NHRA Wally Parks Museum Moving???

[Raconteur]

Drag Racing Museum mergers in the future?

Now that Wally is gone.

 

[Marchboom]

That would be a disaster. Who would want to drive into the Mid-Wilshire area of LA? Traffic is a nightmare, they would charge for parking, car would probably be burglarized, high crime area, etc.

 

[clwill]

I think we all need to realize that, although the drag racing community treats the Pomona Fairplex as hallowed ground, to the Fairplex, drag racing is just a tenant, and not a very beneficial one at that. Loud, dirty, and only busy a few days a year, and then REALLY crowded.

I think the number of years in which the Fairplex remains the mecca for drag racing can be measured in single digits.

 

[PJ]

I have no love for the fairplex as it seems like a bad business deal all around for nhra. I think a move would be good, how about Novi, Michigan (outside Detroit) there already is an racing hall of fame here

 

[Raconteur]

That would be a disaster. Who would want to drive into the Mid-Wilshire area of LA? Traffic is a nightmare, they would charge for parking, car would probably be burglarized, high crime area, etc.

WOW, you are way off!

here's what that awful parking lot looks like on the fourth floor...

The parking structure at the Peterson is secured parking, often overflowing with cars that relate to the exhibits inside... the NHRA Museum is not secured and recently the Fairplex has been charging $10 to park on non-cruise nights.

Why have two Los Angeles-based museums appealing to the same crowd?

There's no longer anything special about the Fairplex except for eight days per year when the Winternationals and World Finals are there. Last year the Fairplex used the additional dragstrip noise days for CORR Off Road Racing instead of Drag Racing. You couldn't book a new drag race in there today.

 

[Marchboom]

I wasn't aware of the parking fee that they now charge.

But, I'm sure there is increased attendance at the museum during any drag race at the Fairplex. I just can't see the same attendance figures if the museum moved to the center of LA. After attending a race at the Fairplex the last thing tired folks would want to do would be to battle the traffic to and from LA. I have made that drive way too many times.

But with the economy so bad in Calif and the state trying to tax EVERYTHING, I can see the museum moving to another state...maybe near Indy.

 

[PJ]

John I believe they are only allowed few few loud days at the fiarplex. Beyond the Winters and Finals I don't believe there are more than 2 more races there all year right now. With the lack of races I don't think the fan crossover is an issue. Its not like there is a race there every weekend where people would then come into the museum.

 

[Raconteur]

John I believe they are only allowed few few loud days at the fiarplex. Beyond the Winters and Finals I don't believe there are more than 2 more races there all year right now.

The Winternationals and the World Finals are the ONLY two drag races allowed there now, NHRA let the other days go and were used last year by CORR Off Road.

 

[yoda]

John I believe they are only allowed few few loud days at the fiarplex. Beyond the Winters and Finals I don't believe there are more than 2 more races there all year right now. With the lack of races I don't think the fan crossover is an issue. Its not like there is a race there every weekend where people would then come into the museum.

That being the case, is there a reason that the museum doesnt move to Fontana that has a bit more of an active racing schedule as well as is accessable off the 10 and has other racing activities that the museum could profit from? I've been going to the IMS museum since the 70's while attending Indy- crossover racing fans who like the history and engineering of the sport don't care if the track is round or straight, and isn't that what the main goal of any of these museums is in the first place? To educate those that have a curiosity?

I love the Petersen museum, but the location in Gallery Row has always seemed kinda goofy to me- although the museum has always done a spectacular job of making the cars seem like pieces of art in giant diaoramas... I don't know if the crossover traffic would apply to the Parks museum, as Petersen takes quite a while to see correctly. Two days in that neighborhood is kind of a stretch...

 

[PJ]

The Winternationals and the World Finals are the ONLY two drag races allowed there now, NHRA let the other days go and were used last year by CORR Off Road.

is it only 2 now. Last I heard beyond nhra there was a bike event and I think a super chevy deal but that was a couple of years ago

That being the case, is there a reason that the museum doesnt move to Fontana that has a bit more of an active racing schedule as well as is accessable off the 10 and has other racing activities that the museum could profit from? I've been going to the IMS museum since the 70's while attending Indy- crossover racing fans who like the history and engineering of the sport don't care if the track is round or straight, and isn't that what the main goal of any of these museums is in the first place? To educate those that have a curiosity?

I love the Petersen museum, but the location in Gallery Row has always seemed kinda goofy to me- although the museum has always done a spectacular job of making the cars seem like pieces of art in giant diaoramas... I don't know if the crossover traffic would apply to the Parks museum, as Petersen takes quite a while to see correctly. Two days in that neighborhood is kind of a stretch...

I hear ya, I'm not an roundy roun fan but yet I've gone the indy 500 museum a couple of times. Funny thing is that the first thing you see walking in was teh Candies and Hughes dragster, also as a kid walking through we come across the Snake there checking things out. Pretty funny having a picture taken with snake while standing in front of an indy car.

There's a motors sport hall of fame here that would be a great addition. If not anywhere with cheaper upkeep for nhra and more traffic would be good.

I wonder what the attendence is for there.

 

[Raconteur]

is it only 2 now. Last I heard beyond nhra there was a bike event and I think a super chevy deal but that was a couple of years ago

Super Chevy Show has been at Auto Club Dragway at Fontana for a couple of years and AHDRA moved on in 2007. No other drag racing is allowed at Pomona now, except for the Winternationals and Finals or TV commercial shoots.

 

[Muddy]

Move the museum and the 2 races to almost any place else would make sense. The track at Pomona is way too short and can never be made really safe by any standards although the improvments this year are a giant step. Since the US Nationals put NHRA on the map so to speak perhaps the museum should be at Indy and they should buy or build a super track someplace with a large amount of land. They don't have to be in the same area although the two races should remain in Southern California if for no other reason than that's where it all started. JMO

 

[Raconteur]

NHRA Museum packing?