Fire up the engines
Car fans gear up for return of Rod Run
BY PATRICK WEBB
Rod Run to the End of the World
I
t was inevitable that Joseph Natoli would
become a “car person.”
His father had a garage in California’s
San Fernando Valley and young Joe and his
friends grew up surrounded by exponents of
hot rod racing.
“I was in the middle of it,” he said. “We
used to ride our bikes and go watch them
make their engines.”
Awestruck kids watched as legends of the
Top Fuel engine world, inevitably with a beer
in hand, swapped stories in their custom body
shops.
His fi rst car was a 1946 Chevrolet truck.
It’s been many miles since then for the retired
military man.
Natoli is president of the Beach Barons,
the Long Beach Peninsula car club. He spent
15 years restoring a 1938 La Salle Opera
Coupe, one of only 2,200 produced. He is
amused that it sometimes takes him 20 min-
utes to fi ll his gleaming black vehicle with
Saturday and Sunday
25515 Sandridge Road, Ocean Park, Wash-
ingon
(360) 665-3565
Admission, $5. Free to active-service military.
For details, beachbarons.com
No pets; service animals must be registered.
gas — because he is answering so many
questions from fascinated onlookers. “It’s a
lot of fun,” he said.
Natoli is excited the Rod Run to the End
of the World is back after its coronavirus hia-
tus. The 37th annual incarnation of the classic
and vintage automobile festival is planned for
Saturday and Sunday .
Last year, the Beach Barons reluctantly
made the decision to cancel their event, based
on Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s regulations
columbiamemorial.org/urolift
6 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Troy Rimstad
This pink 1934 Ford three-window coupe owned by Troy and Kim Rimstad won the People’s
Choice Award at the 2019 Rod Run. It was built in 1986 and has a fi berglass body.
on crowds. Last year’s planned Slow Drag
races at the Port of Ilwaco were cancel ed and
have been this year, too.
Despite the coronavirus risk, scores of
people showed up in their vintage cars on
the weekend after Labor Day last year . Long
Beach Police Chief Flint Wright and law
enforcement colleagues were in evidence
making sure all remained calm among the
thousands of visitors.
For the Rod Run, cars must be at least
30 years old. About 500 are registered, and
Natoli said traditionally about the same num-
ber register at the beginning of each year’s
event. “If that holds true, we will have possi-
bly 1,000,” he said.
The Barons began with a 68-car event in
1963 and it grew from there. When the event
was held on Labor Day weekend, it attracted
up to 1,500 vehicles. It moved to the week-
end after Labor Day some years ago, reduc-
ing attendance slightly. The group has a
27-acre fi eld at 25515 Sandridge Road in
Ocean Park on the northern part of the Long
Beach Peninsula.
Natoli said the space allowed for each dis-
played car will increase from 10 to 15 feet.
This will give attendees extra room to main-
tain social distance.
Gates open at 8 a.m. both days with an
opening ceremony at noon Saturday. The $5
admission charge allows access to a swap
meet, being held for the eighth year. It runs
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. “It is going to be
bigger than ever for those looking for parts,”
he added.
A raffl e will be held for an engine created
from a Chevrolet Performance Series 350
block with tickets going on sale Friday. And
SRC Racing will have a crew on hand dis-
playing a circle car used on oval tracks.
Musicians will entertain attendees and
there will be food vendors. “Just about any
kind of cuisine you like,” Natoli said.
More than 100 trophies are awarded;
everyone attending has a chance to vote on
Beach Barons
The logo for Rod Run features the three
winning vehicles from the previous year.
their favorite. Cars owned by the organizers
aren’t eligible.
The three top vehicles are featured on the
logo for the following year’s festival, which
appears on the commercially designed post-
ers and T-shirts.
The 2019 accolades went to:
• Participants’ Choice, Rod and Mary Sut-
ton, 1955 DeSoto Firedome;
• Beach Barons’ Choice, Jerry Kreinbring,
1941 Lincoln Zephyr;
• People’s Choice, Troy and Kim Rimstad,
1934 Ford three-window coupe.
“We give the artist a bit of direction, so we
also have the North Head lighthouse, trees,
the beach and mountains,” Natoli said.
The Barons’ new hat will feature the
“host” car award winner, a 1956 Chevro-
let Sedan Delivery rig owned by Butch and
Sherry Mullennix.
Organizers are eager to make sure all
those attending take extra care with parking.
See Page 7