2007 GTOAA Nationals - Pontiacs At The DoubleTree/Hilton
This past June 26 through June 30, the GTO Association of Central Ohio (GTOACO) played host to 62 Concours and 182 Popular Vote Pontiacs at the 2007 GTOAA Nationals at the DoubleTree/Hilton in Worthington, Ohio. The 2007 event marked the sixth time since 1986 that the GTOACO has hosted the GTOAA annual shindig. This year's Nats was loaded with activities for the whole family, not to mention some of the finest GTOs in the country, plus a few rarities that probably weren't seen anywhere else during the show season.
While Tuesday was essentially a set-up day, Wednesday began with a bang with seminars from Mequiars, John Sawruk on proper engine oil and trans fluid usage, and Hillard Performance. If you wanted to put your newfound knowledge from the seminars to work, you could walk over to the swap meet area in the parking lot adjacent to the show field and purchase the parts and supplies you needed. The Horsepower Heaven-Pontiac and the chapter displays were ready for viewing, and the pace at registration was brisk. The day wrapped up with the Ames Performance reception and a cruise to Roosters, a local restaurant.
Thursday kicked off with Art Fitzpatrick's seminar "What happened to the Pizzazz" and the Jim Wangers/Paul Zazarine seminar. For the performance buffs in attendance, the day had finally arrived for autocross and drag racing at National Trail Raceway. Happily, the autocross went off without a hitch in the mid-afternoon Ohio sun, with participants pushing their Pontiac iron to the limit around the cones in a race against the clock. Some of them even punted a few cones, but fun was had by all.
The drag race wasn't so lucky. Though participants could enter a poker rally to the track the competition unfortunately ended there. When we arrived at the track, the sun was shining but dark clouds were on the horizon. As time shots got underway, a wall of dark gray was moving toward us. Soon thereafter, the skies opened and the rain fell-hard. The Jim Wangers Invitational Race and Burnout Contest was rained out.
Though the drag race was cancelled, there was still a way for participants to find out how much power their GTOs were putting to the rear wheels. Back Street Performance was on hand with a portable dyno and kept quite busy performing pulls for willing participants and entertaining the crowd that gathered.
By Friday, everybody was itching to see the concours GTOs strut their stuff. And strut they did, with a steady parade of priceless Ponchos making their way through concours judging in front of the hotel.
When the results were in, there was a spirited debate over the Best of Show car between Bruce Ling's '65 GTO convertible and Ambrose Claybar's '65 GTO convertible. These names may sound familiar as both of these cars were on the cover of the Jan. '08 issue. HPP planned to shoot these cars for a cover before concours judging ever took place, so it was funny that they were in hot competition for Best of Show. It was a win/win situation for restoration specialist Jim Mott, as he was responsible for building both of these gorgeous Tigers. We all waited patiently in the parking lot while the judges made their final decision. Though we didn't find out until the awards ceremony the following evening, Ambrose Claybar's GTO took the win.
Amid all this show field excitement, there were even more seminars to attend on Friday. Jon Schwenn provided a slide show regarding the '04-'05 GTO's engineering, there was a Pedders Suspension review for '04-'06 GTOs with Pete Basica, as well as a Harrop Performance seminar covering late-model GTOs. Traditionalists could check out Pete Serio's Hurst History seminar or one featuring GTO watches. For the small-scale enthusiast, there was a model car contest judging and a jewelry sale for everyone. A parking lot party and valve cover races allowed everyone to wind down after a very hectic day of activities.
Saturday brought with it the Popular Vote show, and the parking lot bristled with GTOs new and old, all shined up for spectator and participant inspection. It was an awe-inspiring sight to see all these Goats completely surrounding the host hotel. That evening, the awards ceremony put the final punctuation on the action-packed national GTO event.
The 2008 GTOAA Nationals will be hosted by the Electric City GTOs chapter and held in Saratoga Springs, New York, July 15-19, 2008. For further info, log on to www.electriccitygto.com or contact Mark Klos, Co-Chairman, at (518) 383-1520 or mklos@nycap.rr.com. You can also contact Greg Dubrule, Co-Chairman, at (518) 928-2249 or gdubrule@nycap.rr.com.
Event Sponsors Performance Years
Pypes
Ames Performance Pontiac
LS1GTO.com
Dennis Autopoint Roosters

Drag Race Sponsors Kauffman Racing Equipment
Tin Indian Performance
K&M Performance

