The award is given to rising young builders in the hot-rod and custom car industry and is a highlight among the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s annual industry show, the organization said.
Known most recently for the 1961 Chevy Impala “Dirty Martini,” Posey and his team at Big Oak Garage were recognized for accolades such as the 2022 Chevrolet Performance GM Iron Builder of the Year and Goodguys 2022 Fuel Curve Custom of the Year, and for being a contender for the Al Slonaker Memorial Award, Goodguys said. The shop’s green 1965 Dodge Dart was also noted for becoming a Great 8 finalist at the 2015 Detroit Autorama, as well as a Goodguys Steet Machine of the Year finalist.
“This year has been big for our Trendsetter Award competition, with so many standout builds having been shown at Goodguys events throughout the season,” said Andrew Ebel, Goodguys COO and presenter of the award. “Will and his team at Big Oak have continued to blow us away with the craftsmanship, quality and creativity of their builds. With a number of awards under his belt, he was the obvious choice to receive the Goodguys Trendsetter Award at SEMA this year.”
“The Goodguys Trendsetter Award is a literal who’s who among the all-time car designer and builder greats, and it’s thrilling to join their ranks,” said Posey. “We have a high standard that we have to meet, and a car’s fit and finish is the most important thing to us. The first impression means a lot to us, and we want people to trust us to take care of their cars. Being recognized by Goodguys at SEMA is another big win for the entire team at Big Oak Garage.”
The Trendsetter Award program was spearheaded in 1998 by Gary “Goodguy” Meadors, founder of Goodguys Rod & Custom Association. Past recipients of the Goodguys Trendsetter Award include Chip Foose, Troy Ladd, Mike and Jim Ring (The Ringbrothers), Dave Kindig, Troy Trepanier, Jonathan Goolsby, Andy Leach, Alan Johnson, Eric Peratt, Tim Strange, Dave Lane, Zane Cullen, Dean Livermore, Jesse Greening, J.F. Launier, Phil and Jeremy Gerber, and Josh Henning.
