Posts Tagged ‘ Museum News ’

Petersen Automotive Museum Founding Benefactor Margie Petersen Passes Away

By Ashley Smissen , November 30, 2011 in News & Events

Margie Petersen attended several of the first HRR Trade Shows.

Margie Petersen, wife of the late Robert E. Petersen and co-founding benefactor of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, died Friday at her home in Beverly Hills, California, after a 20-year battle with breast cancer. She was 76.

Margie and Robert Petersen married in January 1963 and were rarely seen apart. In addition to Robert’s publishing company, which created legendary industry magazines such as Hot Rod, Motor Trend and Rod & Custom, the Petersens also owned Scandia Restaurant on the Sunset Strip and Petersen Galleries in Beverly Hills. They were major donors to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, The Music Center and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

In June 1994, Margie and Robert donated $5 million to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to start the Petersen Automotive Museum. The couple contributed another $24.8 million in 2000 to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to retire the bond debt and establish the Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation as an independent nonprofit organization, according to the Petersen Museum’s website.

Margie continued to serve on the museum’s board of directors after Robert’s death from complications of neuroendocrine cancer in March 2007.

In April 2011, Margie and the Margie & Robert E. Petersen Foundation donated the 300,000-square-foot building that the museum is housed in, as well as a collection of cars owned by the Petersens and a monetary gift to the Museum Foundation. Overall, the donation totaled approximately $100 million.

Margie was affiliated with numerous charities throughout her life, including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, The Amazing Blue Ribbon of the Music Center, The Diadames, The Los Angeles Orphanage Guild, The League for Children and Childhelp U.S.A., according to a press release from the Petersen Museum. She was also a former St. Jude Research Hospital Woman of the Year.

Wally Parks NHRA Museum Announces New Mooneyes Exhibit

By Ashley Smissen , November 15, 2011 in News & Events

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum of Pomona, California, has announced that it will host a new exhibit that will celebrate Mooneyes, one of the industry’s most recognized brands. The exhibit will open on Friday, January 27 and will feature several Mooneyes race cars as well as artifacts, memorabilia and photography, according to the Museum.

The exhibit will discuss the history behind the company, which was started by Dean Moon right after WWII in Norwalk, California.

According to a Museum press release, Carroll Shelby used Moon’s shop in 1962 to assemble the very first Cobra. In 1964, Dean became the second president of the Speed Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (which later became SEMA).

The business continues today, with Mooneyes recently being awarded the 2011 SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance Business of the Year Award in Las Vegas.

Weekend Car Shows & Events Roundup

By Devlin Smith , November 1, 2011 in News & Events

Two all-Corvette events will be held this weekend to honor veterans.

This first weekend in November features car shows honoring veterans and supporting important causes, including Vets ‘n Vettes at The National Corvette Museum and the Texas Firewalkers’ Hotrods & Hogs Custom Car Show. Here’s information on those and eight additional shows that provide you with the opportunity to show off your shop’s best work and meet potential customers. More shows will be posted on Hotrod & Restoration’s Twitter throughout the week.

Vets ‘n Vettes takes place Thursday, Friday and Saturday at The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. An annual tradition in its fourth year, Vets ‘n Vettes event offers a number of new ways to enjoy camaraderie with others who have served, according to organizers. The three-day event will feature special group tours, movie screenings, a poker run, a parade, an auction and a banquet. For more information, visit www.corvettemuseum.com.

Weekend Car Shows & Events Roundup

By Devlin Smith , October 18, 2011 in News & Events

This weekend is filled with a variety of car shows and events celebrating dragsters, show cars and everything in between, including the California Hot Rod Reunion and Classics on the Green. All of these shows provide you the opportunity to show off your shop’s best work and meet potential customers. More shows will be posted on Hotrod & Restoration’s Twitter throughout the week.

The California Hot Rod Reunion takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California. The three-day festival, which is the season finale of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series, will feature racing, a Caklefest and a swap meet. This year’s grand marshal is Steve Gibbs, and other drag racing legends being honored over the weekend include Harry Hibler, Wayne King, John Peters, Dwight Salisbury and George Santos. For more information, visit http://museum.nhra.com.