Autocross Sponsors Back Street Performance
Pedders Suspension
Buckeye Goats
SCCA

Autocross Results GTO '04-'06 Stock 1stJeff Smith2ndDan Jensen3rdMattew Pecikonis Runner UpWill BridgesRunner UpShauna Wollmershauser GTO '04-'06 Prepared 1stTodd Olejniczak 2ndAimee Laughlin3rdGreg Laughlin GTO /A/X-Body 64-74 All 1stMichael Sammon2ndBrian C.3rdCap Proffitt Special Awards Most Cones HitPete BasicaQuickest Lap TimeTodd Olejniczak
Winners CircleBob AlexanderBrazen Orange '06 GTO Robert HalePhantom Black '05 GTO Robert HammenCosmos Purple '04 GTO Authur KellyGranada Gold '70 GTO Richard MarkoskiStarlight Black '66 GTO Cap & Robin ProffittStarlight Black '65 GTO Brian Ray Son of Carole Ray Blue '69 GTO conv.Larry ReebCarousel Red '69 Judge Glen & Denise SpanglerSolar Red '68 GTO Ken SwintMontero Red '66 GTO conv.Steve WalkeBlue '71 GTO conv.
2007 GTOAA Nationals Awards Best of ShowAmbrose ClaybarBlue Charcoal '65 conv. Best Restored Steven LockerMarina Turquoise '66 Best Original Bill NawrotLucerne Blue '72 Best Modified John W. NolandGrenadier Red '64 Longest Journey Awards '04-'06 GTO Driven'64-'74 GTO Driven Bob AlexanderKerry Doyle Brazen Orange '06 GTORegimental Red '67 GTO Fort Collins, CO 1,280 milesAbbortsford, BC. 2,548 miles Tom Foster Award Bob Axtman Don Chamberlin Dual Gate AwardMichael Monks Cameo Ivory '68 GTO conv. Terry Curry Award Jim Oakley Camel Tan '66 GTO
Concours Gold Richard HillearyLaurentian Green '71 conv. Greg TeetersMatador Red '69 Judge conv.</strong> Nick SpensieriCardinal Red '70 conv.Samuel WillifordRegimental Red '67Bryan StumbaughTiger Gold '67Jerry EckerleAtoll Blue '70 conv.Ron HambrechtCarousel Red '69 JudgeTom HamiltonCameo Ivory '67Darrell DavidsonStarlight Black '67Mike HillSignet Gold '67 conv.Dick LackeyBlue Charcoal '65Bruce LingMontero Red '65 conv.Ambrose Claybar Jr.Blue Charcoal '65 conv.Brandon GoodwinMontero Red '66Jack ScottCarousel Red '69 Judge conv.Terry WeinerSignet Gold '67Jim Early Jr.Starlight Black '73Ron and Nancy BlakeMontreux Blue '67Stephan LockerMarina Turquoise '66 John KrytaCarousel Red '69 JudgeRon MollerPalladium Silver '69 JudgeFrank PlattNightwatch Blue '65 conv.Keith CarterMontero Red '65 Chuck and Ame HenleyCameo White '69Carl S. WeaverTeal Turquoise '65Dave GidoNightwatch Blue '66Robert ZeigerBurgundy '70 Judge Jeff TeagueApril Gold '68John W. NolanGrenadier Red '64 Orvil OscheTeal Turquoise '65 Charles SeybertStarlight Black '68 conv.Rick LastBurgundy '67 conv.Mark HemingerPlum Mist '67 Marc KomorskyCameo Ivory '67Richard WhaleyPolar White '70 JudgeBill NawrotLucerne Blue '72Joe and Gretchen BarberInferno Red Pearl '67 conv.
Concours SilverMark TilsonBaja Gold '70 conv.Roger ZeivelSilver Glaze '67Arthur and Gloria PollockSignet Gold '67 conv.Frank A. FregiatoBurgundy '66 conv.Frank A. FregiatoStarlight Black '68 Bill RouchPlatinum '66 conv.Dave BrewerBurgundy '64V. Bruce NielsenMarina Turquoise '66 conv.Max TreierVerdoro Green '68John ReichowBurgundy '65Nancy WhaleyStarlight Black '74Dan PennNiteshade Green '68 conv.Christopher PiscitelloStarlight Black '64 conv.Larry CrookshanksCameo White '67Scott HudlerPalladium Silver '69 conv.Albert KubeSierra Yellow '70 John JohnsonCarousel Red '69 JudgeJohn BeckerAlpine Blue '68 Terry and Kathryn BeckerStarlight Black '65Tom CooperSolar Red '68William KraelingTeal Turquoise '65 conv.Ken and Gail BraunMontero Red '65 Kenneth KasperRegimental Red '67
Concours BronzeRoger SmithBluemist Slate '65 conv.Allen TepperPlatinum '66
Editor's Note: The size of the list and the space available in the magazine would not allow the Popular Vote winners to be printed in this story. For complete event results, go to www.gtoaco.com/2007natsresults.html.

Photo Gallery: 2007 GTOAA Nationals - High Performance Pontiac



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