“Big Daddy” Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing

I first saw “Big Daddy” Don Garlits race in England at Blackbushe Airport, west of London, in 1964.  By then, Gar’, as he is often called, was already famous having begun racing in 1950. In 1959, he traveled west from his home in Tampa, Florida, to race at the 1959 Bakersfield Fuel and Gas Championships. He was not popular and whenever they moved his infamous “Swamp Rat” dragster it had to be pushed through a field of empty beer cans.

“It got so bad,” said Garlits, “that one of us had to walk in front of the car as we pushed it through the pits, to kick a path through the empties.” Unfortunately, for him, Garlits did not win but he learned a lot and came back in ’65 with three cars, two of which raced in the final that Don won against teammate Marvin Swartz.

Garlits continued to win race after race, but it was in 1970 while running at Lions Drag Strip that he would unwittingly cause a racing revolution.

One of us had to walk in front of the car as we pushed it through the pits, to kick a path through the empties.

While driving Swamp Rat 13, his home-built, two-speed transmission exploded and severed his foot in half. Shaken, Garlits came back the following year with a new rear-engine dragster that changed the look of drag racing forever.

In 1976, Garlits made another trip to the U.K. and while there came to the realization that the U.S. needed it’s own drag racing museum. Consequently, Don and his late wife Pat founded the “Big Daddy” Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing and in 1984 opened the original 25,000 square foot facility in Ocala, Florida, just off Interstate 75.

Over the years, Don has added to the facility that now tops 50,000 square feet and even that is nowhere near enough as the place is jammed to the walls with not only Don’s cars and memorabilia but around 200 other cars and related artifacts. Note some are housed in an adjacent building called the Museum of Classic Cars.

To be honest, it’s a bit much to take in on one visit; you really need several visits to see everything. Obviously, it’s great to see so many of Garlits’ Swamp Rat dragsters but some of my personal favorites include Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s “Yellow Fang” dragster that was driven by George Schreiber; Red Greth’s “Speed Sport Special”, Jocko Johnson’s “Jocko’s Porting Service” streamliner, Dean Moon’s Moonbeam Devin sports car and the Mooneyes dragster, and the Mooneyham & Sharp 554 Fuel Coupe.

Finally, and sadly pushed into a corner was Jim Lytle’s “Big Al” an Allison V-12-powered ’34 Tudor sedan chopped to the point that it had slits for windows and the driver’s head poked out through a hole in the roof.  Those were the days when drag racing was wild and unpredictable and racers experimented with the unconventional.

“Big Daddy” Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day from 9 am until 5 pm. Parking is free and admission is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors (60+) military, veterans, college students and teenagers (15-18) and, $10 for children (5-12).

As for Don, whose personal best was 318.54 mph in 4.76 seconds in 2002, you might bump into him working on one of his projects that includes an electric dragster that might just change the sport again—he’s done it before.

The Vault

Originally opened in 1994, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California recently underwent a $125 million makeover and reopened on December 7^th, 2015. The exterior of the building, an old Mid-Century department store, is stunningly wrapped in 100 tons of stainless steel ribbon but there is no obvious entrance. I guess they don’t expect you to miss it, located on the junction of Fairfax and Wilshire Boulevard in what is called The Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles.

Originally the brainchild of the late Robert E. Petersen, founder of HOT ROD Magazine and dozens of other publications, the “Pete” as it is affectionately known is, nevertheless, a world-class museum well worth a visit even if you are not a complete car nut.

Within the stainless shell, there are 300,000 sq. ft. divided into 25 galleries that house about 100 vehicles depending upon specific exhibits.

…well worth a visit even if you are not a complete car nut.

However, below the stunning, if controversial exterior, there is 60,000 sq. ft. containing another 250 or so vehicles in the Petersen Vault. Unfortunately, getting into the Vault is, as you might expect a bit like getting into, well, a vault.

At the time of our visit, the Vault was undergoing some refurbishment so some of the vehicles were in disarray. Usually, they are parked quite closely together. There are no ropes but you cannot take photographs and you are not allowed to wander away from the guide, but that is understandable as many of the cars are rare and quite valuable and not all are owned by the Petersen.

