NorCal Knockout Round 2 – Getcha Dukes Up!
Northern California Car Show – Hot Rods and Customs in Vallejo
Story Contributed by MyRideisMe.com member: Nick Koljian “Hellcity316” 
Round 2 was a TKO
Just 365 days after the 1st ever Nor Cal Knockout, Korena and Hollywood Hank were at it again with the 2011 Nor Cal Knockout. Simply put it’s Nor Cal Knockout Round 2. I will tell you this: Round 2 was just that with local heavy hitters the Swanx CC stepping in to lend a well needed hand to the founders of this amazing show.
The morning of the show while sipping on a cup of joe in my front yard waiting on my ride I thought to myself, “It’s going to be tough to top last years phenomenal showing.” As Scotty of the Villianz CC pulled up in his 51′ flamed Chevy (shown above with knockout Sarah Neary) I hopped in and we were off to Vallejo to meet up with the rest of the club. Once everyone was in-check and the coolers where filled with ice, grub and of course bevmo’s… We set off to the Solano County Fairgrounds.
We pull up to get registered with the heat of the morning already taking it’s toll on the long line of rods waiting to get in. Engines shut off, guys and gals pushing their rides so they don’t over heat and at 7:30 in the morning and you can’t even see the end of the long line of rods & customs… I think this answered my question on how this show was shaping up to be in comparison to the first Knockout!
(click to see full size)
As we make it up to the check in, we pay our registration fee and get our swag bag that resembles something like the Academy Awards of car shows parting gifts bag. Every participant got a show shirt, music CD, show flier and more Nor Cal stickers you could ever want. Being a sticker guy,that right there got me grinning from ear to ear.
Once inside the show you could feel that it was going to be a barn burner. Not just the show, but the weather. Like last year, Korena and Hank provided a ton of shade for vendors and the ongoing hot rod enthusiasts. Strategically placing vendors under a sun screened area about half the size of a football field known as the The Starlite Patio.The Starlite Patio hosted the likes of Tattoo Artists, Pinstripers, Tiki Carvers as well as locally owned Charlotte’s Web, Top Notch Customs, Mike and Gearhead Mag and zombie queen photographer and founder of Rabid Mag Cat Pettus.
Like all Nor Cal shows the BBQ was smoking all day and by the looks of the coolers that I saw, there was plenty of beverages to quench a hot day’s thirst. To top it all off, the music this year was awesome. Live rock’n’roll, surf, garage and rockabilly music by Mike Barbwire (Sweden) & The Deadbeats (East Bay), Don Juan y Los Blancos (WILD recording band from L.A.) and Stigma 13 (Nor Cal) plus DeeJay Tanoa Samoa Boy knocking out the jams in between.
The size of show was getting bigger and bigger as the day went on. Every time I turned around, more hot rods, custom cars, classics and bikes where filing in. Then the topper, the vintage styled gassers and the two nostalgia top fuel dragsters cackl’ing for the crowd.
Car clubs from all over the Bay Area where representing at this show… my buddies from the Villianz CC, host club Swankx CC, Squires CC, the Royal Cruisers w/ Rob Struven’s custom 40′ merc, Mala Familia and Relentless CC w/ Jay Waldings classic 62′ Bel Air that had insane paint by Kyle Martin. Everyone was showing up trying to get in on the 10 Trophy Classes including a special ‘Stan Dishong Award’ for Best Bike.
This show was a great all the way around. Family friendly environment, great variety of vendors, plenty of shade from the summer time heat, great music that you didn’t have to yell over when you where talking shop to your fellow gearhead and just planned out to the nines. Really, I have nothing but praise for the job Korena Goldstein and Hank “Hollywood” Forss did to make this show what it was today and what it will be in the future. In just 2 years they have made this show a staple in Northern California car show circuit. Last years Nor Cal Knockout was such a blowout show one could only think, “How could you repeat the performance?” Simple, with a 2nd round knockout. For more info on next years show, head over to the Nor Cal Knockout homepage.
See all of Nick’s picture from the show in the Hot Rod Gallery for Knockout Rd2
– N/K
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Looks like a good show man!