Street Rod Nationals roaring success

Karl Boniface showed off his Nitro Flashback car at the Century Yuasa and Classic Cover Insurance 2015 Street Rod Nationals. Photo / George Novak

More than 200 of New Zealand's best hot rods rolled into the Bay at the weekend, delighting the thousands of people who turned out to see them.

The 2015 Street Rod Nationals featured 240 of New Zealand's best hot rods, Bay Rodders president Dean Andersen said.

"You don't get the chance to see these kinds of hot rods in one place very often ... not just Tauranga cars. They are from Christchurch, Nelson, Auckland, Wellington, everywhere, and they are the best cars from around the country, too."

Smoke rose from the roaring nitro cars on Mount Mainstreet on Saturday, delighting the large crowds despite the rain.

Mount Mainstreet manager Peter Melgren was surprised to see so many people turn up.

"Considering the rain it was a great turnout ... and the number of cars as well."

The event continued on Sunday at the Show and Shine display and again thousands turned up to have a look.