Dino Petrocelli to Exhibit at SAM

EXHIBIT OF NOTED AUTOMOTIVE PHOTOGRAPHER’S WORK TO OPEN AT SARATOGA AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM

A new exhibit highlighting the work of highly regarded automotive photographer Dino Petrocelli will be installed in the Rosner Gallery of the Saratoga Automobile Museum on Saturday, November 29, 2014. The opening will coincide with the museum’s wildly popular Lost Speedways auto racing program, with the photographs scheduled to remain on display through the winter season.

Dino Petrocelli’s passion for photography became a career when he was asked to shoot a wedding for a friend in 1985. From there, his business grew exponentially and soon expanded to include studio photography. Petrocelli honed his skills through the reading of dozens of books on the subject, experiments with lighting techniques and a great deal of trial and error. His efforts and dedication were soon rewarded with work for independent companies and small ad agencies photographing everything from gloves to car parts, operating rooms and CD covers.

Petrocelli’s breakout moment came in 1997, when he was commissioned to shoot motorcycle parts for a distributor and the covers for their catalog. This led to work for top national motorcycle magazines and the opening of a 2200 square foot warehouse near the Albany airport that let him shoot cars for Hemmings magazine.

While his work for Hemmings put him on the national stage for automotive photography, Petrocelli credits his studio photography of the famed “POW Bike” in 2004 and the exposure he got on the Discovery Channel’s “American Chopper” show, where he was featured three times, for his rapid rise in the motorcycle photography field.

He has since photographed a number of cars associated with the Saratoga Auto Museum, including a few that will be highlighted in the new “Luxury Automobiles Through The Ages” exhibit set to open in early November.

Noted Petrocelli clients include Atlantic British Ltd., GMP Advertising, Swany Gloves, Grando Gloves, Ambrosino Design, WTEN TV, Bikers Choice, Kaiser Illustration, FLY 92, WPYX 106, Hot Bike magazine, Easyriders magazine and American Iron magazine. He has also worked with the Discovery Channel, Paul Jr. Designs, Allstate Insurance, Factory Five Racing, GM High Tech magazine and Corvette Fever Magazine and the various Hemmings titles. 

More information on the Petrocelli exhibit and other programs, events and exhibits at the auto museum can be found online using SAM’s newly revised website, which is available at www.saratogaautomuseum.org.

Historic Super Modified added to Racing in NY Exhibit

When Jimmy Shampine unveiled his radically offset #8 Ball supermodified in August of 1976, little did anyone know that his innovative design would make every other car in the division obsolete and become the standard from coast to coast for decades.

He raced his old car while experimenting with the offset in hot laps for the remainder of the Oswego Speedway season, then made a number of changes over the winter. He again tested and adjusted the car through the mid-point of the 1977 season before actually racing it, winning three features before the season ended. Having decided the car was ready to be his primary mount, Shampine drove it exclusively in 1978 and decimated the competition with 12 wins, a second and five DNF’s in the 18-race season.

Shampine seemingly won at will with the car through 1981, when he left the division for a period of time and sold the car to Norm Foster, who put future NASCAR National Modified Champion and Nationwide Series competitor Mike McLaughlin in the cockpit. McLaughlin won with the car in the 80’s, with current owner Jamie Moore also parking it in Victory Lane during the following decade before it was finally retired.

Moore has been planning to restore the car for many years. Health issues put the project on hold until 2014, when Jamie and his friend, noted engine builder Doug Holmes, got together to tackle the project. With the help of a host of supporters and friends, the car was restored to 1980 International Classic trim.

After makings its debut at the 2014 International Classic at Oswego, where it paced the field, the team began prepping the car for a mid-September installation in the Saratoga Automobile Museum, where it will be on display through Spring 2015, when it will again be made track ready for special events at the Oswego Speedway. 

“We also expect to loan it to other museums, like the DIRT Motorsports Hall of Fame in Weedsport, and do whatever else we can to let people see and appreciate the car and what Jimmy accomplished,” said Moore.

“Jamie and I have been talking about this for many years and everything finally came together,” said “Racing in New York” gallery coordinator Ron Hedger. “It is arguably the most important supermodified ever built. And Jim Shampine is a member of the NY State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame, which is also housed here, so it’s a huge addition to our racing gallery. To top it off, our annual “Lost Speedways” program is coming up on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so the timing is perfect.

