Mopar versus Chrysler Nationals

[BSB67]

Went to both this year. Drove the Charger to both. Never been to Carlisle before, been over 30 years for the Nats.

I've read a lot of hate for the Nats. I liked them both, and was a bit disappointed in both too. I suspect that the things I liked for 30+ years ago are simply gone and not coming back.

Nats - Pluses
Drag strip and everything that goes with it.
More custom and modofoed cars
Some evening street activity

Nats - Negative
Poor organization, both show side and track side
Parts of the field are very dusty
Car quality is lower
Car Corral kind of junky
Less vendors

Carlisle - Positive
Well organized
FBBO people/tent
Higher Car quality
Better Car Corral
Less Dust/ more paving
Facilities overall

Carlisle - Negatives
Lack of a track, and overall genuine disintrest in what these a cars were once all about.
Not a fan of all the same cars parked together.
Nothing going on after you leave the event

Not sure what I'm doing next year. Maybe both, maybe neither.

Anybody else do both? Other thoughts, coments?

 

[dadsbee]

Come up here.. I'll take you fishing! Lol

 

[BSB67]

Yes! Canada fishing. Good as it gets.

 

[chargervert]

There's a track a few miles from Carlisle with racing going on while the event is happening. When I went to the Nationals,the toilets were overflowing raw sewage,the barrels were overflowing,with bees and flies around them. The place was a dust bowl with no way to keep your car clean. The swap meet was less than half the size of Carlisle, but the price of parts was double! The show cars were unorganized to the point where vendors had their trucks and Caravans parked next to Hemi cars and Daytona Chargers. The car corral was small and overpriced. Carlisle has it all over the Nats. The night life was the best part of the Nats when I went,the next time I went the cops were all over and ruined the best part of that show!

 

[BSB67]

I went to the track at Carlisle. South Mountain Raceway. There were like six cars from the show there. Incredibly sad. 2000 muscle cars 15 minutes away, and this is the turn out. Yet folks will debate the best performance part to put on their cars for days. It’s just a disconnect for me.

The rest rooms were fine. Trash cans needed better service for sure.

The people attending were great at both events.

The two events cater to different sub-groups of our hobby. Both are good, but different. If I had to choose only one event per year, I would probably just alternate between the two. But that’s me.

 

[Nxcoupe]

I go to both. I prefer the cars organized and grouped together so I don't have to wade through 800 cars to see what I like to look at. Nats is ok, the noise of open header 12 sec cars gets on my nerves for sure, tho. There is a nice night life at carlisle cruising the different hotels, lots of people outside in the parking lots. We aren't 25 any more and the cars aren't 1500 bucks any more. Yes, things have changed.

 

[roadrunnerh]

Carlisle all the way. Way more cars, and of course the FBBO tent!

 

[icetech]

Carlisle - Negatives
Lack of a track, and overall genuine disintrest in what these a cars were once all about.
Not a fan of all the same cars parked together.
Nothing going on after you leave the event

I sadly will never go to either, but i get the lack of track thing.. i haven't been to a car show in about 40 years, i never got it.. you can go to the track and see cars actually run, walking around admiring how shiny someone made their paint (to me) gets boring in like 10 minutes...

 

[Slipping727]

I like the nats better. I prefer the drag racing over car shows.
Looks like they are fixing up the track in Columbus. Looks very nice.
I liked when the nats were in Indy too.
One thing I miss from years ago was when everyone drove to the nats there were the caravans of MoPars going to and from the show on I-70.

 

[cosgig]

Hemi Dennys tent setup at the Nats is a favorite place for me. I also like to watch the races, so I go there. It’s 4 hours from me, Carlisle is 8

 

[Rebelrouser]

I sadly will never go to either, but i get the lack of track thing.. i haven't been to a car show in about 40 years, i never got it.. you can go to the track and see cars actually run, walking around admiring how shiny someone made their paint (to me) gets boring in like 10 minutes...

Never went to either big event, just too far away. Some of my buddies go.

As far as car shows go, looking at the cars is just one part of the event. Getting to see friends, having people look at your car and wanting to talk about it, making connections of parts and knowledge others have, and sometimes some good food and music, that is what car shows are about. And if judged correctly it is a friendly competition on who has the best restored vehicle.

 

[QuickBpBp]

I go to both events. There is something there at each one for everybody. Carlisle is for sure the better of the two. I miss the Carlisle show because I sell parts there so I don’t get a chance to walk around. Nationals on the other hand. I can do what I want buy parts, watch racing or look at the cars. I do see a drop in attendance over the past few years at the nationals. Spectators, it seems to be about the same but less vendors, less show cars, and a lot less race cars this year.

 

[BSB67]

There is a nice night life at carlisle cruising the different hotels, lots of people outside in the parking lots.

We must have missed it. We went through most of the hotels all along SR-11 from downtown past I-81 a few times both Friday and Saturday evenings from dusk til dark. Very few people out, and almost no classic muscle cars.

What Hotels did you go to?

 

[WileE]

You've summed it up very well, not just for now, but pretty much as I've seen both since the early 90's. It's always been as you've described, except: Carlisle used to have "give-away" cars for a lucky attendee on Sunday. The Nats evening action was much better at Brice Rd., and even Heath, was an attraction.

 

[71RRHI]

I have never been to the Mopar nationals, been to Carlisle Chrysler national two years in a row. The FBBO tent is only at Carlisle, so I'll be going back to Carlisle next year.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Carlisle - Positive
Well organized
FBBO people/tent
Higher Car quality
Better Car Corral
Less Dust/ more paving
Facilities overall

You forgot the prime rib and lobster fest at the tent. Oh wait, that was just for me.

 

[F4R/T]

I’m getting to the point fishing sounds more appealing... Holley Moparty is growing and the track is a nice place, I’ll hit that soon.

 

[BSB67]

I’m thinking about it, a little. It’s 9 hours for me to get there. I’ll need a real backup plan if I drive one of the cars.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I’m getting to the point fishing sounds more appealing... Holley Moparty is growing and the track is a nice place, I’ll hit that soon.

I just made my annual trip to Lake Erie. Had a great time, but Carlisle is still in first place. FBBO tent a big factor.

 

[BSB67]