Richard Petty Collection Now Available for Viewing

The Richard Petty Collection, composed of materials documenting the racing career of "The King" donated by his wife Lynda Petty, has been processed and is now available for use by researchers. See the guide to the collection at http://guides.library.appstate.edu/richard-petty for details on its contents.

Garry Hill on Winning Team at 12 Hours of Sebring

Motorsports artists Garry Hill, a member of the Advisory Committee for the Appalachian State University Library Stock Car Racing Collection, is the Director of Motorsports for the Mustang Sampling Action Express Corvette Daytona Prototype Team, which recently won the 12 Hours of Sebring. The #5 car will compete in the Grant Prix of Long Beach (CA) as the team works to win the the 2015 IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) Championship. See the car on the last lap at Daytona at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu7a88dpy24

Bob Myers Donates Materials to the Stock Car Racing Collection

Motorsports journalist Bob Myers has donated material documenting his career to the Stock Car Racing Collection. The collection includes his publications plus extensive notes and research material. The collection will be processed and a user guide developed in the coming year. Many thanks to Stock Car Racing Collection Advisory Committee member Deb Williams for facilitating the donation.

Works by Automotive Artist Carlo Demand Exhibited in the ASU Library

Art from the Mark & Barbara Moskowitz collection is currently on display in the fourth floor atrium of Belk Library and also several locations in the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on the campus of Appalachian State University. German-born artist Demand is known for his depictions of race cars, airplanes, trucks, and other automotive vehicles. Much of his work was done in charcoal or gouache. He published several books of his work and also did commercial art and illustrations for books, magazines, and newspapers. He was a founding member of the Automobile Fine Arts Society. Demand died in 2000. The exhibit closes December 5, 2014..

First Lady of NASCAR Lynda Petty Dies

Lynda Petty, wife of seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty, died March 25, 2014 of complications following a long battle with cancer. Lynda holds a special place in the Stock Car Racing Collection; her large donation of items documenting Richard's career was the first gift providing personal insights into the sport received by the Collection. Processing the donation is underway, and we expect that a finding aid to it will be available on the Stock Car Racing Collection web page by the end of the year.

Friend of Racing JB Day Dies

James Bolt, "JB" Day of Easley, South Carolina, died May 5, 2014. JB was a racer in his early days, piloting a #77 Ford. He is well remembered for hosting an annual birthday party for Raymond Parks, "the godfather of stock car racing," and for the replicated and restored race cars he exhibited at many racing events and housed in his Riverbend Racing Museum in Easley. In 2011 Suzanne Wise, Curator of the Appalachian State University Library Stock Car Racing Collection, bestowed the title of Honorary Racing Historian on JB at the annual Georgia Automobile Racing Association Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Dawsonville, Georgia. JB's presence in the racing community will be sorely missed.

Sam Bass Speaks at Appalachian

Renowned artist Sam Bass spoke to an enthusiastic audience at Appalachian State University on February 3, 2014. He recounted how he got into the NASCAR art world and showed images of some of his many art works, from paintings to race programs to guitars. Bass designed all the uniform and car art in the film Talladega Nights and works regularly with companies across the country. The ASU Advertising Club sponsored the event.