LOOKING BACK THROUGH THE LENS OF JOHN GRADY

An elementary school teacher in Niskayuna by day, nights and weekends have seen John Grady at speedways near and far for decades, always with his camera on a strap around his neck and a big envelope of snapshots from prior weeks under his arm.

At one time or another, John was the official track photographer at all the speedways in the area, sending photos to the trade papers and selling snapshots at the souvenir booth. And for a number of years, he also wrote a racing column for the Daily Gazette in Schenectady. But his greatest contribution to the sport was providing a source for “old” photos, both for journalists and collectors, along with names and anecdotes stored away in his photographic memory.

John Grady is best known for his shots of drivers either standing beside their car or strapped in, ready to go to war. All you had to know about a driver of the past is what car number he drove. John, and in later years his son Chris and friend Bob Novak, could go into the bins of photos, filed consecutively by number, and pull out the photo you wanted. The cost was minimal and the story that went with it was a no-charge bonus.

We’re proud to share enlargements of some of John’s favorite photos with you. Our only regret is that this mini-exhibit, limited by available space, represents less than one percent of the photos he’s taken over the years.

SARATOGA AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM AND CAPITAL DISTRICT MODEL T CLUB JOIN FORCES FOR “MODEL T SCHOOL”

Many experienced drivers will tell you they “can drive anything.” But put them in one of Henry Ford’s Model T’s, the car that changed the world and most won’t have a clue what the various levers and pedals are for.

This mystery will be solved on Sunday, November 22nd when SAM and the Capital District Model T Club join forces to present their first “Model T School” at the museum, located on the Avenue of the Pines in the Saratoga Spa State Park. Club members will have several Model T’s on hand for what SAM Education Director Seth Warden calls “a 100% hands-on program.”

“We have 20 seats available for the program,” said Warden. “Participants will develop the skills, dexterity and, most importantly, the confidence required to be comfortable driving a Model T on the highway.

“We’ve had requests before for instruction on driving Model T’s, which are entirely different from other cars. Our new exhibit, “Real Steel,” features a pair of vintage Model T’s, and the club members are enthused about sharing their knowledge, so this is the perfect time to run this program. Licensed drivers of all ages are welcome and the only pre-requisite is bringing warm clothing for the road sessions.”

Model T School –Course Outline

• Becoming familiar with a Model T

• Starting the vehicle

• Use of spark and throttle control levers

• Coordination of hand and foot controls

• Proper shifting techniques

• Stopping the vehicle

• Correct use of the Neutral / Brake lever

• Reversing the vehicle

Sign up here: https://saratogaauto.z2systems.com/np/clients/saratogaauto/eventRegistration.jsp?event=46&

PAINTINGS BY FAMED ARTIST STU EICHEL ADDED TO “REAL STEEL” EXHIBIT

Saratoga Springs, NY     When the new “Real Steel – Stories of Automotive Archaelogy” exhibit opens on November 14th at the Saratoga Automobile Museum, both of the museum’s galleries will be filled with vehicles from the collection of Connecticut businessman and automobile enthusiast Kevin Biebel. And as an “added attraction,” the museum’s art gallery will also feature a new exhibit showcasing a variety of paintings by nationally known artist Stu Eichel.

“We’re blessed that an artist like Stu has settled in Saratoga Springs and is willing to share his work with us,” said SAM art director Brandon Salls. “This will be his second showcase here and it will feature 29 new pieces, all ‘something that rolls’ including cars, trucks, motorcycles, tractors, firetrucks and more.”

A graduate of New York’s Pratt Institute with a degree in graphic design and the University of Tennessee with a fine arts degree, Eichel has produced works for such diverse customers as the John Deere Corporation and McGraw-Hill while winning major awards at competitions in New York, Tennessee and St. Simons Island, GA.

Eichel, who moved to Saratoga Springs after living in a number of places around the nation, professes a love for the region that finds him “outside painting the scenes that have caught my eye any time the temperature is over 50 degrees.” So besides enjoying his artwork, visitors to the Saratoga Automobile Museum may well see familiar places and vehicles as they peruse Eichel’s gallery display.

“Real Steel” will open to the public at 10 am on Saturday, November 14, 2015 following a formal opening for members and other interested parties at 6 pm on November 13. 

Contact:   Brandon Salls, Saratoga Automobile Museum Art Director – 518-587-1935 or Brandon.salls@saratogaautomuseum.org

UNIQUE EXHIBIT SET TO OPEN AT SARATOGA AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM

The Saratoga Automobile Museum, known nationwide for presenting unusual exhibits, has outdone itself with the upcoming presentation of “The Kevin Biebel Collection – Real Steel: Stories of Automotive Archaeology.”

