Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum host events

Wally Parks must be looking down, proud of the Museum that bears his name. With one of the most ambitious schedules of events and exhibits in its history, the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, expands on its mission of preserving and protecting the history of the performance car movement in Southern California. Among the highlights during its 10th anniversary year are:

--Sat., Mar. 1: Museum board member Steve Gibbs and Dusty McWilliams will host a special seminar, "Rebuilding the Rattler." Gibbs and McWilliams will work on the legendary Top Fuel dragster in the "Wally's Garage" section of the Museum while Mike Kuhl of the Kuhl & Olson team will provide commentary. Sponsored by A&EDesign.com, American Shine Products, Classic Industries, Pyrotec E3, GoJaks (Zendex Tool Corp.), Grand Products and Injen Technologies, the $20 seminar provides a unique look inside the world of automotive restorations. The ticket price includes Museum admission and refreshments.

-- On Apr. 2, the Prolong® Twilight Cruise Nights season begins. On the first Wednesday night of each month through December, it's hot rod heaven at the Museum. The popular events feature free admission to the Museum, and a chance to see hundreds of street rods, hot rods and muscle cars in the parking lots. Celebrity judges choose four "Budweiser Picks" winners at each event.

-- Apr. 2 is also the opening day for an exhibit honoring the 60th Anniversary of Hot Rod Magazine, which runs through October. Parks was the first full-time editor of Hot Rod and the magazine has chronicled the sport and set the standard for hot rods. Opens to the public at 3 p.m.

-- On May 7, the Museum opens a second new exhibit, "Coker Tire/Honest Charley Anniversary: A Tribute to American Ingenuity." The exhibition celebrates Coker Tire's 50th anniversary and Honest Charley's 60th. Opened in 1948, Honest Charley's was one of the earliest "speed shops" in America. The exhibit runs through Nov. 16th.

-- Off the grounds, the Museum will produce the Sixth Annual Holley NHRA Hot Rod Reunion, presented by SoffSeal, June 13-15, at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Ky. The event returns to its traditional home at the nostalgic race track, which features covered grandstands. The Reunion attracts tens of thousands to the park by the river.-- In August, the Museum opens two new exhibits. On Aug. 2 its "Trophy Queens," a photo exhibit on the glamour girls of racing, and a Ford Racing Tribute honoring 60 years of NASCAR opens Aug. 27. The Trophy Queens exhibit runs through August, 2009, while the NASCAR exhibit runs through Mar. 1, 2009.

-- The Museum remains open in September during the Los Angeles County Fair, but a fair admission ticket is required for entry to the Museum during that period. Entry to the Museum is $1 extra.

-- From Oct. 10-12, the Museum will produce the 17th Annual Automobile Club of Southern California Hot Rod Reunion at legendary Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield.

The three current exhibits at the Museum are:

-- The 70th anniversary of the Southern California Timing Association provides a retrospective of the historic association that sanctions land speed records. Parks was among the founders of the group. The exhibit continues through June.

-- "Bakersfield: A Salute to the March Meet - 50 Years of Racing," continues through August.

-- "Barris Kustoms: The Life and Times of George Barris, King of the Kustomizers," concludes its run in February.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary and named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California 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, 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 and Auto Club members enjoy a $2 discount. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six 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 Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports 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://museum.nhra.com.