Welcome to the History of the GTO Association of America
President’s Steering Column
THE EARLY YEARS 1979-1989
Your GTO Association of America was started by Tony Bastein in August of 1979 in Billings, Montana, yes, Montana. He and several GTO owners were at the first gathering of GTOs at the Rimrock Mall in Billings where they talked of a national club devoted to the Pontiac GTO. Tony began publishing a monthly newsletter called the “Gas Can” and in the fall of 1980, Tim Dye, currently the Curator of the Pontiac Oakland Museum in Pontiac, Illinois and a Lifetime Member of GTOAA took over as the Gas Can Editor.
On June 18, 1980, the first GTOAA National Convention was held in Indianapolis, Indiana with 13 GTOs. There were more trophies than entrants. A Bar-B-Que was held at Tom Cahill’s home where Bill Gatewood was awarded the Baldest Tires Award for his ’65 convertible and Paul Rader got the nickname of “Gas Face” for getting squirted with gasoline while helping to repair Doug Ackerman’s ’66 GTO.
The next three (1981, 82, &83) GTOAA National Conventions were held also in Indianapolis and in 1982, there were 100 fine GTO’s present in the infield at the Indianapolis 500 track. Also in 1982, Lars Grimsrud became the GTOAA Chapter Coordinator and would later become GTOAA President.
Click/Tap here to see the 1982 GTOAA Nationals
In 1983, the Gas Can becomes the Legend and the new editor is Paul Zazarine. As most of you know, Paul recently passed away but was a renowned editor of many automobile magazines including 1964-1972 Pontiac GTO Restoration Guide. In September, 1983, the GTO Association was incorporated as a Montana Not for Profit Corporation.
In January, 1984, GTOAA consisted of 1500 members and five Chapters: The Classic GTO Association of Denver which still exists today and is assisting in this year’s GTOAA National Convention in Loveland, Colorado; the Pennsylvania GTO Club of Wilkes Barre; the Royal GTOs of Suitland, Maryland; the Golden West GTOs of Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the Goats of Northeastern Oklahoma in Broken Arrow. Tony Bastein passed the Presidency to Lars Grimsrud, Bob Maher was VP Communications, Bill Gatewood VP Data Processing, Paul Rader VP Promotions, Paul Dean Technical Advisor and Paul Zazarine was still the Legend Editor.
The 1984 GTOAA Nationals was organized by Bob and Connie Maher as a family oriented meet held in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This meet was the first two day event with Jim Wangers as the guest speaker at the Awards Banquet and Milt Schornack, Performance Chief at Royal Pontiac hosting a GTO Performance Clinic.
Click/Tap here to see the 1984 GTOAA Nationals
The 1985 Nationals was held on Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan with 270 GTOs present. This was the first nationals for John Sawruk who brought his own ’71 GT-37. John attended every GTO Nationals for over 20 more years until his passing in 2008. Also this year, Gary and Beth Butcher became VP, Chapter Coordinators. Beth is still involved with GTOAA as a Board Member, Membership Coordinator and Secretary/Treasurer of the Board.
Click/Tap here to see the 1985 GTOAA Nationals
In 1986, Lars is still President, Bob Maher is Treasurer, Bill & Tim Gatewood are still doing the Data Processing, Bruce Aldridge is Technical Advisor, Gary Butcher is VP Chapter and Paul Zazarine retires as Legend Editor and goes on to become editor of Car Review Magazine and there are 20 Chapters in GTOAA and over 2000 members. The 1986 GTOAA Nationals is held in Columbus, Ohio where hundreds of GTOs cruise bumper to bumper through town with a police escort. GTOAA re-incorporates as a Colorado Not for Profit Corporation in May, 1986 due to no longer having an officer of the corporation residing in Montana. The officers on the Incorporation documents are Bob Maher, Lars Grimsrud and Bruce Aldridge.
Click/Tap here to see the 1986 GTOAA Nationals
1987 found the GTOAA Nationals again in Columbus due to the excellent coordination of the GTO Association of Central Ohio and their enjoyment in hosting GTO meets. John Sawruk brought the Pontiac “Pursuit” vehicle, a $2 million dollar vision of the future of automotive technology. Ken Crocie of H-O Racing Specialties conducted the Technical Seminar.
Click/Tap here to see the 1987 GTOAA Nationals
The 9th GTOAA Nationals was held in 1988 in Wichita, Kansas, the farthest west ever for a GTOAA Meet. 200 pristine GTOs where the GR-RRR8’R Wichita GTO Club arranged for a ground shaking Show Field Fly Over by an Air Force B-1 Bomber. This was truly a sight to behold. In 1988, John and Diana Johnson assume the Legend Editor positions and John is still involved with GTOAA today as a Board Member and Commercial Advertising Coordinator.
Click/Tap here to see the 1988 GTOAA Nationals
1989 found GTOAA back in Columbus, Ohio with 430 registrants and 105 GTOs put on an acceleration display at the National Trails Raceway. There were so many vendors that they had to be moved into the Concours display area and the trailer parking moved off site completely.
Click/Tap here to see the 1989 GTOAA Nationals
In the first 10 years of the GTO Association of America, we have come from a small group of GTO owners in Billings Montana thinking there was a need for a national club dedicated to the Pontiac GTO to over 2300 members, over 20 Chapters and our National Meet where over 400 GTOs are on display. This was quite an accomplishment in just 10 years.
Written by Tom Oxler
1990 – 1999
We are now in 1990 and our President is Neal Blankenship who takes over from Lars Grimsrud and our 11th GTOAA National Convention is held in Minneapolis, Minnesota hosted by the Land of Lakes GTO’s where 266 GTOs were on display. In 1991, Gary and Beth Butcher assume the Legend Editor responsibilities from John Johnson. John Johnson and Beth Butcher have been serving GTOAA continuously through today where John serves as a Board Member and as Commercial Advertising Coordinator and Beth serves as GTOAA Board Member, Secretary/Treasurer and as Membership Coordinator.