“The sport is blessed to have people like Jamie Moore, Doug Holmes and the rest of their gang preserving our treasures!”

Tesla owners get a free charge at the Saratoga Automobile Museum

Saratoga Springs, NY - The General Electric car charging station installed in the front parking lot of the Saratoga Automobile Museum in 2012, which recharges all brands of vehicles, has proven so popular that two more stations were recently installed for use by the general public.

The installation was supported by Tesla Motors, manufacturer of the wildly popular electric vehicles that have changed the image of electric vehicle use in America. A recent Tesla test drive and information program at SAM attracted so many interested consumers that a follow-up drive event has been scheduled for Saturday, October 18th and Sunday, October 19th.

Located in the rear of the museum, which is housed in the former Saratoga Water Bottling Plant on the Avenue of the Pines in the Saratoga Spa State Park, the units are currently available 24/7 for rapid charging by Tesla owners residing in or visiting the Spa city. In the near future, adapters will be installed to allow charging of vehicles from other manufacturers as well. Recharging through the Tesla Motors installed units is free, with the auto museum covering the cost of the electricity.

Tesla Motors changed[R1]  the auto industry in 2008 with the launch of the Tesla Roadster, the world’s first highway-capable electric vehicle. Tesla has since furthered its mission of driving down the cost of electric vehicles with the Model S, the first mass-produced electric premium sedan.  The Model S received many awards and accolades during its first year on the market, including Motor Trend 2013 Car of the Year©, AUTOMOBILE Magazine 2013 Automobile of the Year, the  2013 Yahoo! AUTOS Car of the Year, TIME’s Best Invention of the Year 2012 and Consumer’s Reports highest score ever given to a car.

“The turnout for the first Tesla program was amazing,” said Saratoga Automobile Museum promotions director Heidi Shull. “As people learn more about the vehicles and their outstanding quality, sales are growing steadily and we are thrilled to be involved in helping the public investigate this segment of the automotive world. What better ways are there to spend time in Saratoga than attending the Tesla sessions or visiting the auto museum while your car is recharging?”

More information about the Saratoga Automobile Museum, the current Golub Gallery exhibit celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Ford Mustang, the upcoming Tesla program and other museum activities can be found online using SAM’s recently redesigned website, accessible at www.saratogaautomuseum.org.

Lost Speedways 2014

DRIVING STAR REGGIE RUGGIERO ADDED TO PRESENTERS FOR

SARATOGA AUTO MUSEUM’S “LOST SPEEDWAYS 2014”

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY-- The 2014 edition of the extremely popular Lost Speedways program, set for Saturday, November 29th at the Saratoga Automobile Museum, will feature a mix of both familiar and new presenters. The most recent to sign on was longtime NASCAR modified star Reggie Ruggiero, who will join fellow driver Brian Ross for “NASCAR Modifieds – Heroes and Speedways.”

The duo will look back on careers that ran from the period when every race counted towards the national modified championship into the current Tour format and saw them compete against and beat such superstars as Richie Evans, Jimmy Spencer and Mike Stefanik.

“Our resident motorcycle expert, Mark Supley, has just published a book on Capital District motorcycle racing and he will be speaking about both the book and gone but not forgotten venues in the area,” said event organizer and Racing in New York gallery curator Ron Hedger. “Two other familiar presenters, Bill Ladabouche and Ken Parrotte, will also be on hand. Bill will recall the old Pico, VT. Speedway while Ken has been researching the original dirt Oswego Speedway and the first version of the ‘Steel Palace’s’ asphalt configuration. I obtained a variety of vintage photos from George Caruso, whose family ran Oswego for decades, so it should be very interesting. Most people don’t even know that the first track there was the Wine Creek dirt track.”  

Newcomers to the Lost Speedways lineup will include award-winning racing journalist John Snyder and noted dirt modified builder Walt Schwinning.   

“John will touch on the remarkable racing he saw near his hometown in New Jersey, close by the Flemington Fairgrounds and Harmony Speedway, both in New Jersey, and the short track at Nazareth, PA. Many legends of the sport held forth there weekly, though they also ventured to New York for big events, and he knew them all,” added Hedger. “And Walt and I will be going through what we’re calling ‘Walt’s Dirty Dozen,’ a behind-the-scenes look at such notables as Lou Lazzaro, Jack Johnson, Tommy Corellis, Don Van Guilder and Tighe Scott, all of whom competed and won in Walt’s creations. But he’s only kidding when he says a dozen, as we have photos ready of well over that number already.”           