We got to see everything from an original Model T Ford to one-off concept cars to movie cars to celebrity-owned vehicles to a number of winners of America’s Most Beautiful Roadster Award.

Perhaps one of the most impressive cars is Mr. Petersen’s unique Art Deco ‘Round-Door’ Rolls Royce of 1925. It is the pinnacle of that era’s coach-built automobiles and in a way, the jewel in the crown of the Petersen. And right now, like many other cars, it can only be seen on the Vault tour.

…the jewel in the crown of the Petersen.

There are two types of guided vault tours and both carry a premium in addition to the cost of general museum admission which is $16 for an adult, $13 for seniors, and $8 for children 3-12. A 90-minute introductory tour is $23-25 extra and a 120-minute, so-called, world tour is an extra $30.

There are other rules too:

• Tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged once the order is placed.
• NO children under 10 permitted on Vault Tours.
• NO backpacks, food, or drink allowed in the Vault.
• NO photography or video in the Vault.
• Online ticket sales close out on the morning of each date.
• Visitors must refrain from touching the vehicles and stay together with their guide during the tour.

Tours are not conducted every day so be sure to check the website and make your booking before turning up and don’t forget, parking is another $15: petersen.org/vault

World of Speed

If you ever saw the TV show Portlandia you will understand exactly what the city of Portland, Oregon, is like: Cool, funky, wacky and wet but under that thick layer of green there is a vibrant car town with so much going on it’s difficult to keep track. There are car collections, some numbering in the hundreds. I know of at least three warehouses in the center of the city that contain multi-million dollar collections.

There are street events like Bradshaw’s “Tranny Show” where they close the streets for a rod run. There’s “Beaches”, a weekly cruise at Portland International Raceway (PIR), located right in the city that in the summer can attract 1,400 cars. There’s “The One Moto Show” that is perhaps one of the world’s coolest bike shows while another motorcycle event called the “Alley Sweeper” sees literally hundreds of bikes ripping through the back alleys of Portland—it drives the residents crazy but it’s a lot of fun.

That’s just the very tip of the iceberg. Besides PIR and kart tracks there’s also the Alpenrose Dairy quarter midget track for 5- to 16-year-olds. Just 30 miles south there’s Woodburn Dragstrip, one of the oldest continuously running strips in the country and, on the way, right off Interstate 5, there’s a comparatively new automotive museum called World of Speed (WoS).

I had the great fortune to be Executive Director and part of the team that developed WoS as an auto-centric edutainment and experiential experience—it’s far from a dusty car museum.

Primarily, it’s an exhibition of racecars displaying not only PDX’s rich motorsports heritage but also the bigger picture with, for example, a collection of Mickey Thompson’s land speed racers including the 4-engine Challenger as well as M/T’s 2-, 4- and V-8-engined record-setting dragsters.

…it’s far from a dusty car museum.

These were recently joined by Danny Thompson’s Challenger II, which recently set a land speed record. This might be the only time and place where these two iconic cars will be seen together.

M/T’s cars are featured in a larger, Castrol-sponsored exhibit that tells the history of the absolute land speed record for cars and motorcycles. A timeline depicts every record setter from Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat’s 1898 French electric car that set the very first record at 39.24 mph to the current record holder Andy Green’s Bloodhound SSC that is aiming for 1,000 mph.

Another interesting exhibit is a full-size replica of the 31-degree Daytona banking complete with four real NASCARs. It shows how steep the track really is—almost impossible to walk up.

One of my pet projects was the Wall of Sound exhibit that explores the relationship between cars and music from Ike Turner and Jackie Brenston’s 1951 hit Rocket 88 to ZZ Top’s Eliminator of 1982.

It also explores how we listened to music via radios, televisions, record players, and 8-track players—there’s even a working jukebox. It’s a really fun, interactive exhibit that everybody can relate to.

Perhaps the most engaging aspect of this very interactive, hands-on museum is the three simulators developed in conjunction with Keith Maher of VRmotioncorp.com.

It shows how steep the track really is—almost impossible to walk up.

