Get a tan, show off your Goat, and get a trophy all in the same day. There's no place like New Jersey in the summertime.
Pontiac aficionados are certainly a diverse group. Some prefer to restore their rides to factory original perfection, right down to date-coded parts and assembly marks. Others choose a less stringent approach to their project. They opt for the flexibility to make some modifications and put part of themselves into their Pontiacs. Many crave the look of glistening chrome surrounding stacked headlights. Still others embrace the power and technology afforded by modern LS-powered beasts.
Each August in New Jersey, a huge canvas of tarmac is painted with these diverse offerings. There was truly something for everyone as the 18th annual GTOAA Northeast Regional Meet came to life. Hosted by the Garden State GTOs, sponsored by Jim Salerno Pontiac/GMC,of Randolph, New Jersey, and held August 24-26, 2007, this was an event not to be missed. The setting for this masterpiece was once again the Parsippany Hilton Hotel. The event spanned an entire weekend and hosted over 170 classic Pontiacs of all models and featured both Popular Vote classes for the bulk of show participants as well as one of the most respected Concours judging teams in the country.
An impressive group of late-model GTOs attended the event, filling their own section of the show field.
The show began late Friday as returning regulars and newcomers began to fill the lot and check in for the weekend. For many, that afternoon was spent detailing cars and bench-racing, while others enjoyed the Hilton's fabulous facilities. A slightly cloudy but rain-free evening prevailed as club members set up the parking lot. The facility provides a large secure parking area with a police patrol at night throughout the entire weekend. As dusk fell, the traditional parking lot party, hosted by the Garden State GTOs, got underway. The Symphonics, a local oldies band, provided entertainment as everyone enjoyed delicious food prepared by Garden State GTO members Frank and Jackie Olandesi. Soon it was time to retire and rest up for the big show on Saturday.
Electricity filled the air (and luckily no rain!) Saturday morning as droves of beautiful Pontiacs began arriving for the start of registration at 8:00 a.m. By 11:00 a.m., the once barren asphalt became a sea of brilliant colors for the hundreds of showgoers to enjoy. The efficient and experienced registration staff made sure all who came were properly registered in short order. After registering, all were escorted to their parking spots by the accommodating parking staff, ensuring all cars were correctly placed in their categories.
Popular voting began as people strolled countless rows of pristine Pontiacs, finding it hard to decide which ones they liked best! One class with no such dilemma was the Winners Circle. Last year's First Place winners are parked separately and given a plaque, offering more chances for other entries to take home a trophy.
Rick Mahoney continued his winning ways, picking up the Best of Show Concours award for his freshly finished Scott Tiemann-restored Cardinal Red '70 Ram Air IV Judge convertible. photo by bob axtman
A D.J. provided music all day, sharing his microphone with Joe Lounsberry, who announced door-prize giveaways. The rain-free afternoon was quite warm, as is expected for any August event. Not to worry, though, cool refreshments and tasty sandwiches were provided right in the show lot by Hilton staff for hungry and thirsty car buffs.
Meanwhile, one corner of the show was filled with yellow staff shirts as Concours judges swarmed over some of the finest Pontiacs on the planet. Correctness was the order of the day in this arena as hairsplitting details separated winners from losers. Meticulous restoration paid off, however, as many Gold, Silver, and Bronze award winners can attest.
Those presently working on projects or seeking that special part for their Pontiac certainly appreciated the vendor area at the show's entrance. Performance Years and Ames were on-hand, as well as a mix of smaller vendors, providing hard-to-locate parts and literature as well as Pontiac memorabilia.