Lost Speedway attendees are always encouraged to bring their scrapbooks and other memorabilia to share prior to the start of the presentations and 2014 is no exception, with ample display tables to be set up in the museum’s Golub Gallery. Memorabilia and movies will commence at 11 am with the formal program set to go green at 12:30 pm.       

As always, the event is free to museum members, with others paying the normal admission charge of $8.50 or, in the case of seniors, just $6. The Saratoga Automobile Museum is located on the Avenue of the Pines in the Saratoga Spa State Park, just off Exit 12N of I-87, the Adirondack Northway. More information is available online at www.saratogaautomuseum.org.

Contact: Ron Hedger @ 518-885-7481 or rjhmedia@juno.com

Saratoga Wine & Food Festival and Concours d'Elegance

A Weekend of Fine Food, Wines, and Cars

Friday-Sunday, September 5-7

The Saratoga Automobile Museum is partnering again this year with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on The Saratoga Wine & Food Festival. Featuring over 250 premiere wine and food exhibitors,  one-of-a kind seminars, and spectacular collector cars, this three-day destination event draws an audience of close to 6,000 from Montreal to Northern New Jersey and is quickly becoming known as the most original and exciting Wine and Food Festival north of New York City. Proceeds from the Saratoga Wine & Food Festival benefit the education programs of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and the Saratoga Automobile Museum.

Please check Upcoming Events Calendar for details.

2 New Cars Join Racing in New York Exhibit

“THE BOYS FROM SARANAC LAKE” - ROSS AND MOODY MODIFIEDS ADDED TO SARATOGA AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM’S “RACING IN NEW YORK” GALLERY

Saratoga Springs, NY     A pair of radically different modifieds wheeled by star drivers who grew up together in, of all places, the tiny Adirondack mountain village of Saranac Lake, NY are now on display at the Saratoga Automobile Museum.

“Sometimes things come together perfectly,” offered “Racing in New York” curator Ron Hedger. “I invited Wes Moody to speak at last fall’s ‘Lost Speedways’ program and he was excited about his recently rebuilt #63 coupe, which he immediately offered for display once he saw our racing gallery.

“At the same time, Brian Ross, who grew up with Wes in Saranac Lake before moving to the Saratoga area, had just found his famed #73 asphalt modified, which had been converted to a dirt late model, and was in the process of restoring it to original condition. The completed car was first shown at our Spring Invitational in May, where it was named “Best Race Car.” Putting them together in our racing gallery seemed to be ordained by the racing gods!”

As good on asphalt as he was on dirt, Moody’s Chevrolet coupes were always fast, but he still shocked the racing world when he was the first to qualify over the magic 100 mph mark at the New York State Fairgrounds mile, an oval that is still known decades later as the “Moody Mile.” And Ross’ homebuilt NASCAR modified was equally significant, winning races and track titles on asphalt speedways throughout New York and New England against fields full of factory-built cars.

“The cars come from different eras and are great examples of how technology, fabrication techniques and safety considerations changed markedly in a relatively short time,” summed up Hedger. “That Wes and Brian are lifelong friends and competitors makes the mini-exhibit even more relevant.”

“The Boys from Saranac Lake” display joins an all-star lineup that includes the legendary Judkins 2x modified parked in countless Victory Lanes by Eddie Flemke, Mark Kinser’s Knoxville Nationals winning sprint car, the Bardahl Ferrari Indy car, the “Rand Special” big car, the famed Maserati road race car affectionately christened “Poison Lil” and a cutaway Miller Lite NASCAR Sprint Cup car donated to SAM by Penske Racing.

SAM visitors with an interest in auto racing will also be fascinated by the new, wildly popular Golub Gallery exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, which includes a pair on loan from the iconic Holman-Moody race shop in Charlotte, NC as well as examples of Carroll Shelby’s legendary custom Mustangs.

Edsel Ford II visits SAM for Mustang reception

The 2014 Amelia Island Concours honors the Ford Mustang 50th anniversary.

The opening reception for Mustang at 50, was a huge success. Over 200 people filled the Golub Gallery celebrating everything Mustang. Edsel Ford II made opening remarks and then mingled with the crowd and enjoyed the show. His favorite car was the 1966 GTR 350 from 3 Dog Garage.