The NASC season opener has always been the favoured start for many Rodders from all over the country, and this year was no different. Even the awful weather during the week leading up to it didn’t put people off.

We arrived at Drayton at 7am on Friday morning to find a few Rodders already set up for the weekend’s fun, we parked up and with our hearts in our mouths went to check out the show field, expecting to find it under water! I was pleasantly surprised to find that you could actually walk across it without sinking up to your armpits in the mud! Yes it’s true, there were places that needed to be avoided, but nothing a dry day wouldn’t put right.

We set up registration, and were all ready to go by 8.30am. No sooner had we set up than the stream of Rodders started to arrive, all with smiling faces and obviously determined to enjoy the weekend, no matter what the weather.

By teatime the place was virtually full, the sound of Hot Rods and the smell of BBQs filling the damp air, the sunshine was missing but the Rodding season was well and truly here!!
Evening saw everyone head over to the Tower Bar for some liquid refreshment, and to chew the fat with old friends they hadn’t seen since last year.

Drayton Manor had changed their pricing structure this year, which meant that you paid once to get into the park, after which all the rides were free. So if you wanted to go on the rides you actually saved a small fortune. Breakfast was served in the Tower suite on Saturday morning and the “dead posh” Hamilton on the Sunday morning, both of which were well attended.

The famous Drayton cruise lined up on the long park driveway this year, to save driving on the wet grass, and headed off to the Bowling Green pub, under the watchful eye of the Hot Rod Gazette guys.
The Bowling Green pub is a great place with good beer, huge car park and a great menu (well inside anyway), but I must apologise for the bloody awful BBQ that they had put on for us, I did try the burgers (it would have been stupid not to after waiting all that time in the queue!) and even I found it gross. (and I’ll eat anything!

Saturday evening in the Tower was absolutely packed, and the atmosphere in there was fantastic, even Dave King offered me a drink!!!!!!!

Sunday as usual was Show n Shine day, and as the weather had been relatively kind to us since Friday, the show field wasn’t too bad. (apart from where Larry Ward parked)

A good selection of top cars filled the show field - as the winners list testifies, with “Best of Show” going to my friend, the ever lovely “Sharon” and husband – Pete Whiteside.

We also held the first Tot Rod event of the year on the Sunday, taking the kids on a cruise through the park in their cars, stopping at the Lakeside Café for lunch. It was just like a scene from American Graffiti, with Cokes sittin’ on the back of ‘32s and mini Milners draping themselves over their pride and joys, well done kids!

So the season is well under way in true Drayton style, all we need now is the sunshine!

click here for the photo gallery

Contributed by Mark Ashman.