The Super Chevy Show takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, North Carolina. The event will feature racing, car shows, awards ceremonies, vendors and a swap meet. Awards will be presented in a variety of classes for stock, street, show and modified Chevy cars and trucks. A cruise will run Saturday morning from RK Motors in Charlotte to the dragway. For more information, click here.

The 9^th Annual Virginia Fall Classic takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Newport News, Virginia. The event will feature a cruise-in, open car/truck/bike show, a fun run, awards presentation, dinner and music. Proceeds will benefit Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. For more information, visit www.vafallclassic.org.

Weekend Car Shows & Events Roundup

By Ashley Smissen , October 11, 2011 in News & Events

The annual Muscle Cars at the Mansion event takes place this Saturday at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles.

Celebrate your passion for classic cars and support great organizations at a number of car shows and events being held across the country this weekend, including Muscle Cars at the Mansion at the Playboy Mansion and the Toys for Tots Classic Car Cruise at the Volo Auto Museum. Here’s information on those and eight additional shows, including the NSRA’s Southeast Street Rod Nationals Plus, taking place this weekend. More shows will be posted on Hotrod & Restoration’s Twitter throughout the week.

The NSRA presents the Southeast Street Rod Nationals Plus Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida. The event will feature special vehicle displays, a swap meet, vendor exhibits, a poker run, NSRA safety inspections, a screening of the film “Deuce of Spades,” an awards presentation, drawings and entertainment. For more information, click here.

The 2011 Fall Rod Run takes place Friday and Saturday in Temecula, California. The event will feature a Friday Night Cruise showcasing over 500 pre-1970 vehicles. Saturday features an all-day show-and-shine. The weekend will also feature music, entertainment, community vendors and concessions. A kick-off dinner will be held Thursday night with proceeds benefiting local organizations including The Progeria Research Foundation, VFW Post 4049, Michelle’s Place – Breast Cancer Resource Center, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Boy Scouts of America, Temecula and Murrieta Food Pantries, and Riverside County Rape Crisis Center. For more information, visit www.rodruntemecula.com.

The 2^nd Annual Bolt for a Cure Cruise Night, Car Show & Arts & Crafts takes place Friday and Saturday in Kilgore, Texas. The cruise-night happens Friday evening at Bodacious Bar-B-Q. The judged car show, and arts and crafts fair happen Saturday at Kilgore City Park. Saturday’s event will also feature music, food vendors and kids’ activities. Proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. For more information, call Lynda Hampton at (903) 988-3442 or Melissa Walden at (903) 988-3461.

Muscle Cars at the Mansion takes place Saturday at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. Over 30 rare and unique muscle cars and motorcycles will be showcased on the mansion’s lawns at this annual event. In addition to checking out the cars and motorcycles, guests also have outdoor access to the mansion grounds and can tour the game room, pool area, game house, animal sanctuary and grotto. (Check out HRR’s coverage of the 2010 show here). Proceeds from the event will benefit the It’s All About the Kids Foundation. For more information, visit www.musclecarsatthemansion.com.

Petersen Museum to Host Automotive Author Book-Signing Event

By Ashley Smissen , October 11, 2011 in News & Events

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles has announced that it will host its first Automotive Authors Book Signing on Saturday, Oct. 29.

The event, which will benefit the museum’s library and educational programs, will give automotive enthusiasts the chance to meet their favorite automotive book authors. The authors will discuss the history of the automobile, in addition to talking about their own books and experiences, according to the museum.

Weekend Car Shows & Events Roundup

By Devlin Smith , September 20, 2011 in News & Events, Rod Shops

Enthusiasts across the United States and Canada will gather this weekend to show off their rides and help raise money for great causes at events like Cruzin’ for Life and Cruisin’ for the Cure, both of which benefit cancer charities. Here’s information on those and eight additional shows and events. More will be posted on Hotrod & Restoration’s Twitter throughout the week.

Cruzin’ for Life takes place Friday and Saturday at the Santa Maria Fairpark in Santa Maria, California. The event, which benefits the Marian Cancer Care Center and the American Cancer Society, kicks off Friday with a Family Fun Night featuring kids’ games and activities, food and a dance. Saturday will feature a car show, cruises, trophy presentations, live entertainment, kids’ games and activities, a dinner and auctions. For more information, visit www.cruzinforlife.net.

