Recently, Ron and Deb Cizek of Bennington, Nebraska celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Ridler Award by winning the prize at this year’s 61st-annual Detroit AutoRama. They managed to do this with their cherry red, Flathead-motored creation, a trick 1940 Ford coupe known as “Checkered Past.”

Powered by a blown Flathead V8 that’s very unlike your typical crate motor install, the Cizeks’ clean ’40 street rod also features a saddle and suede leather interior with custom gauges, and the entire coupe was built and finished by Omaha’s own, Andy Leach and Cal Automotive Creations.

Building a street rod that’s clean enough to win the prestigious Ridler Award would be a dream for nearly any hot rod and custom enthusiast, and so it only seems fitting that Ron and Deb share their wealth with the West Coast by bringing Checkered Past to Del Mar, California’s 13th Meguiar’s Del Mar Nationals, presented by Goodguys, April 5-7 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

At this year’s Goodguys event, the Cizeks’ clean coupe will have the opportunity to go for the gold and compete for the title of “March Performance Street Rod d’Elegance,” a title that would only serve to further advance Checkered Past’s already-impressive rodding resume.

Part of what has made such a “resume” possible is the incredible amount of architectural detail that has gone into the Cizeks’ ’40 Ford, a coupe turned custom that has had its entire front end hand-made from scratch, while having its hood shortened by 4-inches and re-contoured to move in harmony with the rod’s now 5-inch shorter grill, a piece custom-tailored out of some 180 parts to resemble a modern interpretation of an original.

Naturally, we extend our congratulations to Ron and Deb Cizek for accomplishing such a super-cool street rod build, and we’re sure that with an accomplishment as epic as winning the Ridler that the Nebraska couple will have incentive to build more sweet rides in the future!