Steve Perez of Los Angeles looks inside one of several cars on display at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Brian Schoenhals/The Daily Home
“The International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum is a unique facility to have here in Talladega, and it’s a real treat for race fans,” said Grant Lynch, chairman of the Talladega Superspeedway and executive director of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum.
The museum is on Speedway Boulevard next to the Talladega Superspeedway.
“This is truly an international hall of fame that recognizes not just drivers but owners, promoters, executives and more,” Lynch said. “And they range across all forms of motor sports. If it has an engine and goes fast, it’s represented at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.”
Lynch said the range of exhibits include a powerboat, dragsters, NASCAR stock cars, go-karts, motorcycles, an airplane once flown by the legendary Bobby Allison and more.
The museum is open for special race week hours 8 a.m.-4 p.m. today, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. The average monthly attendance is 1,000 visitors. The average race week attendance jumps to 7,500 visitors, with approximately 30,000 visitors each year.
The museum tour is a walking, self-guided tour that takes 1-3 hours to complete, depending on the amount of time spent with each attraction.
There is also a Talladega Superspeedway Tour featuring an 18-seat handicap-accessible van tour every half hour available today that lasts approximately 20 minutes and is narrated by the van driver.
Tickets to the Hall of Fame are $12 per adult, $5 per student (ages 6-12) and children under 5 are free with adult admission. Track Tour tickets are $8 per adult, $5 per student (ages 6-12) and children under 5 are free with adult admission. The Museum and Speedway Tour Combo (available today) is $16 per adult, $8 per student (ages 6-12) and children under 5 are free with adult admission.
Special exhibits include the John Force dragster, which is on display through the induction ceremony tonight.
According to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Force raced dozens of Funny Cars over the course of his Hall of Fame career and race fans can see the one-of-a-kind Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Hall of Fame special edition Ford Mustang Funny Car.
Also on display during race week is the “King of Speed” Kenny Bernstein’s Budweiser Top Fuel Dragster, which was the first to break the 300 mph barrier at the Gainesville (Florida) Raceway March 20, 1992.
Other special exhibits include the Dale Earnhardt motorcoach and a Jr. Dragster.
For more information, call the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum at 256-362-5002.
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