Biebel, a Connecticut businessman who has displayed a lifelong fascination with all things mechanical, is a collector of memorabilia as well as unusual automobiles, thus the “Automotive Archaelogy” segment of the exhibit title. So along with cars ranging from a 1907 Success and 1908 Sears to his 1960’s Kent Fuller dragster and 1932 Plymouth roadster that came from the factory with a special Princeton University paint job, Biebel has accumulated untold interesting items that chronicle the development of the automobile.

“A visit to the Biebel’s home, garages or manufacturing facility is like walking through the warehouses of the Smithsonian,” said exhibit curator Ron Hedger. “Original artwork here, vintage advertisements there, dozens of vehicles on racks awaiting restoration, the original model and patent drawings for turn signals on a bookcase. Neither Kevin nor visitors can proceed from one point to another without stopping repeatedly to investigate unusual items.”

Kevin and Yvonne Biebel, who became interested in the Saratoga Automobile Museum through participation in its various auto shows and concours d’elegance, have graciously agreed to share many of these unseen items with the public in the new exhibit, which will open with a formal ceremony at 6 pm on Friday, November 13th and to the general public the following day. Tickets for the opening, at $10 for members and $20 for non-members, are currently available online or at the museum admissions desk.

Biebel will share stories of his collection during the event, including how the Sears, originally purchased from the Sears Catalogue, made its way to the longstanding Bridgewater, NY Automobile Museum and on to his collection. A number of his vehicles are national award winners and have been displayed individually at the ACCA Museum in Hershey, PA. They range from barn finds to restored beauties and include a motorcycle that spent decades inside the wall of a house before being discovered. Enthusiasts can expect to hear this story and more at the opening event.

The Biebel’s have also provided a number of go-karts for a mini-exhibit on the history of the toys turned racing machines and will collaborate with the museum’s educational program by donating a vintage TQ-midget race car for an upcoming student restoration project.

Details on the opening event, other exhibits and SAM’s ongoing educational programs, including the nationally heralded Distracted Driving program featuring state-of-the-art driving simulators, are available online atwww.saratogaautomuseum.org.

TREMONT AND SITTERLY ADDED TO LOST SPEEDWAYS 2015 LINEUP

Contact: Ron Hedger – 518-885-7481

Saratoga Springs, NY     Two of the nation’s top short track racers, DIRTcar modified star Kenny Tremont Jr. and Supermodified kingpin Otto Sitterly, have agreed to join the already exciting cast of the Saratoga Automobile Museum’s premier racing program, Lost Speedways. The program is set for its traditional “Saturday after Thanksgiving” date, November 28th.

Tremont, the 2015 point champion at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway, is hot off a second place finish in the final Syracuse 200. He will join Sitterly, the leading winner at the super-competitive Oswego Speedway over the last decade, to discuss their enviable careers in the program’s closing segment.

“Last year I interviewed asphalt superstars Reggie Ruggiero and Brian Ross and it was a huge hit,” said event organizer Ron Hedger. “The audience really got into it when they had the opportunity to ask their own questions. Kenny and Otto represent different types of racing, but have known each other since they both competed at the nearby Albany-Saratoga Speedway, so it’s a perfect combination. Besides being great racers, they are also fan favorites.”

The other presentations will include Board Track Motorcycle Racing by Mark Supley, a look back at sports car racing on the streets of Alexandria Bay with Greg Rickes and the early days of Mil-Ray Speedway in Fulton by Ken Parrotte. In addition, John Snyder will recall Victory Speedway at the Orange County Fairgrounds and Bill Ladabouche will talk about the New Yorkers who dominated Vermont’s Otter Creek Speedway back in the day.

Lost Speedways will also feature the traditional memorabilia session, with enthusiasts bringing their treasures to share. The museum displays various items from the collections room, with the emphasis this year on the history of the Syracuse Mile. Participants are asked to have their items ready for display by 11:30 am, with the presentations set to go green at 12:45.

The event, which draws a full house each fall, is free to members, with others paying the normal admission charge. More information on the Saratoga Automobile Museum, located on the Avenue of the Pines in the Saratoga Spa State Park

Kenny Tremont Jr

Otto Sitterly

FOUNDING TRUSTEE OF SARATOGA AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS LEE IACOCCA AWARD

Bob Bailey, a founding trustee of the Saratoga Automobile Museum whose leadership skills, business acumen and dedication to the museum's primary mission of education have been key factors in the museum's success, was honored in late September with the nationally recognized Lee Iacocca Award. 