The three cars are all real race cars: Johnny Benson’s 1998 NASCAR Ford Taurus, Adrian Fernandez’s 1995 Lola Indy Car and a genuine 1962 Lotus simulator that Maher updated with modern computer technology and a large wraparound screen.

At the time of writing, the WoS was holding sim races on the last Thursday of the month. They also have a weekly Cars and Coffee event every Saturday morning, rain or shine.

World of Speed is a cool destination with lots to see and do for the whole family, including a cool area just for kids. It’s the primary purpose, however, is to educate and it has a very strong program that offers a wide variety of camps, classes, and workshops for adults and children. It’s worth checking out: worldofspeed.org

Brooklands Museum

As we have said here before that while many people believe that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was the first purpose-built race track in the world, that distinction actually goes to Brooklands in Surrey, England. Construction began on Brooklands in 1907 whereas Indy was not started until two years later in 1909. However, Brooklands was finished as a racetrack by 1939, whereas Indy marches on enjoying continuous use, except, of course for the war years, since the track first opened. Incidentally, the first Indy 500 took place in 1911.

Brooklands was the brainchild of Hugh F. Locke King and was built of concrete unlike Indy where the original surface was oil-soaked gravel before it was paved with brick—hence the term ‘Brickyard’. At the time, Brooklands’ 2.75-mile track was described as resembling a ‘crushed egg’. Nevertheless, it could accommodate almost 300,000 spectators and housed one of the world’s first airfields. While it remains the spiritual home of British motorsports it did, in fact, become a real home to British aviation.

Back in the early 1900s, there was no easy way to asphalt the surface and as it ceased operations 80 years ago, time and vermin have taken their toll. The last race was held in August 1939, just as Europe was going to war, and the facility was turned over to the production of aircraft.

At the time, Brooklands’ 2.75-mile track was described as resembling a ‘crushed egg’.

Unfortunately, the ‘crushed egg’ was rather obvious from the air so it was camouflaged to help prevent enemy bombing. Nevertheless, it was bombed and access roads to the factories were cut into the banking.

As a young journalist I used to visit the derelict site and though crumbling, the steeply banked surface stirred up emotions whereby you could almost feel those big aircraft-engined cars thundering around the course at incredible speeds. In fact, three land speed records were set at Brooklands between 1909 and 1922 when Kenelm L. Guinness (of the Guinness beer family) took his 18.3-liter Sunbeam to a speed of 133.75 MPH.

Thankfully, due to a number of investors, including Mercedes-Benz, Brooklands survives and one of the cool places to visit is the Brooklands Museum that has been undergoing what they call ‘Re-Engineering’. Last fall, they opened two new exhibits: The Brooklands Aircraft Factory and the Flight Shed—telling the story of aviation design and manufacture at the site. They also opened The Finishing Straight of the original track so that it can be used for events and demonstrations.

Unlike most museums that are going for the modernist look exemplified by Gehry and Piano, Brooklands appears as a collection of quintessential English sheds—and I mean that in the most positive way—as it reminds me of how Brooklands used to be and I hope it retains that charm as it steps into the modern world.

The car collection, as you would expect, leans toward the pre-WWII era and the glory days of Brooklands, however, there are some late-models including an MP4 21 F1 simulator that is good fun to experience. The other must-see is an original supersonic BAC Aérospatiale Concorde and there’s even a Concorde flight crew simulator.

…you could almost feel those big aircraft-engined cars thundering around the course at incredible speeds.

That said my favorite part of the visit was the unexpected appearance of the 1933 Napier Railton in which John Cobb set an unbeaten record of 143.44 MPH in 1935. Contemporary images show the car completely off the ground. It certainly lifted my spirits and was the fitting end to a great visit.

Typically, Brooklands is open every day except Christmas, but Christmas can be longer in the U.K. than in the U.S. so we strongly suggest you check their website before you make plans to visit. For more information, hours and a list of events, visit: www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Nashville Pickers

There are many reasons people from all over the world visit Nashville, Tennessee. For example, there is the Grand Ole Opry House, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Johnny Cash Museum, and the historic Ryman Auditorium. There are also more than 180 live music venues as well as bars and restaurants to keep your senses sated.

