Dario Franchitti (Class of 2019) was born on this date in 1973.
One of the thrills of visiting the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is our permanent exhibits. These showcase some of the world’s top racing vehicles and artifacts, which are on perpetual display for our guests’ enjoyment.
Another perk? You can see these jewels each time you visit the MSHFA.
Don’t miss inductee Sir Malcolm Campbell’s famous world land speed record machine. It occupies a place of honor and is buttressed by period photos and artifacts. This Blue Bird is the fifth and best version of a series of vehicles built by Sir Campbell and his backers during 1920s and ‘30s record quests. It carried him to the 1935 land speed record on a Daytona-area beach — a distinction it still holds — and was the first vehicle to top 300 mph, on the Bonneville (Utah) Salt Flats.
Inductee Bob Nordskog was one of the top powerboat pilots in the mid and late 20th century, known as “Iron Man” for his distance and endurance skills. Viking Spirit was one of his top boats. Nordskog competed into his 70s and some personal artifacts are displayed alongside Viking Spirit, courtesy of the Nordskog family.
Another don’t-miss is the hair-raising exhibit on inductee Bill Simpson, an accomplished drag racer lauded for many motorsports safety innovations. He helped popularize fire-resistant clothing for drivers and crews, and this exhibit features the charred fire suit he wore when he set himself on fire (!) during a famous demonstration at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Throughout the Motorsports Hall of Fame of American, you’ll find scores of expansive, brilliantly lit glass cases loaded with treasures from our nearly 300 inductees. Each artifact grouping tells a unique racing tale.
THEY WORE TWO HELMETS
Our newest permanent exhibit highlights MSHFA inductees who also are U.S. veterans. The list is long and illustrious — Red Byron, Tiny Lund, Bud Moore and Raymond Parks Jr., to highlight a few. Photographs, infographics and artifacts on loan from the families of these veterans-turned-racers all combine to depict compelling and honorable personal histories.