The award was presented by Hemmings Motor News publisher Jim Menetto at a banquet held in conjunction with the annual Hemmings Motor News Concours d'Elegance, a joint effort of the Vermont based automotive publisher and the Saratoga Automobile Museum.

Legendary auto industry executive Lee Iacocca is the namesake for this very special award honoring a person who, over time, has demonstrated an extraordinary dedication to the classic car hobby through vehicle preservation and club participation and who has unselfishly assisted and encouraged others in perpetuating an "American Automotive Tradition." The award is linked with the Iacocca Family Foundation, whose mission it is to find a cure for diabetes. This is especially fitting because, like Lee Iacocca's dedication to the Foundation's mission, these car enthusiasts are committed to serving their communities.

Iacocca is known to the public for a variety of reasons, as he was the "father" of the Ford Mustang and the Chrysler Minivan and the bold leader who saved Chrysler and paid back a loan from the federal government in full and ahead of schedule. He also led the effort to raise funds for the preservation of Ellis Island as a memorial to our country's immigrants and was a champion of the restoration of the Statue of Liberty.

Bailey, a very successful sports car racer in his own right, is chairman of Racemark, which he founded with the late Mark Donahue, an internationally known driving star and Indianapolis 500 winner. Under Bailey's direction, the company, which produces OEM automotive floor mats and interiors, has grown from a small operation in Burnt Hill, NY to an international manufacturer with facilities in the United States, Hungary and Switzerland.

"I was humbled and honored to receive this most prestigious award,

especially since it benefits such a worthy cause, the National Diabetes Foundation," reflected Bailey. "And to receive it in front of our museum trustees and members, the Hemmings staff and the enthusiasts who made the concours such a great success made it even more special."

The prestigious award was presented to deserving recipients at some two dozen major automotive events across the nation this year, with the list of honorees spanning the automotive spectrum. Notable past recipients include auction organizer David Gooding, Mustang and Chrysler mini-van designer Hal Sperlich, racing legends Al Unser, Sam Posey and Don Garlits and journalist Denise McCluggage.

Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance

Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance has more than 300 classics, special interest and race cars decorating the show field on Sunday.

The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance has donated a portion of its proceeds to several very deserving organizations in the Jacksonville/North Florida area. In particular Community Hospice of Northeast Florida.

Spring Auto Show 2015

SPRING AUTO SHOW AT THE SARATOGA AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM UNDERGOES FORMAT CHANGE

Saratoga Springs, NY   The Saratoga Automobile Museum’s longstanding fundraiser for its educational programs, the Spring Auto Show and Saratoga Invitational, has undergone a slight format change for 2015. This year’s edition, set for Saturday, May 16 from 10 am-4 pm with a Sunday raindate, will no longer include the Saratoga Invitational as a separate entity but will still feature world class automobiles.

“In recent years, we have presented two separate shows on the same field at the same time,” said SAM trustee Ron Hedger. “This year, we will organize our traditional kickoff of the area car show season as a single show, the Spring Auto Show, to make it easier for enthusiasts throughout the Northeast to participate.

“We found that we were missing some beautiful, very interesting cars using the Invitational format because we were not aware of them and therefore they weren’t invited. The traditional auto show attracted outstanding vehicles of all makes, ages and types and we want to expand and build on that tradition by inviting everyone to participate.”

To smooth the transition, a handful of separate classes will be used to enhance the traditional “Top Twenty” auto show judging. Entries in these categories will be displayed together on the huge Saratoga Spa State Park lawn and Reflecting Pool area adjacent to the auto museum.

One area will be set aside for British cars of all types to preview the auto museum’s upcoming summer exhibit, “The British Are Coming!” There will also be awards for Pre-War American Cars, Race Cars/Motorcycles and Future Classics.

With the traditional “Best in Show” and “People’s Choice” awards to be presented along with trophies for the “Top Twenty” and the four additional classes, everyone will have a chance to have their pride and joy in the show ending awards ceremony spotlight.

Advance registrations at $15 per vehicle will be taken online or at the auto museum through May 1, with registrations after that date and at the show set at $20. As always, car clubs are encouraged to come as a group, with members who arrive together parked together.

The show field will also have a variety of new cars on display along with automotive and food vendors, while the vintage racers of the Atlantic Coast Old Timers and sleek cars of the Sports Car Club of America’s Mo-Hud Region will grace the space in front of the auto museum. As always, the $10 Auto Show admission will include a visit to the museum, where “Luxury Automobiles Through The Ages” will be the featured exhibit.

More information on Saratoga Automobile Museum activities and programs, as well as auto show registration information, is available online at www.saratogaautomuseum.org.

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.