Places like Goodwood, Pebble Beach, and Amelia Island, attract cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions and are generally exclusive to the pre-1960s period. But most car enthusiasts can’t afford a Ferrari GTO or Lamborghini Countach, even though they’d love to.
What if there was an event that brought together cars worth far less yet no-less loved, and from the 1980s and 1990s? Add a bit of dress up like the Goodwood Revival, and you’ve got the makings of the inaugural Radwood show that was held in Brisbane, California earlier this month.
The brain child of Bradley Brownell, Rick Deacon, Art Cervantes, and Lane Skelton, Radwood is very much a product of kids born in the late 1980s. It doesn’t take itself seriously and is aimed at giving a home to what’s considered an unloved period of cars by most enthusiasts.
Asked what was behind the show, Brownell said, “Now’s the time. Look at all of the reboots and nostalgia right now. The group of us behind it are all super into that era of cars and there has never really been a place for us to gather our cars together.”
And if you look at what showed up, you’ll see what Brownell was talking about. Sharing the lawn were air-cooled Porsches, Lancia Delta Integrales, Acura NSXs, Porsche 944s, a Citroen SM, a first generation Viper, and even Toyota Tacomas done up like the one from “Back to the Future.”
“You know, like a Mondial T Cab is technically welcome at a Ferrari show, but people are always going to look down on it while it’s there. At least that’s how I always felt taking my 944s to Porsche rallies and PCA (Porsche Club of America) meets. They were welcome because of the badge, but nobody liked them. They’re welcome here, though.”
Radwood wants to rid the car scene of its stuffy nature with a heaping dose of ‘80s and ‘90s flair, complete with silly, brightly colored clothes, shoulder pads, and wacky hair.
“What’s more American than the over-the-top bright colors and loud brashness of the ‘80s and ‘90s?” asks Brownell.
By the numbers, the small festival did well for its inaugural year with over 160 cars in attendance, and a few hundred more people. Next year, the group is planning for double the attendance, more activities, better access to food, and a lot more music.
Let’s hope there’s more George Michael and Prince. Further down the road, the group sees Radwood expanding even further, with the hopes of adding a hill climb component sometime in the near future. You can find out more about Radwood by checking out its site, and check out the photos from this year’s Radwood.
Photography by Lane Skelton
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