Marking the 60th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise, the Saratoga Automobile Museum will celebrate with a new exhibition called “Bond in Motion” featuring twenty-five official vehicles from the past six decades of the longest-running film franchise in movie history. [Read more…] about James Bond Cars Going On View In Saratoga
Saratoga Auto Museum
80s & 90s Cars Highlight Saratoga Auto Museum Exhibit
RADwood, the original 1980s and 1990s automotive lifestyle brand is partnering with the Saratoga Automobile Museum to showcase iconic cars of the era alongside period fashion, music, memorabilia, and endless nostalgia, with a new exhibit opening April 1st. [Read more…] about 80s & 90s Cars Highlight Saratoga Auto Museum Exhibit
Saratoga Automobile Museum’s Spring Auto Show
The Saratoga Automobile Museum has announced their annual Spring Auto Show and Family Fun Day is set for Saturday, May 16th at the Saratoga State Park. [Read more…] about Saratoga Automobile Museum’s Spring Auto Show
Auto Racing History: Lost Speedways Event Saturday
2011 American LeMans Series driving champion Chris Dyson has been added to the Saturday, November 25th Lost Speedways program at the Saratoga Automobile Museum. Dyson will join his team owner and father, Rob, in a discussion of the 200 mph Lola B0/86 Mazda-powered endurance racer they recently donated to the museum.
Other presentations on the 2017 Lost Speedways program include a discussion of the landmark 1967 racing season by Ken Parrotte and a look back at his many years as NASCAR’s head chassis inspector and post-race teardown supervisor by Randy Hedger. The program’s final two segments will focus on the historic New York State Fairgrounds mile, with Ron Hedger recalling Labor Day races at Syracuse in the 1950’s and early 1960’s and the always popular interview segment featuring winning car owner Randy Ross and driving star Dickie Larkin. [Read more…] about Auto Racing History: Lost Speedways Event Saturday
Saratoga Automobile Museum Appoints New Director
After a nationwide search, the board of trustees of the Saratoga Automobile Museum has appointed a new Executive Director.
“It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Jim Letts as our new Executive Director,” Anthony Ianniello, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Saratoga Automobile Museum said in a statement issued to the press. “While serving as the CEO of the Saratoga Regional YMCA for the past 12 years, Jim has had amazing success, growing the Y’s membership from 6900 to 26,900 while raising many millions of dollars through capital campaigns to support and expand the Y’s facilities and activities. We think he is a perfect fit for our extremely active, rapidly growing museum and are thrilled to have him on board for our busy summer season!” [Read more…] about Saratoga Automobile Museum Appoints New Director
Saratoga Automobile Museum’s Spring Auto Show
The Saratoga Automobile Museum’s (SAM) longstanding Spring Auto Show and Saratoga Invitational, the traditional kickoff of the region’s auto show season, have undergone a slight format change for 2015.
This year’s fundraiser for SAM’s Distracted Driving educational program, which has a primary focus of educating both teens and adults on the dangers of texting while driving, cell phone use and generally not focusing on safe driving, is set for Saturday, May 16 from 10 am-4 pm with a Sunday rain date. It will no longer include the Saratoga Invitational as a separate entity but will still feature world class automobiles. [Read more…] about Saratoga Automobile Museum’s Spring Auto Show
Saratoga Auto Museum ‘Lost Speedways’ Event
The field of presenters is set, the huge video screen is up and hundreds of chairs are ready to be filled by racing enthusiasts attending the Saratoga Automobile Museum’s most popular program of the year, “Lost Speedways,” on Saturday, November 29th.
