Saturday morning, turning lanes for access to Riverview Drive went back as far as the eye could see as thousands of people drove in for Day 2 of the National Hot Rod Association’s Hot Rod Reunion, a gathering of the country’s top street rods, pre-1972 classics, custom and muscle cars.

The event locks in baby boomers who have money to spend for nostalgia, and that brings in more than $4 million to Bowling Green every year, according to the Bowling Green Visitors and Convention Bureau.

A large volume of cars trying to get into Beech Bend Park backed up traffic on Louisville Road, U.S. 31-W By-Pass, Kentucky Street and Double Springs Road, according to the Bowling Green Police Department.

&#8220This has been a very popular event and unfortunately we have traffic delays due to the large number of vehicles,” Officer Barry Pruitt said. &#8220When you have limited access into Beech Bend, you’re going to have traffic backups.”

Greg Sharp, curator of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, hopes city and county government will recognize the importance of the event and address traffic concerns.

NHRA board member Dick Wells said having a map of alternative routes for participants may alleviate the problem, along with getting exclusive use of Beech Bend for the event from owner Dallas Jones.

In response, Jones said he hasn’t considered such a measure, but understands traffic concerns.

&#8220We certainly got a traffic problem, and I’m hoping when the Court of Appeals makes a decision, we can get some relief on that,” he said.

Jones is involved in a legal battle with a neighboring landowner over use of a stretch of Beech Bend Road to access the park.

NHRA officials believe this year’s event brought in more than last year’s crowd of 30,000.

Many enthusiasts of the vintage dragsters came from faraway places, including California, Washington, Texas, Arizona and Canada.

Event coordinators for NHRA thought high gas prices would cause a slump in attendance. But the very opposite happened.

About 1,600 street rods and 700 race cars participated in this year’s events, more than last year, according to the NHRA.

&#8220We’re almost at capacity this year for our show cars,” said Rose Dickinson, the event’s event marketing and advertising manager.

Souvenirs sold out a day earlier than last year. The event ran out of this year’s official T-shirt Friday.

But the hot topic among drag racers is &#8220rat rods,” the rusted and beat-up-looking dragsters finding their own niche among young people and those seeking a fun and rebellious way to enjoy classic cars.

People like the Black Widow motor cavalry from Memphis, Tenn.

Member Lee Rich sported a coconut bra, straw skirt and fluorescent red hair as he stood with his rusted 1928 Ford &#8220rat rod,” which was decorated with straw.

&#8220These coconuts are Armani and this skirt is from Scott Tissues,” Rich joked.

Rich’s attire matched a sign on his car that read, &#8220First Annual Tiki Party.” Tiki torches were posted on the back of the car to create a Hawaiian atmosphere.

&#8220Aloha y’all,” was the official slogan for the group’s attempt at Southern Hawaiian style.

Don Schenzel also has an affinity for the rusted cars.

He owns 30 of them.

&#8220Anything old and vintage,” he said.

Schenzel owns a speed shop in South Haven, Miss.

&#8220It’s inexpensive. It’s my time and labor,” he said. &#8220I love doing it.”

Refurbishing the cars can range from a couple of hundred dollars, a far cry from the average payout of $50,000 for vintage vehicles.

A stuffed skunk glared at the crowd of passersby near a rusted 1934 Ford.

The rat rod boasted graveyard racing trophies from the late ’50s along with a Kentucky license plate.

&#8220I didn’t do anything different with it,” owner Cory Crowley said.

Crowley has owned the car for two months.

&#8220I’ve seen people walk up here (just to see the car),” said Alex Kaler, 13.

Kaler likes rat rods because they stand out.

&#8220That car with the flames – no one is looking at that,” Kaler said.

John Reid and his son Aaron drove 12 hours to Bowling Green from Niagara Falls, Ontario, to enjoy Saturday’s races for the third time.

Both are members of the Ontario Nostalgia drag group.

John Reid likens the rat rod phenomenon to a cult.

&#8220You’re starting to see rat rod magazines,” John Reid said.

His son, who is 18, understands why they’re so popular.

&#8220I like something that looks like it has been driven. It has to serve a purpose,” Aaron Reid said.

Rat rod owners also frequented the event’s swap meet and manufacturer’s midway, where many were on the hunt for coveted collectibles.

Rusty Burford of Combine, Texas, bought his 1930 Ford Roadster two years ago and started working on his car in November.

&#8220You come out here and it’s the old hot-rod stuff you never see,” Burford said. &#8220It’s neat to come to a place like this that has a car show, a swap meet and racing.”

Gary Potter sells a lot of grills, which average around $500, as well as vintage car club plates, unique car parts and even steering wheels as a booth participant at the reunion.

&#8220A lot of used parts go in the (rat rod crowd) direction,” he said.

&#8220We come for the drag racing, the scenery and the area,” Potter said. &#8220I’ve been here every year.”

Potter, who lives in Kansas City, Mo., says he remembers four years ago at the first hot rod reunion, when the event just had seven vendors.

Now it has more than 100 vendors.

Bowling Green’s hot rod reunion acts as one of two major fundraisers for the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in California.

The California Hot Rod Reunion will be held Oct. 6 at the Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif.

– The hot rod reunion continues today. Children under 16 get in free. General admission is $20. For ticket information, call the NHRR Hotline at (909) 622-8562. For more information on the museum, visit http://museum.nhra.com.

Today’s schedule:

8 a.m. – Gates open

8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Beech Bend Park reunion activities

9 a.m. – Chapel service

10:30 a.m. – Pre-race ceremonies

11 a.m. – Hot heads eliminations begin, exhibitions continue. Top 50 awards presentations begin.

3:30 p.m. – Winner’s Circle Awards presentations

4 p.m. – Reunion closes