POMONA, Calif. (June 17, 2003) - A couple of inaugural events at Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum during Father's Day Weekend proved to fun...and highly beneficial.
Thanks to the Friday night memorabilia auction and Saturday and Sunday's Mecum Hot Rod Auction, "thousands of dollars were raised for the Museum," according to Sam Jackson, executive director of the Parks Museum."
The Museum's good fortune began on Friday the 13th as it held its first-ever memorabilia auction. On the block were 95 rare drag racing items such as trophies, jackets, shirts, crew uniforms, posters, paintings and photos from the 1950s through the 1980s. Also up for grabs were old Hot Rod magazines, pins, plaques and one-of-a-kind collectibles such as a 20-ft.-long Hot Rod City sign from an old speed shop. It brought in $750.
The most popular pieces were the ones from Wally and Barbara Parks' personal collection. Jackets, photos, a folding chair - anything with Parks' name on it - were frantically bid upon. For example, a 1961 issue of Hot Rod jumped from $30 to $100 after Dave McClelland mentioned Wally was the editor of the magazine back then and would personally autograph it. The big highlight was a 1964 painting of a dragster that Wally painted. Dana Mecum, whose active crew of auctioneers kept the action flowing and fun, outbid everyone for the painting and happily took it away for $1,500.
Other items that generated a big buzz (and big bids) were a special set of L.A. Roadsters pewter mugs and cars ($1,100); a 1950s Wally Parks "Bean Bandits" jacket ($500); a large black and white photo of Wally and his 1957 Plymouth, "Suddenly," taken at Daytona Beach; an Irwindale race cover ($410); a "Big" John Zendejas "Revell" Red jacket ($210); and a framed 1972 NHRA Winternationals poster ($475).
Craig Stewart of San Gabriel had the winning bid for the Zendejas Revell jacket and immediately put it on, like a kid at Christmas.
The Museum also benefited greatly from the Mecum Hot Rod Auction which took place during the 39th annual L.A. Roadsters. The highlight of the auction was the sale of Cristen Powell's 1967 Camaro. Powell, the second youngest person ever to win an NHRA national event, and her father Casey, donated the car to the Museum. The Camaro, which she got when she was 15 and prompted her to go racing on her 16th birthday, was auctioned for $18,500 - all of which went to the Museum.
"Although it's a 10-second car, it is street-legal and very drivable," said Casey Powell. "We are pleased to donate this car to the Parks Museum to help it continue its mission of collecting and displaying the history of hot rodding and motorsports."
The memorabilia auction, along with the Mecum car auction and L.A. Roadsters Show were all part of the big Father's Day Hot Rod Weekend festivities at the Fairplex. Also included was the annual SO-CAL Speed Shop open house in Pomona, which kicked things off on Friday afternoon.
"It was a great weekend," said Sam Jackson. "I'd like to thank Dana Mecum for bringing the auction here and all his help and energy to make the Museum a success. Also working with L.A. Roadsters was a real thrill. I'm looking forward to this same format next year. Tying all the Father's Day Weekend hot rod-related events together really seemed to work."
The 28,000-sq.-ft. Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, alongside dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.
The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free. Admission for non-members is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors 60 and older, $3 for juniors 6 through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for private parties, meetings, corporate events, weddings and special group tours. The Parks Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona.
For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://www.nhra.com/museum.