NASCAR, trophy queens, vintage motorcycles, and the 75th Anniversary of the Model 40 Ford are all part of the excitement coming to the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, the second half of 2008. Here's a look at what's coming up:
New exhibit: NASCAR: A Salute to 60 Years of Racing opens August 6 and runs through March 1, 2009. Authorized by NASCAR, the exhibit will feature racing memorabilia and photos, along with a selection of race cars, including one of the most famous, Dale Earnhardt's '98 #3 Chevy Monte Carlo, courtesy of Schroeder Racing Products.
New exhibit: Trophy Queens, a photo exhibit honoring the glamour girls of racing, runs August 27 through August 2009. Included in the dozens of rare shots of models presenting racing trophies from the 1950s through the 1970s are images of a 19-year-old Raquel Tejada, later to become Raquel Welch, and Barbara Huffman, also known as Barbara Eden, star of the long-running "I Dream of Jeanie." Also highlighted is the most famous trophy queen of all, Linda Vaughn, known as the "First Lady of Motorsports."
Special event: Indian Day, honoring the 100th anniversary of Harley-Davidson racing, October 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Presented by Duke Video USA, this annual event features scores of vintage motorcycles, especially Indians. Plus, Sam Wheeler, owner/driver of the 355-mph E-Z-Hook motorcycle, will host a special seminar. Attendance is free to those who bring a pre-'65 motorcycle.
New exhibit: The 75th Anniversary of the Ford Model 40 goes from December 3 to spring 2009. The exhibit, sponsored by Steve's Auto Restorations, highlights one of the most popular hot rod platforms around, the '33-34 Ford. Among the cars in the exhibit will be three of the most famous: the Billy F. Gibbons' ZZ Top Eliminator, the Pierson Brothers' coupe, and the Pete & Jake's California Kid. Also on display will be the Super Bell coupe and the Mooneyham & Sharp 554 car.
Currently on display at the Parks Museum: A Tribute to American Ingenuity, honoring the 60th anniversary of Honest Charley Speed Shop, as well as the 50th anniversary of Coker Tire, is now on display at the Wally Parks Museum through November 16. Other displays include: Celebrating 60 Years of Hot Rod Magazine, running through October 2008; Bakersfield: A Salute to the March Meet, 50 years of Racing,running through August 2008; 70th Anniversary of the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California runs through June 2008 and presents a retrospective of the historic association, which continues to sanction land speed record racing..
For more information on special exhibits, museum events, or directions to the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, call (909) 622-2133, or visit http://museum.nhra.com.