The Hot Rod Power Tour is always big fun but the 2024 was especially memorable for two reasons. It was a milestone anniversary for the event, an amazing 30 years, and the road-going extravaganza started right in our parking lot. Holley HQ in Bowling Green, Kentucky served as Ground Zero on Sunday, June 9, the day before the Power Tour officially started its engines and hit the road running.
Holley hosted the kick-off party in its parking lot and the festivities included a car show for Power Tour participants, with Holley team members jumping into the fray and displaying their own vehicles. There were also displays of the latest and greatest offerings from Holley and its brands, door prizes, and drawings to keep the swag flowing. Tours of the Holley facility were also a popular activity at the party.
Like opening day in the big leagues, Beech Bend Raceway Park was dressed to the nines in preparation for many participants to run in the nines. The buzz of this being the 30th anniversary of the event was palpable as 6,000 cars were confirmed sign-ups with tons more dropping in at the venue of the day each day. Beyond the manufacturer’s midway, a car show, drag racing , auto-crossing, and the Shred Fest drift demo were the main attractions of the event.
The Power Tour took to the highway and byways of Kentucky’s rolling hills as the gaggle of go-fast vehicles motored from Bowling Green to Nashville, Tennessee. The target was Nashville Superspeedway and the pot at the end of the rainbow was a full menu of autocross. Much like nomad tents in the Sahara, the manufacturer’s midway sprung to life in the Superspeedway infield. It was bustling with excitement as fans flocked to see the lineup of Chevrolet Performance project vehicles and test their skills in state-of-the-art driving simulators. Enthusiasts also got to showcase their abilities in a thrilling RC car competition and a fast-paced NASCAR tire-changing challenge.
Participants transitioned to two-lane highways in lieu of the interstate for this leg of the odyssey. Once nestled into L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, known as Cardinal Stadium by the locals as it’s home to the University of Louisville football team, it was time get into show mode. The only event on this days was a car show… of course the midway magically materialized as well.
The mercury was on the rise with temperatures soaring into the low 90s for the Day 4 drive. So it was no surprise that the day’s concerns centered around cooling system upgrades and brake system cooling tricks. The route snaked right along the Ohio River, eventually meandering northeast to Hebron, Ohio, a small town just outside of Columbus and home to National Trail Raceway. The leg of the trek covered approximately 250 miles, and when it was all said and done the total distance covered by the Power Tour long haulers would surpass 1,000 miles.
Lucas Oil Raceway Park is hallowed ground in quarter mile circles serving as the venue for the U.S. Nationals, one of the most celebrated events on the NHRA drag racing calendar. So it wasn't surprising to see a flood of attendees eagerly gathered at the staging lanes, seizing the chance to launch their cars down the legendary dragstrip. The last-leg journey from Columbus, Ohio, was relatively straightforward, heading due west on a route that included some smaller two-lane roads and a stretch on the interstate and took about four hours in total, but the excitement of reaching such an iconic destination ensured the Tour ended on a high note.