For car people there is the Lane Motor Museum but fast climbing the list of must-sees is the Marathon Motor Works that houses, among many other stores and eateries, a branch of Antique Archaeology, the namesake of the hit TV show American Pickers.

Built of beautiful red brick in 1881, the Marathon Motor Village, as it is now known, was originally the home of the Marathon Automobiles, at the time one of the largest producers of automobiles in the world assembling as many as 10,000 cars a year in 1912. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons the Marathon was over by 1916. The complex, which is an on-going restoration project by owner Barry Walker, covers well over 150,00 square feet that is now divided into a four-block complex of artists’ and photographers’ studios, offices, a radio station, salons, cafés, bars, a distillery, event spaces and, of course, Antique Archaeology.

For those of you who watch the show on the History Channel, you’ll know that Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz pick their way across America and some other countries in search of that rare nugget. The show has been on since 2010, has an audience of more than five million viewers a week and is seen in 63 countries. Mike, you can tell, is a car and motorcycle guy and he invited us down to Nashville to check out the store.

The store is not big enough to house any cars but they do have on display the Volkswagen-powered motorcycle that was built by lowbrow artist and father of modern pinstriping Von Dutch. Scattered around the store floor to ceiling and among the piles of Antique Archaeology clothing and knick-knacks are more rare motorcycle engines and parts. Unfortunately, most are not for sale including one of Evil Knievel’s star-spangled, white leather ‘jump’ suits.

American Pickers, a brand owned by the History Channel, has logoed merchandise for sale at the History Store. In addition to that, you can purchase Mike’s own line called Two Lanes.

Entrance to the village and, of course, the stores are free but unless you can find free street parking the cost to park in the Village lot is $10. Other than that, it’s a great place for a family to visit where you can spend several hours drinking, dining and checking out the building, the restored machinery, some original Marathon cars that are displayed and, of course, Antique Archaeology. For more information contact www.antiquearchaeology.com/locations.php or www.marathonvillage.net

Coker Museum

If you’ve ever looked at or purchased a specialist tire, especially a vintage-style tire, chances are you’ve looked at offerings from Coker Tire. Based in Chattanooga, TN, Coker was founded 70 years ago on January 30, 1958, by Harold Coker whose parents sold their home to help him start the business. Originally just a tire and service center, Harold grew the business to handle all the big names including BFGoodrich, Firestone, Michelin, and Uniroyal. A small part of Coker’s business was vintage tires and in 1974 Harold handed that division to his son Corky who devoted the next 50 years to build the brand into one of the most recognized tires and wheel manufacturers and distributors in the world. Indeed, if you are in the vintage car or motorcycle business be it hot rods, restorations, racing cars, or motorcycles, you know Coker.

Like all good sons, Corky worked hard at building the business eventually developing it into a multi-level, international brand. The Coker Group consists of the Coker Tire, Wheel Vintiques, Universal Vintage Tire, Phoenix Race Tires, Specialty Wheel, and Roadster Wire Wheel brands. 

Like his father before him, Corky is first and foremost an enthusiast and so he couldn’t help putting a few vehicles aside into a private collection that is open to the public. During a recent trip to Chattanooga, we got the personal tour from Corky. Corky likes brass-era cars, that is to say, cars that have brass radiators which they had until the late 19-teens and in particular, he likes old racecars such as Simplex and Mercer. That said the collection is a great mix of Americana, British sports cars, classic American cars and trucks, and even a few customs and hot rods. There are even a couple airplanes one of which Corky recalled driving down the street when it first arrived to be hung in the museum.

Besides all the four wheelers, Corky is into motorcycles and the complete back wall is stacked three high with one of the most impressive collections of rare vintage bikes we have ever seen.

Although nobody was working there at the time of our visit, Coker still builds wooden wheels and rims using both original and modern equipment and skilled craftsmen. Heck, we even saw a young man doing vintage-style wood graining. It’s traditional crafts like this that Corky has been keen to perpetuate.

