SoKY’s Choice: Tri-Five Nationals rev up in Bowling Green

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) –  The rumble of classic Chevrolets filled Beech Bend Raceway this weekend as the Tri-Five Nationals celebrated its 10th year,  and announced that Bowling Green will be its permanent home. Here is this week’s SOKY’s Choice, brought to you by JC Kirby & Son.

The event, known as the world’s largest gathering of 1955–57 Chevrolets, draws participants from across the country and beyond. In past years, it has attracted visitors from all 50 states and 13 countries.

“The first time the event happened we had no idea how big of an impact it would make,” Dewey Collett, a 10 year attendee said. “But the second year, everyone was prepared. The hotels, restaurants and gas stations were better prepared, and the community welcomed us with open arms.”

Attendees say the appeal goes far beyond the cars themselves. “If you’ve never been, you need to try it at least once,” Collett said. “We’ve got friends here from Alabama, Indiana, Tennessee, all over, made all kinds of new friends. It’s an enjoyable place.”

Another participant, Thomas Gordon, an owner of a ‘57 Chevy Townsman, said the draw is the shared passion among visitors. “It’s more about the friends and the family than it is the cars, everybody comes in a shared interest, and I’ve met some lifelong friends from all across the country.”

Many also pointed to the event’s variety. “You’ve got the vendors, you’ve got the swap meet area, you’ve got drag racing go down the middle,” Gordon said. “There’s something for everybody.”

For some, the connection to their vehicles is personal. “This was my dad’s car, bought in ’69, and with these cars, it’s family and emotions,” Kregg Weisphenning, a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Owner said. “I can’t put a price on it.”

Others hope the event inspires a new generation of enthusiasts. “If you got kids, this is a lot better than them being on drugs or doing something they shouldn’t be doing, we need to get young people in this business,” Collett said.

According to city officials, last year’s Tri-Five Nationals generated $1.34 million in economic impact for the Bowling Green area, with this year’s event projected to exceed $1.46 million.