bigmojo5
#1
3/27/10 12:04 PM
ANYBODY traveling through Lincoln, Neb., really needs to sit aside the two-and-a-half hours needed to tour Speedy Bill's Museum of American Speed.
I did so Friday on the way to Junction Motor Speedway. 135,000 square feet on three floors, many one of a kind pieces (including some Ford prototype engines that FORD officials thought had been destroyed). There's the Johnny Lightning Special, Rollie Beale's Rodeo Bar Special, a CRA sprinter driven by Parnelli Jones, a Chrysler-powered STP Indy Car, a quarter midget driven by Little Joe Saldana, and the Mechancial Rabbit. The car driven by Jan Opperman in winning the Hulman Classic. Pike's Peak Hill Climb cars, the car David Pearson drove to a win in the Daytona 500 that was saved just before it went into the scrap compactor.
It's all just the tip of the iceberg as only about one third of the Smith Collection is actually on display.
This beats any speed museum I have ever been to.
Jim Morrison
TQ29m (Offline)
#2
3/27/10 12:23 PM
Jim, is that on my way to Lawrenceburg? You gonna make it back to Indiana this year? Be good to see ya again. Bob
"Being old, isn't half as much fun, as getting there"! Ole Robert I!

racephoto1 (Offline)
#3
3/27/10 2:02 PM
Author and photographer Bob Mays is employed there.He also expresses awe when describing the place.
bigmojo5
#4
3/27/10 4:44 PM
Bob, I wish it was on the way to the 'burg. The place is unbelieveable.
Not sure I will make to Indiana much. Just too far of a drive and then have to get the paper out.
I'm sitting in Nebraska now watching it rain and working on a cover story. Hopefully, Beatrice will run tomorrow afternoon. I was very impressed with Junction Motor Speedway last night, which is still a work in progress. Would be a great track for Silver Crown but don't think they'd draw a big enough crowd to cover the purse.
---------- Post added at 03:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:44 PM ----------
Then Bob Mays is one very lucky guy.
TQ29m (Offline)
#5
3/27/10 6:01 PM
Jim, I've talked to a lot of people who have been there, I think Jerry and JL went there, when they went to see the brick they had put in, for Jerry's dad, in Iowa, then on to Ca to see his other kids, maybe Peg will take me sometime. Keep your powder dry, and take care! Bob
"Being old, isn't half as much fun, as getting there"! Ole Robert I!

bigmojo5
#7
3/27/10 8:21 PM
If the Smith family ever tires of maintaining this collection -- which I doubt -- the tour guide said it will become under the jurisdiction of the Smithsonian Institute