The collection is housed in a cool brick building in the old part of Chattanooga at 1309 Chestnut Street next door to HonestCharley.com. At the time of our visit, the museum was undergoing some renovation so before you visit we strongly recommend you call 1-888-795-7077 to confirm opening times. Typically, Coker hosts a huge car show the first weekend of April but again, check with Coker Tire before heading there: 1-866-516-3215 or check their website at www.cokertire.com

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum

Many think that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the oldest purpose-built racetrack in the world; however, it is actually the second, the first being Brooklands in Surrey, England. Construction began at Brooklands in 1907 and at Indy in 1909; however, Brooklands was more or less defunct by the start of World War II whereas Indy marches on enjoying huge crowds of almost 250,000 people. Its total capacity is around 400,000 but who’s counting?

Located within the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) oval, also known as the ‘Brickyard’ because the track’s original ‘oiled’ surface was quickly resurfaced with brick, the IMS Museum collection encompasses automobiles and artifacts representing more than a century of Indianapolis 500 competition (the first Indy 500 was in 1911), plus vehicles representing NASCAR, Formula One, American short-track racing, drag racing, and motorcycles.

Unfortunately, at the time of our visit several historic Indy cars were on loan to the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show. The main floor was a little threadbare, however, you shouldn’t let that deter you as the museum is well worth a visit with lots of other cars and areas to enjoy. At the time of our visit, there was a special exhibit, Hoosier Thunder: Indiana’s Short Track Heritage. Hoosier Thunder tells the story of the drivers and families who made Indiana short-track racing a way of life: names such as Carter, Darland, Elliott, Kenyon, and Kinser among others. It also honors the drivers, such as three- and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. More than 40 cars are on display.

Old, front-engine Indy roadsters, known collectively as ‘Big Cars’ from the late-’40s, ’50s, and ’60s, are the coolest though. They thundered around the track with their Offy engines screaming before the rear-engine whining Lotuses (or is that Loti?) arrived from England with Jim Clark and Graham Hill who won in 1963 and ’64 respectively. It was the Golden Age of American auto racing and is exemplified by the permanent display at the IMS Museum.

The museum is located about six miles west of downtown Indy at 4790 W. 16^th Street, Speedway, IN 46224, inside the track between turns 1 and 2. The entrance to the museum is actually at Gate 2 on the north side of 16th Street. It’s open every day of the year, including some evenings, except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Entrance is a very reasonable $10 for adults and just $5 for kids aged 6-15. Children 5 and under are free as is parking. There are summer and winter hours and numerous special events including track tours so check their website before you go: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com

A Trip to Lane Motor Museum

Over the past few years, Nashville has become an international destination with tourists flying in from all over the world to what is known as Music City and the Music Capital of the World. For music lovers, there are more than 180 live music venues as well as the Grand Ole Opry House, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the historic Ryman Auditorium and the Johnny Cash Museum where they have an original Johnny Cash machine. For car lovers though, there is the Lane Motor Museum.

Founded by Jeff and Susan Lane, Lane Motor Museum regularly displays some 150 vehicles but according to the docent I spoke with there are another 500 cars in storage—some of which are in the basement and can be viewed on special tours at a small additional cost.

Lane Motor Museum is unique in that rather than row upon row of classic American cars the vehicles displayed are primarily oddball European contraptions with often less than a full set of four wheels and quite often a propeller for propulsion.  This was not my first visit to Lane because I find the eclectic collection to be fascinating and not as cookie-cutter boring as so many museums. What’s also nice is that there are no ropes to prevent you from taking unobstructed photographs. You can get up close and personal but obviously, you can’t touch. However, there is a French Citroën that you and kids can climb into for a photo op.

Being from England I can certainly remember seeing some of the vehicles on the road when I was growing up. Cars such as the British fiberglass-bodied Berkeley sports car that was powered by a variety of motorcycle engines or the three-wheeled German Messerschmitt that looked like, well, the cockpit of a World War II Messerschmitt airplane. There was also the three-wheeled BMW Isetta with its front-opening door and perhaps the coolest of all, Alex Tremulis’ Subaru X-100 that achieved 100 MPG in 1980 at the long-gone Ontario Motor Speedway, CA.