The Route 66 Cruisers Car Club Car & Motorcycle Show takes place Friday and Saturday in Claremore, Oklahoma. The event kicks off Friday with a cruise-in that begins at the Ne-Mar Shopping center and travels across Route 66 to the World’s Largest Totem Pole at Totem Pole Park in Foyil for hamburgers and hot dogs. The car show takes place Saturday at Claremore Lake with three trophies being given away per class to over 50 vehicle classes. The show will also feature drawings, concessions, and arts and crafts. Proceeds will benefit the Shriner’s Transportation Fund. For more information, visit www.route66cruisersok.org.

The NSRA presents the Northeast Street Rod Nationals Plus Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Burlington, Vermont. For more information, click here.

Steve Gibbs to Serve as Grand Marshal of 20th NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion

By Ashley Smissen , September 20, 2011 in News & Events

NHRA has announced that longtime NHRA official Steve Gibbs will serve as the grand marshall of the 20^th Annual NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion, which takes place Oct. 21-23 at the Auto Club Famoso Raceway in McFarland, California. Gibbs played a major role in the creation of the first California Hot Rod Reunion in 1992.

Gibbs started his career in the drag racing industry back in the 1950s numbering cars and reporting for Drag News at the old San Gabriel and Fontana Drag Strips, according to NHRA. In the 1960s Gibbs became a manager of Irwindale Raceway and by 1969 had joined NHRA as an advertising director of National Dragster. He was later the NHRA vice president of competition and helped to direct more than 400 national events.

Gibbs formed the NHRA Historical Society in the early 1990s and later became the first executive director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.

He received the Car Craft Ollie Award in 1991 and was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2006.

Several other people who have contributed to drag racing’s history will also be honored at this year’s California Hot Rod Reunion, including Harry Hibler, Wayne King, John Peters, Dwight Salisbury, and George Santos.

Exhibit Honoring Formula 1 Racer Phil Hill to Debut at Petersen Museum

By Ashley Smissen , August 23, 2011 in News & Events

The Petersen Museum in Los Angeles will open a new exhibit honoring Phil Hill, the first and only American-born Formula 1 champion.

The exhibit, which opens on Sept. 3 and runs through Nov. 27, was created in collaboration with Hill’s son Derek and “will take a revealing look into the life and work of this racing legend interpreted through artifacts ranging from the vehicles he raced to the helmets he wore,” according to the museum.

The museum will host a special Phil Hill Tribute Night on Nov. 11 that will include a buffet dinner and a viewing of a film that highlights Hill’s racing career and participation at Le Mans 24, where he drove from 1953–1967.

Weekend Car Shows & Events Roundup

By Devlin Smith , August 17, 2011 in News & Events

The annual Woodies at the Beach event takes place this Saturday at Santa Barbara City College.

As thousands gather in Michigan to celebrate the best of the Big Three at the legendary Woodward Dream Cruise, Goodguys hosts the 10^th Great Northwest Nationals in Washington. Don’t have the gas money to make either? No need to fret, there are plenty of other car shows, cruises and events being held across the United States and Canada, including those detailed below, where you can show off your projects, network with other builders and meet new clients. Additional shows and events will be posted on Hotrod & Restoration’s Twitter throughout the week.

The Woodward Dream Cruise takes place this weekend in the Michigan communities of Berkley, Bloomfield Township, Ferndale, Pontiac and Royal Oak. Beginning Thursday, the communities will be hosting car shows, car parades, live entertainment, DJs, family activities, vendors and concessions. For more information, visit www.woodwarddreamcruise.com.

Goodguys hosts the 10^th Great Northwest Nationals Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Spokane Fair & Expo Center in Spokane, Washington. The event will welcome 1,500 rods, customs, muscle cars and street machines through 1972 competing for awards including 2011 Muscle Car of the Year Finalist. The show will feature vendor and manufacturer exhibits, a swap meet, a Cars 4 Sale Corral, a model and pedal car show and live entertainment. A hot rod cruise and kick-off party will be held Thursday, and a TGIF party will be held Friday. For more information, visit www.greatnorthwestnats.com.