11th Annual Milwaukee NNL

by Chuck Herrmann

The 11th Annual Milwaukee NNL event, hosted by the Automotive Modelers Group,was held Saturday, April 12, at the Holiday Inn in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

For those not familiar with the NNL concept, rather than a contest environment and NNL is more of an exhibition than a contest. Started over twenty years ago, the idea is to allow modelers of all skill levels to display their work in a non-competitive atmosphere. NNL stands for No National Luminaries (in other words, no "master modelers" to dominate the show). There is no judging, models are put on the display tables in loosely defined categories (racing, custom, street, etc) and the rest of the event is spent looking at and discussing the models. While there is no formal judging, NNL events usually do present a limited number of awards based on voting by all participants.

The Milwaukee event has become a spring tradition. It has been held at the same location for eleven years, early in April depending on how the Easter holiday falls. The host club, Automotive Modelers Group, is a large, active club of car modelers of all skill levels and interests.

At this show, there are four awards presented, all based on popular voting, including People's Choice. The Best Theme award is picked form those models on the theme table (this year's theme was Sleepers and Grocery Getters). The best NASCAR style model is chosen to win the Alan Kulwicki Memorial Stock Car Award (Kulwicki was the real life NASCAR champion, driver of the famous #7 Hooters sponsored T-Bird, who was from Wisconsin and was a friend of several AMG members). And finally there is an award for the Best Club display. Model clubs from around the area are allowed to set up display tables, this year there were five visiting clubs.

Besides the display and awards, there was a big raffle. Several hundred items were given away, everything from airbrushes to decals.

The turnout this year was about the same as the past few years, about 600 entries. Participants come from all over the area, including Illinois and Minnesota, and I know there was at least one visitor from Japan. Several tables were overloaded with models, such as the racecar table. The room tends to get crowded, but no one complains. Scale Auto magazine, one of the sponsors, was on hand to take photos that will appear in a future issue. All participants were given this year's pin as a souvenir.

Best Club Display award

Winnebago Area
Modelers

NASCAR Monte Carlo

1/24 scale Porsche 962s with aftermarket decals and correct body
modifications

Revell Honda Civic tuner

Custom hot rod built from a cell phone body!

VW custom with a carson top

1/24 scale motorcycle club

1/6th scale motorcycle

One of the display tables