Of the various propeller-propelled cars on display perhaps my favorite was the sporty 1930 French L’Eclair. Powered by a 1200cc American Indian Motorcycle V-Twin, the three-wheeler was capable of 60 MPH and according to its builder, Jean Legeay, was rather noisy, scared people and would chop up chickens if they got in the way. 

Winner winner, chicken dinner and that’s my opinion of the Lane Motor Museum—well worth the visit if you happen to be in Nashville. The Lane Motor Museum is open Thursday through Monday (closed Tuesday and Wednesday) and costs just $12 for adults. Seniors are $8, those age 6 to 17 are $3 and those under 5 are free, as is parking, making a very affordable day out for the family. For more information go to www.lanemotormuseum.org

What Remained of an Austin Car Collection: Dick’s Classic Car Garage

On the day I went to visit Dick’s Classic Car Garage in San Marcos, Texas, the weather weirdly resembled the mood of the visit. Prior to arriving, I had been corresponding with Thom Fortney, Museum Curator, who informed me that the owner of the collection, Richard L. Burdick (better known as Dick), had passed away almost a year prior to my arrival and that most of his collection had already been sold off. That didn’t entirely matter though because what I was able to witness during my tour was nothing short of incredible.

A LEGENDARY COLLECTOR

I may not have had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Burdick personally or seeing his collection at it’s prime but, as soon as Mr. Fortney unlocked the main door allowing me in, I instantly knew I was stepping inside the home of a legendary collection. It was eerily quiet, but the presence and quantity of classic, well-kept cars helped to block out the silence. Thom gave me a brief rundown about Mr. Burdick and what remained of the collection before leaving me on my own to tour and shoot for a bit.

As I walked down the aisles, it became quite clear that I didn’t know about most of what I was looking at. Rather than berate myself for not knowing, I realized that I could still get a lot out of the tour by appreciating just how well preserved each vehicle was. And judging by the pictures I took, it’s pretty difficult to argue that most of the cars weren’t in outstanding condition!

Continuing on, it quickly became apparent that Dick liked to collect just about anything, not just cars. Next to most of the cars that were on display sat all sorts of toys, posters, and other automotive memorabilia. Mr. Fortney explained that, in general, Dick was a very sentimental person, and when he started a collection, he usually added anything and everything he could to it.

BUILDING IT UP TO BREAK IT BACK DOWN

Seeing what remained of Mr. Burdick’s collection was saddening, but making my way into the shop was equally as upsetting for me. A space that was originally meant to repair monumental pieces of automotive history to add to his collection was now exclusively designated for reviving and preparing what was left for the auction block. As I finished that thought, the guys successfully revived Dick’s Bentley race car, which both my eyes witnessed and lungs felt.

Continuing to peruse the shop, I walked up to the loft space, which served as a reminder of just how passionate Mr. Burdick was for collecting things. There seemed to be manuals and books neatly organized on shelves for every vehicle he’d ever owned during his lifetime. With all the spare parts I saw scattered around the shop, I knew the guys had a lot of work cut out for them. Lucky for them, it looked like they had every tool and machine they needed to get the job finished.

GOODBYE FOR NOW

Dick’s Classic Car Garage will likely be closed well before anyone reads this piece. Normally, I’m not a person who believes in serendipity, but I do feel fortunate that I was able to see some of Dick Burdick’s car collection before the museum closed. On a more positive note, it’s reassuring to know that, since most of his priceless gems will be heading to auction, they should end up in better homes. It will be the responsibility of new automotive enthusiasts young and old to care for these cars and help preserve automotive history.

Legends of LA

It’s hard to imagine what it might have been like to grow up in Los Angeles either side of World War II. It was pitched as paradise and with endless summers of sunshine, beaches and jobs it was. It was also the car capital of the world. Moratoriums prevented buildings over three stories; instead, we spread urban development like mayo on white American bread. The freeway ruled and with it car culture.

Think of all the cultures that blossomed here in SoCal: drag racing, dune buggies and off-roading, vanning, trucking, lowriders, tuners, surfing and, naturally, racing. Of course, racing wasn’t invented on the West Coast but the weather, the vast expanses of land and the freeway infrastructure enabled motorsport to grow like Topsy.

