History of Goodguys
A closer look at Goodguys, where we came from and what we're all about!
The Goodguys Rod & Custom Association has grown into the largest rodding Association in the United States devoted to rods, customs, vintage classic cars and nostalgia drag racing. Founded in 1983 by Gary and Marilyn Meadors of Alamo, California, Goodguys currently boasts a roster of 70,000 members in the US and abroad – a membership base larger than any other hot rodding or street rodding association in the continental United States.
Since 1983, Goodguys has promoted and produced over 485 events for American automotive enthusiasts in 22 of the continental 48 states. The first Goodguys event ever held was a one day “Get-Together” held in March of 1983 at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds in Northern California. That first Get-Together attracted 400 cars of all years, makes and models. Goodguys still stages the All-American Get-Together in March, which attracts 3,000 American cars of all years, makes and models but is perhaps best known as the first major swap meet of the year in Northern California. Of the company’s 485-plus previous events, 67 have been vintage drag racing events. Goodguys held their first vintage drag race, the Jim Davis Memorial/Brent Davis Benefit in April of 1989 at Infineon Raceway (formerly Sears Point). In 1994, Goodguys resurrected the fabled “March Meet” bringing the event back to life at Bakersfield’s Famoso Raceway with a nostalgic flair. Goodguys staged their last March Meet in 2006 but remain active in promoting and prodicing vintage drag racing events throughout the country.
The first issue of the Goodguys Goodtimes Gazette, the company’s official monthly newsmagazine rolled off the presses in April of 1989. Since then, Goodguys has published over 200 issues of the Gazette. Now “mega sized” (10.5” x 12”) the Gazette went to a full color format in November of 2005.
Goodguys employs about 40 full time staff members and relies on legions of part time volunteers to help coordinate their events. The Goodguys National Rodder’s Rep Program, started in 1994 by the late Bill “Billy B” Burnham includes over 100 active Rodder’s Reps in seven different divisions throughout the US and Canada.
Goodguys headquarters has been moved three times in its history. The first office was in the Meadors family home but was moved to 1451 Danville Blvd in Alamo in the spring of 1990. As the business began to rapidly grow in the early 1990s the office was moved into its first permanent home at 34 Alamo Square in downtown Alamo. Once the headquarters in Alamo were stuffed to the gills, the company moved into its new permanent home in 2004 at 1071 Serpentine Lane in the city of Pleasanton.
The Goodguys Rod & Custom Association has grown into the largest rodding Association in the United States devoted to rods, customs, vintage classic cars and nostalgia drag racing. Founded in 1983 by Gary and Marilyn Meadors of Alamo, California, Goodguys currently boasts a roster of 70,000 members in the US and abroad – a membership base larger than any other hot rodding or street rodding association in the continental United States.Since 1983, Goodguys has promoted and produced over 485 events for American automotive enthusiasts in 22 of the continental 48 states. The first Goodguys event ever held was a one day “Get-Together” held in March of 1983 at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds in Northern California. That first Get-Together attracted 400 cars of all years, makes and models. Goodguys still stages the All-American Get-Together in March, which attracts 3,000 American cars of all years, makes and models but is perhaps best known as the first major swap meet of the year in Northern California. Of the company’s 485-plus previous events, 67 have been vintage drag racing events. Goodguys held their first vintage drag race, the Jim Davis Memorial/Brent Davis Benefit in April of 1989 at Infineon Raceway (formerly Sears Point). In 1994, Goodguys resurrected the fabled “March Meet” bringing the event back to life at Bakersfield’s Famoso Raceway with a nostalgic flair. Goodguys staged their last March Meet in 2006 but remain active in promoting and prodicing vintage drag racing events throughout the country.
The first issue of the Goodguys Goodtimes Gazette, the company’s official monthly newsmagazine rolled off the presses in April of 1989. Since then, Goodguys has published over 200 issues of the Gazette. Now “mega sized” (10.5” x 12”) the Gazette went to a full color format in November of 2005.Goodguys employs about 40 full time staff members and relies on legions of part time volunteers to help coordinate their events. The Goodguys National Rodder’s Rep Program, started in 1994 by the late Bill “Billy B” Burnham includes over 100 active Rodder’s Reps in seven different divisions throughout the US and Canada.
Goodguys headquarters has been moved three times in its history. The first office was in the Meadors family home but was moved to 1451 Danville Blvd in Alamo in the spring of 1990. As the business began to rapidly grow in the early 1990s the office was moved into its first permanent home at 34 Alamo Square in downtown Alamo. Once the headquarters in Alamo were stuffed to the gills, the company moved into its new permanent home in 2004 at 1071 Serpentine Lane in the city of Pleasanton.