NSRA Street Rod Nationals

The NSRA Street Rod Nationals is the original street rod gathering — founded in 1970, it predates every other major street rod event and established the format that all others have followed. Held every August at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, it draws 11,000+ pre-1949 American street rods and customs along with 75,000+ attendees. Run by the National Street Rod Association (NSRA), which also enforces the safety inspection program that has become the industry standard for street-driven custom cars.

History

The NSRA Street Rod Nationals began in 1970 in Peoria, Illinois — a single gathering that drew street rodders from across the Midwest. It moved to Louisville in the 1970s and has been held there ever since. The NSRA established the first formalized safety standards for street rods in the early 1970s, and the annual safety inspection at the Nationals became a rite of passage for owners who wanted to drive their cars seriously.