judy, Troy, Annette and the grandchildren.

DETROIT AUTORAMA!!!
By David Hakim —

Auburn Hills, MI. – March 11, 2014

JF Launier and his highly customized 1964 Buick Riviera took home the coveted Ridler award presented by Chevrolet Performance during the 62nd annual 2014 Meguiar’s Detroit Autorama held March 7-9, 2014 in Cobo Center, right in the heart of the Motor City.

Aptly named “Rivision”, Launier’s creation is based on an original yet highly modified 1964 Buick Riviera. Launier took inspiration from the boat tail rear glass that was used on the 1971 Buick Riviera models and design cues from the 1963-1967 Corvette Stingray. Launier then combined these different elements, which included a low-slung profile and stance, front fender vents and tight proportions, and created a rolling masterpiece that is aggressive yet beautiful with exquisite attention to detail and functionality. “I knew I was not going to continue my career building 1950s cars. There’s not enough of a market and it’s for an older generation. I didn’t want to do the traditional 1969 Camaro or 1955-1957 Chevys. If I wanted to make a living for the next 20 years, I knew I’d have to build street machines. I wanted to do something different, and as the Buick came together during the build process, it sort of morphed into a two-seat sports car,” said JF Launier.

Many might think Launier’s 1964 Riviera styling is traditional custom, but at a closer glance, it’s light-years ahead of the old genre. It’s powered by a modern Chevrolet LS 6.2-Liter V8 engine that develops over 850 horsepower, thanks in part to twin turbo chargers. The heavily breathed-on engine is connected to a Tremec six-speed manual transmission that sends the power to Pirelli tires.

“I am so pleased to see a young car builder such as JF winning this year’s Ridler award.” said Pete Toundas, president and owner of Championship Auto Shows Inc. “This was one of the most radically modified cars among the Pirelli Great 8 and the extreme approach JF took in creating his Buick Riviera will inspire the next generation of custom car builders”.

This was not JF Launier’s first attempt to win the coveted Ridler award. His shop, JF Kustoms, located in Osoyoos, British Columbia, has previously come to Detroit and shown two fantastic Pirelli Great 8 contenders. Both times, this determined builder came away without hot rodding’s greatest honor.

“I competed for the Ridler many years ago but didn’t win. It didn’t discourage me from building another car. When it came time to build the Riviera, I knew in my head what I had to do better. I’ve been known for building really beautiful customs. I like to proportion cars differently than other builders,” said JF Launier.

They say the third time is a charm, and for JF Launier, that’s the case. The fact that the last Canadian who won the highly prized Ridler award was Mal Kieswetter with his ’32 Ford 3-Window Coupe “The Gambler” in 1988 makes it even sweeter for the British Columbia native.

“It took five years, 20,000 hours, blood, sweat, tears – lots of tears,” said JF Launier. “I don’t think I want to show it as much as I want to drive it and autocross it. It will be on next year’s Hot Rod Power Tour. I do have plans to participate in the Optima Street Car Challenge, and this will be the most abused Ridler car ever!”

FAST CARS AND COOL HOT RODS MUSCLE INTO THE WINDY CITY
By David Hakim —

The Summit Racing Equipment Show Car Series heads to Chicago this weekend for 52nd annual O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels Presented by Denny Guest’s South Oak Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep. Attendees will be in for a treat as hundreds of premier customs, muscle cars, hot rods and performance manufacturer displays will be packing the floor of the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. Sparks will be flying at the Genuine Hotrod Chop Shop booth as the “King of Kustoms,” Gene Winfield, demonstrates his craft of bending and shaping sheetmetal to create one-off customs. Richard and Kyle Petty will also be at this weekend’s event signing autographs next to their awesome late-model muscle cars from Petty’s Garage. Speaking of late-model, there’s the Tuner Galleria featuring Euro, Import, JDM & high-performance domestic rides. This year’s show is guaranteed to be an awesome high octane joy ride so come on out and join the fun.