The annual look back at speedways that no longer exist and driving legends of the past will get the green flag at 11 am with memorabilia displays in the Golub Gallery and racing videos in the presentation area. In the “Racing in New York” gallery, Jamie Moore and Doug Holmes will be on hand to answer questions about their restoration of the famed Jim Shampine #8 Ball offset supermodified, which has been attracting a steady stream of visitors. [Read more…] about Saratoga Auto Museum ‘Lost Speedways’ Event
Saratoga Auto Museum Offers ‘Science of Speed’
The Saratoga Automobile Museum has instituted an ongoing series of educational programs of interest to both students and adults. Scheduled for the museum’s Orientation Theater at 11 am each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, “The Science of Speed” will consist of three programs showing how science is applied to real life. [Read more…] about Saratoga Auto Museum Offers ‘Science of Speed’
Line-Up Set For 2012 Lost Speedways Program
The Saratoga Automobile Museum’s Lost Speedways program which is scheduled for the Saturday after Thanksgiving (November 24, 2012), has grown into a must see event for those interested in the history of auto racing in New York State and long-shuttered area speedways.
The program will also include Hall of Fame driver Brian Ross’ recollections of his short but eye opening Winston Cup career and his time as an instructor at Andy Hillenburg’s Charlotte driving school along with a look back at the highlights of the century old Fonda Speedway by longtime racing writer and DIRT legal advisor Andy Fusco. Memorabilia will be on display from 11:30 am, with everyone encouraged to bring items to display. The formal presentations will begin at 1 pm.
“Our current featured exhibit, ‘Moonshine to Millionaires – NASCAR’s History, Heroes and Technology,’ has been a huge success and since it will close right after Lost Speedways, I want to focus on NASCAR history this year,” explained exhibit curator and event organizer Ron Hedger. “Plus, we have the opportunity to again enjoy the racing tales of Jim Reed, a multi-year NASCAR champion who was a big hit last year and has agreed to return. He’s going to tell us about winning the 1959 Southern 500 at Darlington, among other highlights of his career, which fits perfectly with the theme.”
“I will also do a pair of presentations myself,” added Hedger. “We have Bill Wimble’s Carnegie Medal on display and I’ll relate that story, along with a discussion of NASCAR’s Speedway division for Indianapolis-type cars, something most people have never heard of.”
“With the cars of Dale Earnhardt and Curtis Turner and the amazing ’59 Thunderbird ‘zippertop’ scheduled to return to Charlotte October 1st, I’ll be replacing them with a Richie Evan’s Pinto and a gorgeous Speedway Division car wheeled by Wally Campbell, so the timing will be perfect. And we may have another surprise or two before November rolls around,” Hedgar said.
There will also be a drawing of one winner in the auto museum’s NASCAR VIP Raffle, sponsored by M and M/Mars, which will see two winners each receive four tickets to the 2013 Sprint Cup race of their choice, $250 travel money, garage passes and a personal meet and greet session with Kyle Busch. The second drawing will be held in the spring of 2013. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the museum or online.
The Lost Speedways event is free to museum members, with others admitted for the standard museum admission charge. More information is available online at www.saratogaautomuseum.org. The Saratoga Automobile Museum is located on the Avenue of the Pines in the Saratoga Spa State Park, just off Exit 13N of the Adirondack Northway.
Photo: An abandoned South Glens Falls Drag Strip.
Auto Museum Offers Pinewood Derby Clinic
The Saratoga Auto Museum will be holding a workshop for area Cub Scouts on the science involved in building a winning Pinewood Derby Car. The event, which will take place on January 7, 2012 at the Museum (110 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga Springs), will begin at 1:00 pm and include Tech Talk (The physics of speed), Speed Shop, and Track Time.
To participate in the full event, preregistration is required and will be limited to the first 40 registrants. Each registration includes a pinewood derby car kit with regulation axles and wheels which will be assembled during the Speed Shop segment. Once the cars are completed, a weigh in will precede a series of heat races on the SAM’s Garage Pinewood Derby Track.
Registration fee for the event is $10.00 and will include a car kit and Museum admission for the scout and an adult, so participants should come early to check out the “Porsche: 60 Years of Speed and Style in North America” exhibit before the Pinewood Derby event begins.
Participation in the Tech Talk and Track Time segments is also open to Cub Scouts who have previously completed their car and just want to join in the fun.
For registration, visit www.saratogaautomuseum.org and click on the Pinewood Derby link.
Photo: Pinewood Article from 1954 Boy’s Life magazine. Hat tip PinewoodPro.com.