Judged car shows and Show & Shine events can be a bit of a mixed bag as far as knowing what the judges are looking for in a car when scoring. While some events prize concourse condition vehicles, others can just rely upon ‘the vibe’ a car is giving off and there is a lot of room between those two poles.

For those of you familiar with the HD & HR Holden Nationals events, you’ll know our judging sits comfortably in the middle, sometimes more ‘fun and informal’ than ‘strict and nit-picky’. Because we’re hoping to attract entrants to NATS2025 who haven’t participated in a Nationals event before, we’re going to lay down the guidelines upon which our Judges will be scoring each vehicle to help our newbies prepare their cars.

1. ENGINE BAY – scored 1Poor – 10Excellent, if bonnet is not open score will be ZERO

   • Things to consider - is the engine bay clean and tidy? Has the engine been wiped over to remove oil, dust and grime? Are the other components in the engine bay also clean and tidy? Is the wiring harness neatly arranged? If entered in one of the Original categories or Era Sports, do all components comply with the stated rules of the category?
     
     

2. BOOT – scored 1Poor – 10Excellent, if boot is not open score will be ZERO

   • Is the boot/cargo/tray area clean and tidy? Is there obvious evidence that care has been taken to prepare the space for display?
     
     

3. EXTERIOR – scored 1Poor – 10Excellent, with respect to its Judging Class/Category

   • This one is obvious – is the car clean? Because of the differences between Judging Classes/Categories there will be variations of what is actually being scored. But overall the car (i.e. body, wheels/tyres, glass, accessories) will need to be clean and in a presentable condition.
     
     

4. INTERIOR – scored 1Poor – 10Excellent, with respect to its Judging Class/Category

   • If the interior is not completely visible or accessible for inspection, the Judges will make a determination based upon what is visible to them.
     
     

5. CORRECT CLASS/CATEGORY – scored 1Not at all – 5Perfectly

   • How closely does the vehicle suit the class/category in which it has been entered?
     
     

6. PREPARATION – scored 1No Effort – 5Meticulously Prepared, with respect to individual vehicles

   • Has care and effort been taken to prepare the vehicle for display and judging?
     
     

7. X-FACTOR – scored 0Not In The Running – 10An Excellent Stand-Out Entry, with respect to all other vehicles on display

   • How does the vehicle compare with all other vehicles on display today?

   • This final score will also provide the ‘Grand Champion/Best In Show’ Award.
     
     

8. DISPLAY – scored 1Forgettable - 5Unforgettable, with respect to individual vehicles (optional)

   • Does the vehicle have a display set up? This includes layouts from a full, cordoned-off barrier with props down to a simple layout (e.g. picnic set) on the back seat or in the boot.

   • This score does not count toward the overall trophy tally, it is just to allow us to award a ‘Best Display’ trophy.