To celebrate the golden era before every track was bulldozed to make way for a mall, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles recently opened a new exhibit called Legends of Los Angeles: Southern California Race Cars and Their Builders.

Located in the Charles Nearburg Family Gallery, the display features twelve racecars, racing artifacts, and a 180-degree panoramic video providing an immersive way to experience a variety of the fastest and most famous cars built in and around Los Angeles.

Reflecting this diversity, the exhibit presents racecars built by the region’s renowned designers and engineers including Fred Offenhauser, Harry Miller, Frank Kurtis, and Max Balchowsky.

The new exhibit pays tribute to this rich history and honors racing greats such as Parnelli Jones, who has been a hero to fans around the nation for decades. Parnelli was honored at the opening night reception as one of the most successful racers to come out of Los Angeles with accomplishments in a wide range of motorsports including Indy Car, sports car, and off-road racing.

Most remembered for his accomplishments at the Indianapolis 500, Jones is often regarded as one of the most versatile racers of all time. He has won nearly every major auto-racing event in the United States including six Indy Car wins, four NASCAR wins, 25 sprint car wins and 25 midget car wins. Apart from racing, Jones has operated several successful automotive-related businesses.

The twelve racecars on display are: 1956 Watson-DeBisschop “HOW Special”, 1964 Mercury Marauder, 1967 Long “Shelby Super Snake”, 1963 Balchowsky Ol’ Yaller Mark IX, 1924 Miller 122, 1947 Kurtis Kraft “Leader Card”, 1975 Edmunds Tamale Wagon, 1970 Ford Bronco Big Oly, 1966 AAR Eagle, 1929 Ford Model A Roadster 22 Jr., 1948 King & Hansen, 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 FIA, and a c. 1947 Offenhauser Engine.

Cars displayed in the lobby are: 1960 Kuzma “Detroiter Mobile Coach Special”, 1975 Vel’s Parnelli Jones VPJ-4/1, 1946 Kurtis “Ross Page Special”, 1962 Epperly “Mid Continent Securities Special”, and a 1958 Novi Indy Engine.

Legends of Los Angeles officially opened to the public on November 10, 2018, and will run through December 1, 2019. For more information, please visit www.Petersen.org

Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum

Located at Fairplex, Pomona, California, about 25 miles east of downtown Los Angeles—conveniently on the same piece of property as the Pomona drag strip and the Pomona Swap Meet—the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum opened in 1998. The 28,500 sq ft Art Deco building houses approximately 80 vehicles along with photographs, trophies, helmets and driving uniforms, artifacts, paintings, and other memorabilia chronicling more than 65 years of American motorsports. While the vehicles on display are primarily drag cars, you can see a smattering of other types including sports cars, customs, hot rods, and land speed cars.

On the first Wednesday of the month from April through December (but not September) the museum hosts a cruise that used to be free but now you have to pay. It runs from 3 until 7 pm but check their website for full details.

One of the best times to visit is on a Sunday of one of the monthly Pomona Swap Meets. You can do the Swap Meet in the morning and then visit the museum when the parking is free. Make sure you visit their website www.pomonaswapmeet.com for dates and times because there are no Swap Meets on the weekends when there are drag races or when the Los Angeles County Fair is on.

The Fairplex itself hosts hundreds of events each year from reptile shows to the LA County Fair. It is well worth checking their website, as there might be something worth a visit: www.fairplex.com

HOURS

The museum is generally open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. However, it is best to check their website or call because hours can change due to other events at Fairplex. Entrance is just $10 for adults, $8 seniors. Children under 5 are free. It is air-conditioned.

GETTING THERE

Driving is the best option. It is possible to get there by public transport but not easy. Trains do run from Los Angeles to Pomona but it’s a 2-mile hike from the station to the museum, you’d have to take a taxi or Uber especially in the summer months when it can be 30°C.

Parking is usually free, however, on special event days such as during the drag races, the Grand National Roadster Show, or the LA County Fair in September, parking can be as much as $25 per car.  There is an adjacent Sheraton hotel but book well in advance if there is a special event on as the hotel does fill up www.sheratonfairplex.com. For further information check the museum’s website at www.nhramuseum.org.