NSCHoF & Museum Gears Up for 50th!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Gears Up for Nationals
by Joanne Cram
The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame is busy getting ready for the 50th Anniversary Knoxville Nationals and needs help! Bob Baker, Executive Director of the museum is looking for all previous Knoxville Nationals winning cars to display during the 50th anniversary festivities. The museum already has an impressive car count of past winners’ cars, including the 1963 Greg Weld car; Kenny Weld’s 1965 car; the 1969 Kenny Gritz car; Jan Opperman’s 1971 winner; 1972 and 73 Kenny Weld/Weikert car; the 1976 winning car of Eddie Leavitt; Doug Wolfgang’s 1977 car; the 1980 and 1986 winning cars of Steve Kinser; and all four of Donny Schatz’s winning Nationals cars will be on display the days leading up to and during the 50th anniversary Knoxville Nationals. Anyone wishing to feature their Knoxville Nationals winning car during this time will be featured in the museum for as brief, or long of a time period as the Hall of Fame can house the cars. Please contact museum curator, Tom Schmeh at 800-874-4488 for further details.
In addition to new displays, updated displays abound throughout the museum. The staff has been working diligently all year long to repaint, reorganize, and add to displays to make your Sprint Car Hall of Fame experience a new one each time a guest comes through the doors. Debunking the myth that once you’ve seen the museum, you’ve seen all there is to see- the staff at the Hall of Fame invite you to come see the new changes and experience the newly renovated second floor complete with movie theater and 2010 Hall of Fame inductees.
New additions include the Kenny Weld “Back to the Future” Car, last driven at the 1988 Nationals, as well as the Howard Kaeding Super Modified car of the early 1970’s. Further new additions are in the works just in time for the 50th anniversary Nationals!
The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame also works closely within the community to provide activities and opportunities for sprint car fans to meet and greet favorite drivers. Some of the many activities throughout the 50th Nationals Anniversary week include daily functions at the Hall of Fame Museum, many of those are free with your museum admission ticket of $4 per adult.
Wednesday, August 11th at 12:00-3:30 the Hall of Fame will be partnering with local breweries, wineries, and dairies to provide the Red, White, and Bleu Wine-Beer-Cheese tasting experience. Knoxville’s own Peace Tree Brewery, Reichert’s Dairy Air, and just east of Knoxville’s Tassel Ridge Winery are just a few vendors that will be showcased on this Wednesday afternoon. All proceeds will benefit the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Admission is free with your paid museum ticket of $4.
Thursday, August 12th highlights the VIP Members Only reception at the Hall of Fame. All members are invited to come, and if you’re not a member- no problem! Join for only $25, and that will get you and a guest into the VIP Reception! Three of the biggest names in sprint car racing will be on hand to be interviewed by renowned racing journalist, Dave Argabright.
Friday, August 13th, join the United Trailers and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame at Bos Landen Golf Course in Pella, for a golf outing to benefit the Hall of Fame. Drivers are invited to golf and be on hand for the golf outing. Sprint car racing fans are invited and encouraged to attend! Call the Hall of Fame at 800-874-4488 for more information and tee times.
Also on Friday, new this year to the Hall of Fame is the Alphabet Soup Reception with all the Knoxville Nationals Saturday night A-E Feature winners! Join over 100 confirmed feature winners from noon to 2pm on the 2nd floor of the museum while legendary track announcer, Jack Herwehe, interviews past winners. This will be an incredible opportunities for fans to meet their favorite drivers from the past and get autographs and photos.
The afternoon of the big day will bring more fun to the Hall of Fame! At 12:30-3:00 be part of the 50th anniversary Nationals Auction where you will find memorabilia and one of a kind items to bid on, proceeds to benefit the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Stick around till 3:30 and enter the old fashioned Pie Eating Contest under the Rotary Tent outside the Hall of Fame. There will be three groups- Kids 14 and under, Women’s and Men’s.
With so much going on during the Nationals Week, there’s no chance to get bored- be sure to stop in and support the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame! The gift shop is stocked with many unique gifts as well as sprint car items only found in Knoxville, Iowa.
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