Click/Tap here to see the 1990 GTOAA Nationals
In 1991, GTOAA was in Louisville, Kentucky for the 12th GTOAA National Convention hosted by the Louisville GTO Club and over 250 GTOs were judged in the Concours Judged Show. In early 1992, Eric White took over as President, and the GTOAA reached its lowest point in membership with just 1700 members. Difficulties abounded and without the personal commitment of Bob Maher and Beth Butcher, GTOAA would not be in existence today. They used their personal funds to keep the Association going during these difficult years until bank accounts could be transferred and the Association could get a new direction.
Click/Tap here to see the 1991 GTOAA Nationals
Eric, Beth, John and Bob got the ship righted and heading in the direction you find us heading today. The 1992 GTOAA National Convention was held in Lincolnshire, Illinois and hosted by the Crusin’ Tigers GTO Club. Jim Wangers and Jim Mattison (Pontiac Historical services) were the guest speakers and 357 registrations set a new attendance record.
Click/Tap here to see the 1992 GTOAA Nationals
Eric, Beth, John and Bob got the ship righted and heading in the direction you find us heading today. The 1992 GTOAA National Convention was held in Lincolnshire, Illinois and hosted by the Crusin’ Tigers GTO Club. Jim Wangers and Jim Mattison (Pontiac Historical services) were the guest speakers and 357 registrations set a new attendance record.
Click/Tap here to see the 1993 GTOAA Nationals
In 1994, we were back in Indianapolis, Indiana for the 14th consecutive GTOAA National Convention hosted by the Indy GTO Association. The Crusin’ Tigers’ record was broken just one year later with 475 registrations at the Indianapolis 500 Speedway and 250 GTO’s took a lap around the famous oval track.
Click/Tap here to see the 1994 GTOAA Nationals
By 1995, our membership ranks rebounded to a new high of 2500 and we celebrated the 30th Birthday of the GTO in St. Louis, Missouri hosted by the Gateway GTO Club (my home Chapter). A film crew from “The World of Speed and Beauty” was on hand and portions of the show can be seen on our web site www.gtoaa.org under the History of GTOAA in our Video Library.
In 1995, we were in beautiful Niagara Falls, New York where the Western New York Chapter hosted the 16th annual GTOAA National Convention. Bill Markowski was the meet chairman and would soon be tapped for future leadership rolls within GTOAA. Stan Rardon assumes the position of President from Eric White and our membership rolls have rebounded to a high for the time of 2500 members. It took countless hours of time and effort by the Staff and Board of Directors of GTOAA to turn around the organization and expand the membership is such a short time.
Click/Tap here to see the 1995 GTOAA Nationals
In 1996, we headed out west to the Mile High City of Denver, Colorado where the Classic GTO Association of Denver hosted the 17th GTOAA National Convention. Here we find Scott Tiemann from Super Car Specialties fame and our own Chief Technical Advisor winning the Best of Show honor and the attendees learning the new Macarena dance at the Parking Lot Party outside Angel’s Diner after the Cruise.
Click/Tap here to see the 1996 GTOAA Nationals
Atlanta, Georgia was our next destination for the 1997 Convention hosted by the Southeastern GTO Club. Those who attended fondly call it “Hot Lanta” due to the temperatures soaring above 100 degrees every day. 400 GTOAA Members registered and brought 300 cars where everyone went to Stone Mountain to celebrate the 4th of July. Atlanta was also the first location to host the Jim Wangers Drag Race which has been an annual event at the GTOAA National Convention ever since.
Click/Tap here to see the 1997 GTOAA Nationals
GTOAA headed west to the plains of Kansas where the GR-RRR8R Wichita GTO Club hosted the 1998 Convention at the Century II Convention Center. This was our first all indoors air conditioned National Convention and has spoiled the members attending and has raised the bar for all other Host Chapters. There is nothing like air conditioning in Kansas in July to spoil anyone.
Click/Tap here to see the 1998 GTOAA Nationals
In 1999, we headed back east to the Pocono Mountains in McAfee, New Jersey at the request of the Garden State GTO Club. The host hotel, the Legends resort used to be a Playboy resort owned by Hugh Hefner and was very secluded with wonderful scenery. In the Pocono’s, Bill Markowski becomes our 6th President of GTOAA.
Click/Tap here to see the 1999 GTOAA Nationals
The 1990’s proved to be some very difficult years for the GTOAA. The early years tested our resolve to see if we truly were worthy of representing the Original Muscle Car, the GTO. As our ALL VOLUNTEER Staff and Board of Directors rose to the occasion, GTOAA is now stronger than ever with 3400 members who love nothing more than driving, showing, racing and restoring their GTOs.
Written by Tom Oxler
2020 GTOAA Nationals
2023 GTOAA Nationals
History of the GTOAA with Tony Bastien
Recorded during the 2017 GTOAA International Convention in Springfield, IL. I bought my first Goat in August of 1972, when I was still in college: a stunning black ‘67 accented with a white pinstripe. In 1978 I bought a sagebrush-green metallic ‘66 convertible which I drove cross country to Indianapolis for the first GTOAA convention in 1981 (we had some 15 Goats in attendance). The GTOAA came into being in the early 80s, I forget exactly when. My involvement ended in 1983, when I became overwhelmed by my responsibilities as the owner-manager of the third largest natural foods store in Montana. Tony will talk about our Association’s first years, and about the dedicated individuals who propelled the GTOAA to its status as the premier organization of Legend owners and admirers.