Third Time’s A Charm! NRA Car & Truck Show Wows Crowds In Biggest Event Yet

Sunday mornings at the NRA’s Fairfax headquarters are nearly always quiet, with most of the parking spots occupied by NRA National Firearms Museum and NRA Range guests. However, the entire campus was rocking on Sept. 24, as hundreds of the country’s most incredible cars, trucks, and motorcycles paraded into the parking lots followed by more than 3,500 fans at the third annual NRA Car & Truck Show.

The weather, while warmer than average for late September in northern Virginia, was the perfect setting for the show, the biggest iteration of the event since its introduction. More than 410 vehicles, ranging from classic Americana to sparkling new muscle cars and import show stunners, filled the lots in a breathtaking display.


(Photo courtesy/Joe Cereghino)

Highlights of the show included a 1926 Chevrolet Coupe, which earned FantomWorks’ Best In Show award – presented by FantomWorks owner and reality TV star Dan Short – a 1969 Ford Mustang which earned the top owner’s vote, and a Buick RoadMaster Custom, which captured the popular vote at the show.

Short, who hosts the aptly titled FantomWorks TV, which airs on Discovery Networks’ Velocity Channel, spent the entire day meeting fans, signing autographs, engaging the crowd in a Q&A session, and choosing his favorite rides to award the first-ever FantomWorks Best in Show Trophy.


(Photo courtesy/Joe Cereghino)

While the nation watched as NFL players took a knee in a controversial protest during the National Anthem before an early-morning game in London, Washington National Opera singer Angela Knight performed a rousing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America” to kick off and end the car show in Fairfax, welcomed by the patriotic crowd in attendance.

The crowds did more than admire the collection of some of the best cars, trucks and motorcycles on the East Coast -- the NRA National Firearms Museum set a single-day attendance record with nearly 1,000 guests participating in the series of free guided tours through the impressive galleries, performed by the museum’s curators and staff. The NRA Café, a local lunchtime favorite on weekdays, was bustling as well, serving show-goers who’d worked up an appetite drooling over the lots filled with automotive amazement.


(Photo courtesy/Joe Cereghino)

Numerous vendors and sponsors attended the Car & Truck Show and offered giveaways, raffle, items for sale and more, including NRA Membership Services, The Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program, 50 West Armory, Cabela’s, 5.11 Tactical, Green Ops Training, Girl on Fire, American Muscle, Rob’s Customs, Sprint and Magnolia Woodworking, Radag’s Custom T’s, and Capital Defense Instruction.

Michael Johns, the General Manager of the NRA Range and organizer of the NRA Car & Truck Show, said this year’s event “exceeded his wildest expectations,” and thanked not only the fans, owners and sponsors for coming out, but heralded the hard work and commitment of the over 40 NRA staff members and volunteers who pulled together to work the show and contribute to the success.

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“The success and incredible growth that this show has had since year one is simply due to the fantastic vehicle owners, attendees, and vendors that have participated,” said Johns. “To host such a family-friendly, upbeat, and entertaining event has been a privilege for the NRA staff and we look forward to future endeavors.”

Johns is already planning next year’s NRA Car & Truck Show, tentatively scheduled for Sept. 23, 2018, looking to keep up the trend of growing and improving what has evolved into one of the premier car shows on the East Coast.

For more highlights from this year’s NRA Car & Truck Show and information about next year’s event as it is released, visit the NRA Range Facebook page!

Main and marquee photo courtesy/Joe Cereghino