Zandvoort Circuit, The Netherlands 7th April 2024: It was the time of year again for all car enthusiasts with a passion for American muscle to visit the Zandvoort Circuit for another edition of American Sunday. American Muscle cars have been around since the late forties and are a symbol of speed & power. There are also many subcultures within the community, like hot rods, rat rods, and low riders (to mention a few), and not to forget the American lifestyle within the bike community. And, when they all come together, and the weather gods bless us with a two-digit (18 degrees C) sunny day, you have a perfect American Sunday! The car event attracted around 12.000 visitors to our local Formula 1 circuit.

Text: Benjamin Wefer
Pictures: Benjamin Wefer

Video: Willem van Lamoen

402 Automotive has been organizing this event for over a decade, and its popularity is still increasing, and the 2000 cars exhibited on the paddock prove it. The first thousand owners who registered their vehicles got a free car entry ticket. As usual, American Sunday is more than a car show. It is a moment to interact with other car owners, buy merchandise, enjoy some drag racing, and have a shot at the track (if you brought your muscle car). DJs entertained and took the audience back to the rockabilly era.

Three exclusive areas on the circuit paddock were reserved for car owners, clubs, and dealers. One of the notable car dealers was Pedal to the Metal (PTTM), a muscle car dealership and restoration garage specializing in cars from 1965 to 1977. Among their current offerings was the 1968 Ford Mustang GT390 with a unique paint (Special Yellow) exclusive to Shelby models. This beauty comes with a four-barrel 390 cubic inch big block, producing around 300 horsepower. Another eye-catcher was a fully restored 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 coupe.

For the quarter-mile fans, the grandstand was the place to be. About forty racers compete against each other to take home the trophy. After technical inspection, the riders met each other at the starting line. Leo Honders was at the start line, giving the start signal. Rene Jacobs was the man to beat this year. He and Arie Wester (both driving a Chevrolet Corvette) dominated the elimination ladder and met each other in the finals. Both had a great start, but Arie suffered technical problems halfway and gave the race away. Wilco Sijm took the third place. .

Also, Robert Vos, Steve Okkerman, Nick de Kruif, and Kenneth Celestin (well-known names within the drag race community) thrilled the audience with some demo passes.

American Sunday was also the second round of the Street Twin Battle organized by Laseur Motoren. Competitors race with street Harley-Davidsons against each other for the Twin Battle title. No forced induction or Nitrous is allowed. 26 Competitors raced their Harley Davidson down the track to claim the number one spot. Gert-Jan Laseur was the absolute winner.

A car show isn’t complete without knowing who had the best car at the event. Once more, the place to be for another Best of Shine competition was the Proud Wheels stage. Proud Wheels Mc entertained the audience and allowed all owners to share the history of their cars.

RC race demonstrations were again part of the American Sunday car event. The RC Arena was this year located just behind the Proud Wheels stage and the place for the downsized cars. TMJ Racing Group, the main driver behind the race demos, entertained the audience with numerous exciting races between normal-size, big-scale cars, fueled, and electric RC models.

American Sunday featured American cars, motorcycles, rockabilly music, a parade, quarter-mile racing, and multiple free sessions. The next American Sunday is in Assen in October. Make sure you don’t miss it! Enjoy the photo gallery below.