Pomona, CA. May 2, 2008 –The relationship between the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by Automobile Club of Southern California, and the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed continues to prosper. The Museum has been supplying cars to the event for a few years, according to Tony Thacker, executive director of the Parks Museum. “We took Ak Miller’s El Caballo over in 2005,” he said, “and last year we shipped the Mickey Thompson Challenger along with several other significant land speed record holders. This year, it’s the turn of the dragsters so we’re coordinating the shipment of 11 cars.” The 3-day […]
Pomona, CA. May 2, 2008 –The relationship between the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by Automobile Club of Southern California, and the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed continues to prosper. The Museum has been supplying cars to the event for a few years, according to Tony Thacker, executive director of the Parks Museum. “We took Ak Miller’s El Caballo over in 2005,” he said, “and last year we shipped the Mickey Thompson Challenger along with several other significant land speed record holders. This year, it’s the turn of the dragsters so we’re coordinating the shipment of 11 cars.” The 3-day festival runs from July 11-13 and is held at the Goodwood House in West Sussex, England.
Thacker said the first American dragsters shipped to England were the Mooneyes dragster and Mickey Thompson’s Harvey Aluminum Special in 1963. “My dad took me to see them and I’m honored to be a part of this celebration of American horsepower. And the Mooneyes dragster will be a part of the team returning 45 years after it first raced in the UK.”
Other dragsters taking part in the “cricket pitch” display, which will give a snapshot of the history of Top Fuel drag racing, include: Art Chrisman’s #25 car, the Glass Slipper, Chrisman’s Hustler I, Tommy Ivo’s Barnstormer and 4-engined Showboat, the Howard Cams Rattler, The Addict, the Beebe & Mulligan car and the Over The Hill Gang car. It is also expected that “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, who raced in England several times, will ship a car as well.
“To display the land speed cars, Goodwood built a replica of the Bonneville Salt Flats using ground marble imported from Spain,” said Thacker. “This year they plan to recreate an early dragstrip, much like Lions, and ‘cackle’ the dragsters several times throughout the festival. It should be pretty spectacular. For more information about the Goodwood Festival, visit www.goodwood.co.uk.
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.
