Riverside Raceway Museum "Legends of Riverside" Event Features
Films, Food, Friends, & Famed Riverside Racers
Whether you attended every event that was ever run, or never even
got there once in person, just the mention of the name: "Riverside" stirs
the soul of all true motorsports fans. The iconic track "only 60 miles from
Los Angeles" closed forever in 1989, its exact location now overgrown by a
covey of standard-looking suburban homes, a couple of fast food "convenience" stores, and a forlorn, half-empty shopping mall.
You really don't even have to be "of a certain age" to be a part of
the magic that long, twisting, turning, undulating strip of asphalt laid
down at the foot of the hills just off Day Street was. "Riverside," was a
single word that held a world full of excitement, hard work, horseplay,
life, death, and every emotion in between.
People who had no earthly interest in sports cars or road racing
still knew what others were talking about when that iconic one-word place
name came up in conversation. It was a place of great adventure, of sunburns
and frostbite, of dust and more dust, where so many saw races and racers
that they still talk about to this day.
And now, there's a wonderful opportunity planned for everyone who
reacts to that word to celebrate, enjoy, remember, revel in and relive those
days. The Riverside International Automotive Museum has set the weekend of
March 27-29, 2009 for a very special Riverside International Raceway reunion
event.
Joining forces with Dave Wolin's annual "Automotive Film Festival",
the "Legends of Riverside" will drop the green flag with a fulll assortment
of car films on Friday, a "Tribute To Paul Newman" and Friday night buffet
dinner and a discussion panel of well known racers.
Saturday will bring more car films in the morning, followed by the
Can Am / USRRC / F5000 and '58 and '59 Times Grand Prix Retrospective
luncheon, with drivers of that era sharing their experiences along with a
showing of some rarely seen racing footage.
After the luncheon an afternoon screening of more racing documentraies will
be followed by the "Memories of RIR" dinner; honoring well known racing
celebrities of the early days of Riverside, along with the screening of a
feature auto racing related film. Plans are for a number of special awards
to be presented to those who contributed so much to our racing heritage.
In addition to movies, awards, food, and drink, other events include
a silent auction of assorted racing memorabilia, automotive art and
photography displays, with the opportunity to meet the artists, an autograph
signing of the event poster by racing personalities and a display of
historic Can Am, USRRC and Formula 5000 racing cars, in addition to the many spectacular machines on regular display at the Museum.
Most importantly, all proceeds from this inaugural event will go to
charities including the Parkinson's Institute, the Lee Iacocca Foundation,
"Hole In the Wall" Camps and the CHP 11-99 Foundation.
This is a limited attendance event, only 150 tickets are available
and they're going fast.
For complete information, ticket purchases and accommodation
availability and a detailed schedule of events; visit
Riverside International Raceway - Legends of Riverside Film Festival and Gala or call us at 951.369.6966.
The museum is located at 815 Marlborough in Riverside, CA.