Living Legends of Auto Racing Museum in Daytona Beach, FL, will reopen on Saturday. The museum has relocated to Sunshine Park Mall in South Daytona. Several auto racing “legends” are expected to sign autographs and greet fans during Saturday’s grand opening, including Marvin Panch, Jack Anderson, Mac McDonald, Pal Parker, Hilly Rife and Harold Cardwell. The museum, now in its fourth year of operation, is expanding its hours. The facility will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. six days a week, Monday through Saturday. There is no admission fee, but donations are welcome. The museum is the brainchild of the Living Legends of Auto Racing Board, founded 12 years ago by local racing aficionados. The museum highlights the auto-racing scene from 1903 — the era of Malcolm Campbell and his contemporaries — till the present. It also showcases contributions of so many connected with racing, from drivers and car owners to sponsors, techs, crews, design engineers and even the media who have helped turn the once dirt-track hobby to a billionaire industry. The museum is unique in a number of ways. First, it has no paid staff, but is run entirely by a dedicated corps of volunteers. The board organizes fund-raising events throughout the year, both for its own benefit as well as to share proceeds with communtiy agencies. Supporters can pay $15 for a one-year membership. Those older than 65 are offered a lifetime membership fee of $100. Museum manager John Peoples, a retired research photographer with Princeton University and photo-journalist, puts current annual museum membership at approximately 600, with about 100 lifetime members, scattered all around the globe. The museum publishes a quarterly newsletter, “The Cannonball,” with racing trivia, biographbical sketches, racing lore and the like, as well as an annual Yearbook and Press Guide. At the same time, merchandise, souvenirs and related items sold at the museum help add to the coffers. For more information, call (386) 257-2828 or go to the Web site: www.livinglegendsofautoracing.com.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(5-25-2005)
