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A driver makes a tight spin around the burnout pad in the midst of their burnout.

The 11th annual High Plains Riot revved up and burned out at the Scotts Bluff County Fairgrounds on Saturday. The yearly car show is centered around rat rods, which are custom cars built from cheap or repurposed parts and sporting a rusty, unfinished look.

The High Plains Riot attracts rat rod builders, drivers and fans from several states, including New Mexico, Montana, Kansas, Tennessee and Virginia. This year’s event saw a massive turnout from all corners of Nebraska, including many cars owned by locals in Mitchell, Scottsbluff and Gering.

Local rat rod owner Brian Neilsen said that the driving force behind the hobby is creativity.

“When you’re restoring a car you’re confined to restoring it to the original. This? It’s your own idea, you do whatever you want to do with it,” he said.

Part of that creative process involves combining parts from different cars. Neilsen’s rat rod is primarily built from a 1938 Ford pickup truck and a Chevy S10 rear end, with other components thrown in.

The ingenuity behind rat rod construction was on full display Saturday with a diverse range of rat rods. Mike Lang, another local owner, was out showing off his rig built from a 1946 Ford panel bus. Lang said his project began with admiration for the vehicle that served as its starting point.

“I just saw it behind a guy’s garage in town and I always admired it,” Lang said. “Then one day he decided to sell it.”

Two years later, Lang has put countless hours into the bus. “I put airbags on it, front and rear suspension, new motor, all new woodwork and glass.”

Lang’s bus was a popular rat rod for kids attending the High Plains Riot, including Rykin and Blake, who came to the event with Rykin’s dad, Luke Pankonin. The Pankonins have been coming to the event for five years.

Pankonin said that the event is a great way to get kids interested in cars and mechanics.

“It helps introduce the kids to something they may do in the future,” he said.

Rykin said he thought the show was a good example of what people can do with cars.

“It’s just cool to see what the different cars are and what people can do with their own hands.”

Both boys said that the High Plains Riot has made them think about building a rat rod of their own some day.

For Neilsen, some of the appeal of building a rat rod came from how low-pressure the process is compared to a full restoration.

“I don’t have to worry about the paint getting scratched. If it gets hailed on, it doesn’t matter. I’ve got a restored Cougar and I’m afraid to drive it because of that issue.”

Neilson said he is years away from completing his rig. Despite a rat rod’s unpolished appearance, building one takes just as much time and care as a classic restoration.

“There’s still a lot of work in it,” he said. “You’re going to spend just as much time working on this as you are restoring a car. There’s a lot of engineering and stuff going on.”

All of that time is a worthwhile investment for Neilsen, especially because he’s working on the car alongside his son. “I love it. It gives us time together. He learns and I learn.”

Neilsen shares the experience with his son. And his plan is to complete the car and pass it on.

“I told him I want to make it a third generation where his son will eventually get to have it too, and those two can work on it.”

Neilsen said that building rat rods is a great way to learn about and work with cars on a reduced budget.

“It’s not that expensive if you can scrounge the parts up, but it’s a learning experience and it’s fun. If you mess up it doesn’t matter.”

According to Neilsen, there are currently only a handful of people who work on rat rods in the area, but he hopes that more people get interested in the hobby. One hurdle to that goal is common misconceptions about rat rods and the people who work on them.

“There’s people who look at it and go, ‘What a pile of junk!’ Is it perfect? No, it’s not supposed to be. I’m not making a six-figure show car.,” he said. “They need to come out to these shows and see that we’re just everyday people.”

Saturday’s festivities also included a chance for rat rod owners to show off their work by burning out in a designated area. Drivers from as far away as Virginia put on a show by sending up clouds of smoke and bits of rubber as the crowd cheered them on. Awards were given out to participants later that afternoon.

The High Plains Riot concludes on Sunday with events including a hot rod church service and RC car drag race.

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A driver makes a tight spin around the burnout pad in the midst of their burnout.

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