Remembering Bill New
(1934 – 2014)

Producer of the Boise Roadster Show for the past 42 years, Bill New passed away of natural causes at his home on February 11, 2014, with family by his side. Bill, who was 79, was born August 16, 1934, in Bisbee, Arizona. The patriarch of the New Crew not only founded the Boise Roadster Show, Idaho’s largest motorsport’s event, but also Firebird Raceway back in 1968. A family run operation, the Roadster Show will take place on March 6-9 at Expo Idaho in Idaho’s capital city of Boise. Sanctioned by the ISCA since it’s inception in 1973, the show has gained nation prominence and respect from both the exhibitor and fan alike. Bill had a motto to treat the competitors just like the way he would want to be treated if he were showing at an event. This held true at every show he produced over the past many year, and his NHRA Drag Racing facility, too. An active member of the ISCA Producer’s organization, Bill attended nearly every function dating back to the start of the Boise show. He had a very close relationship with the late Bob Larivee Jr., along with former producer Bob Schoonhoven who was a close friend and mentor, originally helping get the Roadster Show off the ground floor in the early 70’s, in addition to many others in the industry. Bill was married to his wife Ellanor for the past 53 years. He was the father of three sons, Scott, John and Brad, and grandfather of three grandsons, Connor, Colin and Austyn.

News Flash!   By Bob Millard —
It has been approved, the 2014 ISCA Championship Finals will be held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on the weekend of April 25th – 27th, 2014. As in the past, the Finals will be a show within a show. The producers from Lafayette were given the opportunity to change the venue to the Baton Rouge River Center and after much consideration the decision was made to relocate the show. There will be twice as many cars, more vendors, and a considerably larger surrounding population to expectantly appeal to more spectators - hopefully boosting attendance. Across the street from the venue is the host hotel, the “Belle of Baton Rouge Casino and Hotel" offering a rate of $99.00 per night to patrons. Please use the promotional code "ISCA 2014" when booking rooms to redeem this rate. I would like to thank George and Blaine, the producers of the event, for having us back in Louisiana for the second time. I am sure we will have an extraordinary show! We are looking forward to another positive season with even more competition!

New for 2014
For the first time in a number of years, there will be an ISCA Grand Champion award recipient at the Finals in Baton Rouge, LA. The ISCA Grand Champion will be determined by the ISCA judging staff responsible for the Finals. After the judging staff selects each category award winner in Baton Rouge, LA and after further scrutinizing each category winner once more, the ISCA Grand Champion will be awarded to the "Best of the Best".

The Street Machine Comp category will again be one of the five judging categories for the 2014 ISCA Championship Finals. In the past, we have repositioned this category a couple of times, but felt because of the quality and quantity of Street Touring and Pro Touring entries to ISCA judged shows, we felt obligated to reinstate this category. Moving forward, if you have an entry that competes in any Street Machine, Pro Street, Street Touring, Pro Touring or Competition class, it will be competing in the Street Machine Comp category. If you have any questions concerning this change, please contact your regional representative listed in the ISCA rulebook, any ISCA Supervisor, or call Bob Millard at (586) 703-2381.

Quick Note:
A Best Bike and Outstanding Bike award has not historically been presented at every ISCA judged show. For the 2014 season ALL ISCA shows will award and present a Best Bike and an Outstanding Bike award.

New for 2014

All ISCA shows will be presenting class awards as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, place winners.
In the past some shows have used this method and some have used the terms Best, Outstanding, and Place. Using the ladder has been very confusing for many participants because the Special Awards also are listed as Best and Outstanding. To ensure consistency and clarity among the entire roster, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place system will be used in the 2014 show season and beyond.

New for 2014

Please review the NEW schedule for 2014. Additions such as Austin, TX, Dayton, OH, and now the Finals being held in Baton Rouge, LA will provide additional opportunity to show during the upcoming season.
Also for those of you running for points and the ISCA Championship, please review the schedule very closely because we have changed the "A" ratings to make it easier to qualify. Remember you must have eight points or more and four category wins - either Best in the Category or Outstanding in the Category - to qualify for the ISCA Championship Finals. Also for 2014, you can earn points for winning any three of the following: Outstanding Paint, (any paint award), Outstanding Engine, Outstanding Interior, Outstanding Detail, Undercarriage or Engineered. Remember you get (3) three points for each "A" show you win and (1) one point for each "AA" show you win.