POMONA, Calif. (May 1, 2007) - "Museums shouldn't be dusty places full of stuff just sitting around, kind of like an abandoned yard sale. Museums should be lively, interactive places where old stuff is used to learn new things." Those are the words of Tony Thacker, executive director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Auto Club of So. Calif. That's why he's excited about Wally's Garage, the just-opened interactive area within the Museum.
According to Thacker, "the idea behind Wally's Garage was to have a place in the Museum where our staff could work on vehicles that needed minor restoration and where, when appropriate, the public could come and watch and be involved. They can ask questions but not lift wrenches!"
The first vehicle being worked on is the famous Howard Cams Rattler. "It's one of the original nine California Hot Rod Reunion Cacklefest cars and was hugely successful in the late sixties at southland strips including Riverside where Larry Dixon Sr. won the 1969 Hot Rod Magazine Championship," said Thacker. "The car was donated to the Parks Museum by Danny Porche in 2000 and was in need of some resuscitation. Now it's being assembled in Wally's Garage where part of the rebuild will be filmed for Jimmy Shine's new TV show, Hard Shine. The car will also be featured in an upcoming issue of Vintage Fuel magazine."
Thacker added that "involved companies would be invited to use Wally's Garage as a place to host product introductions, demonstrations and even news conferences."
Thacker said A and E Design Contractors of San Bernardino, Calif. approached the Museum about installing a garage model. "They are car guys who wanted to do something exciting for the Museum," Thacker said.
Other companies involved include Snap-On Tools, Grant Products, Checker, Schuck's, Kragen, and JNK Products.
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. Admission for non-members is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors 60 and older, $4 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. Auto Club members: show your card and save! 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.