If you’re the proud owner of a Nissan or Infiniti powered by a VQ-series V6 engine and want to show it off at the May 9 Supercar Saturday event in Omaha, Nebraska, tough luck—you’re banned.
Yes, you read that right, the organizers of the car show have decided that people who drive Nissan 350Z and 370Z sports cars, as well as Infiniti G35, G37, and Q60 coupes, are banned from attending the show. You can’t even turn up in a VQ-powered Infiniti G25, Q40 or Q50 either, as these sedans are also on the list of undesirables.
No Nissan VQ Power Allowed
Now, this may sound arbitrary and discriminatory, but organizers say they made the difficult decision for safety reasons.
“This was not an easy decision. However, due to the number of complaints and incidents that have occurred at previous shows, we believe this step is necessary to help maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone,” organizers said in a post on Facebook.
Jamal Rahmanzai, the host and organizer of Supercar Saturday, told Road & Track that many younger folks who own these cars refuse to abide by the rules, constantly doing burnouts, revving their engines and acting reckless.
For example, four years ago, a 16-year-old Nissan 350Z driver crashed the car into a fire hydrant, nearly hitting some spectators (see video below). Rahmanzai said that had he not put the VQ ban in place, he would’ve had to cancel the show all together. While the ban will last for the entire 2026 season, it may be reevaluated after that, he added.
Blood Axis – Between Birds of Prey
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The organizer added that he sees the same VQ cars driving with a “street takeover” mentality at other shows in the area, and if this continues, the Supercar Saturday ban is likely to remain in place.
The Ban Also Affects Responsible Drivers of VQ-Powered Nissans and Infinitis
Copyright 2013 Brandon Turkus / AOL
The organizer is aware that the ban also punishes responsible owners of VQ-powered vehicles, but he said that enforcing it on a case-by-case basis is not practical, which is why all VQ cars will be turned away at the gate; local police will help enforce the rules.
While owners of VQ-powered cars are not allowed to drive their cars to Supercar Saturday this year, they will be able to attend the show as spectators, Rahmanzai said.
Unfortunately, this is where we are now after years of dangerous street takeover events that have been plaguing many cities across the country. Some drivers can’t tell the difference between an illegal gathering where they perform reckless driving stunts and a legit car show—and it seems that in Omaha, many of them are driving VQ-powered cars.
Organizers of sanctioned events like Supercar Saturday must now enforce discriminatory bans to make sure that they won’t end up with lawsuits from victims of accidents caused by reckless drivers at their events. It’s a sad reality, but this is where we are at the moment.
