The NASCAR Hall of Fame opens May 11, 2010 in uptown Charlotte, N.C., and to celebrate the final 50 days until the opening, news is revealed each day at www.NASCARHall.com/50days.
March 29 – 43 days until opening – Richard Petty’s Medal of Freedom: In 1992, the year he retired from driving, Richard Petty was awarded The Medal of Freedom by President George H.W. Bush in the East Room of the White House. Petty is the only figure from the world of auto racing to be awarded this honor. It is considered the nation’s highest civilian award. Petty considers the award his most-prized possession. Guests can see inaugural inductee Richard Petty’s Medal of Freedom and his complete inductee exhibit in the Hall of Honor beginning May 23 after the Inaugural Induction Ceremony.
March 30 – 42 days until opening – The NASCAR Hall of Fame Legends Room: The NASCAR Hall of Fame Legends Room is a multi-purpose space perfect for a business meeting or birthday party. It holds a maximum of 117 people and can be figured in a number of ways from classroom to banquet style. Following with the state-of-the-art nature of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the room is fully equipped for standard audio and visual needs. In addition to offering space for special events, discounted tickets for the NASCAR Hall of Fame are available for groups of 15 or more.
March 31 – 41 days until opening – NCDL/OSHA announce completion of Safety Partnership with NASCAR Hall of Fame: Turner/BE&K/Davis and the North Carolina Department of Labor/OSHA announced the completion of their Safety Partnership with the NASCAR Hall of Fame construction team. Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry presented partnership completion certificates to Turner Construction Co., BE&K Building Group and Walter B. Davis Co. In addition, Commissioner Berry presented the Labor Department’s gold safety award to the Turner/BE&K/Davis Joint Venture Construction Team and the Turner/BE&K/Davis Management Team.
April 1 – 40 days until opening – Evernham Motorsports’ Wind Tunnel Car: A 40% scale model of a real car, the Wind Tunnel Car was developed in 2000 by Evernham Motorsports upon Dodge’s return to NASCAR to test aerodynamic efficiency. Though it is 40% the size of a car, it features all the components of a full-size car. Guests will find the model car in Heritage Speedway where history buffs and NASCAR novices alike can explore authentic artifacts and educational films depicting the story of NASCAR’s exciting six-decade history.
April 2 – 39 days until opening – Smokey Yunick Wooden Templates: Built by Yunick himself, the wooden templates were used in his shop as the 1969 Ford was being built. The body of the car was checked from time to time during construction to insure that the car’s shape would remain within NASCAR limits.
April 3 – 38 days until opening – Ned Jarrett’s 1993 CBS Announcer Blazer: Two-time Grand National champion Ned Jarrett was the first driver to make the transition from full-time driver to full-time broadcaster after his driving career drew to a close. Guests can see Ned Jarrett’s 1993 CBS jacket which he was wearing when he called the finish of the 1993 Daytona 500, won by his son Dale Jarrett.
April 4 – 37 days until opening – Richie Evans #61 Modified The familiar orange #61 modified which rests on Glory Road was built in 1984 and was the car in which Evans experienced his last victory. A year ago, the bare frame of this car sat in the woods. But the car was lovingly restored by Evans’ former crew chief, Billy Nacewicz, as a tribute to a true NASCAR legend. The #61 Modified is one of 18 historic cars showcased on Glory Road. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.(4-6-2010)
