BIG CITY GETAWAY

Warren County NJ Tourism presents BIG CITY GETAWAY

Daytona Motorsports Hall of faMe of aMerica MuseuM immortAlizing the immortAls of motorsports words and images: Pamela Collins

From the first time an internal combustion engine chugged to life, cylinders eagerly firing, raring to go, it begat a need to race, an adrenalinefueled pull for that pilot or driver to go faster, be better, dare more, than anyone else. Fitting, then, that a museum dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories and achievements of these “go-fast” people throughout the years should establish itself in the city where racing and history entwine.

Racing courses through the veins and arteries of Daytona Beach, Florida’s past, from the beginning days of speed records set on its famed beach, to birthing a rumbling NASCAR child, to hosting races of every variety imaginable on its famed International Speedway and other area racetracks. Now it also serves as home to the Daytona Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and that organization’s namesake museum.

Located on the Speedway grounds, the museum offers over 15,000 square feet of exhibit space dedicated to showing and telling the stories of the sports which the Motorsports Hall of Fame recognizes.

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America began in 1989 and has inducted about 250 racing personalities since then. Each year the organization welcomes a new member in nine racing or racing-related categories: drag racing, powerboat, aviation, motorcycle, stock car, open wheel (indie-car), sports car, at large (for people such as mechanics or news media), and historic. Its membership reaches way back into history’s annals, honoring such celebrated pioneers as aviators Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes, motorcyclists Glenn Curtiss, Malcolm Smith, and Cannon Ball Baker, powerboat racer Gar Wood, and many drivers or mechanics from all types of auto racing, from Barney Oldfield to Jeff Gordon.

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America began in Michigan but moved its offices and the museum to Daytona Beach and its new home on the Speedway’s grounds about five years ago. Its new location, in the former racing-theme Daytona USA building, allows more room to display its interesting and growing collection of artifacts. The pandemic stymied its initial growth but interest has bounced back in a big way.

In March the Hall of Fame inducted its 2022 membership class, add-

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

ing to its rolls the designer of the 1965 world champion Cobra Daytona Coupes, Pete Brock (Sports Cars), the first foreign-born four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Helio Castroneves (Open Wheel), the only person in history to win NHRA Top Fuel championships as a driver and crew chief, Dick LaHaie (Drag Racing), “The Henry Ford of race cars,” NASCAR chassis builder and creator of the HANS race car safety device Banjo Matthews (Business), the only woman to receive the Ken W. Purdy Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism, racecar driver and Auto Week magazine founder Denise McCluggage (Media), NASCAR cofounder and championship-winning team owner Raymond Parks (Historic), “The Cat in the Hat” who has masterminded more than 300 NASCAR wins, Jack Roush (Stock Cars), motorcycle racing innovators who have won NHRA drag racing titles, AMA Supersport and Superbike titles, two Daytona 200s and more, Terry Vance & Byron Hines (Motorcycles), and Walter, Arthur and William Davidson and William Harley, founders of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company (Historic).

The museum states its purpose to be a “facility to showcase the lives and achievements of our inductees and the broad spectrum of vehicles that make our sport unique-- a place to immortalize the immortals.” To that end, plaques throughout the museum honor the inductees, relating their stories and achievements, while huge photos of the personalities grin and gaze from perches high on the walls. But the three-dimensional memorabilia create the museum’s real draw for motorheads and the general public alike. For here, up close and personal, sit a replica of car raced by the most popular racer ever, Dale Earnhardt, and a 1972 Dodge Charger once owned by the winningest driver ever, Richard Petty. To one side is Mario Andretti’s first Indy car, and over there, Jeff Gordon’s 1990 Championship Midget race car. This year’s Daytona 500 race winner, a Generation 6 Mustang driven by Austin Sendrick, provides a more modern example of racing’s finest on four wheels. Visitors can walk amongst machines raced by famed drag racer “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, muse at the small displace-

ment motorcycles ridden by the greats such as Supercross champion Jeremy McGrath or Motocross Champions Broc Glover and Bob “Hurricane” Hannah, gawk at the hugeness of awardwinning racing boats, or look up to see airplanes that won races in the sky.

Additionally, the museum pays homage to its location and the history of the Daytona area as the “birthplace of speed,” when automobile and motorcycle enthusiasts first gathered on its sandy shores, testing the mettle of both drivers and machines that strained to set speed records along its 23-mile, 500-feet wide (at low tide) stretch of beach. This exhibit relates how area racing grew from its beachside straight-line venue in Ormond Beach, then traveled southward to Ponce Inlet using an oval course encompassing both beach and pavement, then finally, in 1959, to the modern Daytona International Speedway. A replica of the quaint Daytona service station owned by Bill France, racer, tinkerer, and founder of NASCAR makes one ponder the small start of such a big idea.

Besides vehicles, other exhibits focus on topics such as media, safety improvements through the years (exhibiting the actual first HANS safety harness), and a theater shows an engaging film highlighting the history and excitement of the Daytona 500 NASCAR race. Cooper said the exhibits grow every year as the museum acquires and expands its collection, so repeat visits are recom-

mended.

Visitors can enjoy just a museum tour, or combine it with a tour of the Daytona International Speedway racetrack for an additional charge. For more information visit the website at www.mshf.com/museum. ,

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They were a bit of a distance back and were nose-to-tail at a far greater pace and very obvious in their attempt to “catch up” to the first three riders. Both these machines were much more thunderous with their exhaust notes and both riders were wearing little if any real riding gear.

A touch later the last two riders came by at a more moderate pace. It seemed to me that they were out for a nice ride and not a race.

This made me think of some of the group rides I have been in and the many I have led.

For me, I like having an obvious Tail Gunner.

Many times, when I ride with our friend Paul, I know he likes to stay in the back, and even if our group gets separated, I can usually glance in the mirrors somewhere down the road and see his triangle of light, the stock BMW headlight and two Denali lights at the bottom of his forks burning a bright yellow. His bike is conspicuous and that works for me, and lets me know we’re all still together.

But, when we have a group with new riders, I try to urge these riders to enjoy the ride, but not to get over their heads.

If we all keep a quick, but workable pace and a good bit of distance between the bikes we can all have a satisfying day in the saddle.

With the group coming by that afternoon; it was obvious the “Middle of the Pack” felt the need to catch up at all costs. Never a good thing. This inevitably causes a Pogo Effect with them riding over their heads and then, falling back when the road gets more technical.

Every rider in any riding group has a responsibility to the other riders. The leaders need to both ride their ride and keep an eye on those behind them.

The Tail Gunner has to realize that he might have to take it easier than he might want. But it is those in the Middle of the Pack that must have burned into their skulls that they are not in a race, that restraint is a good and useful thing, and that mastering the art of keeping the group in “Flow” is their challenge and responsibility. ,