Piedmont Racing Expo on January 14-15, 2011

A large motorsports trade show and auction will be held at the Raleigh (North Carolina) State Fairgrounds on January 14-15, 2011. A number of drivers will be present and available for autographs, including Burt and Jason Myers from television's Madhouse, the series featuring racing at historic Bowman Gray Stadium. Admission costs are $10 daily for male adults, $5 for male children 12-15, and women and all children under 12 free. For more information, go to http://piedmontracingexpo.com .

Stock Car RacersReunion Connects Fans

Have you visited Stock Car RacersReunion? It is a social networking site for race fans. Stock Car RacersReunion has forums for specific drivers and tracks, general topics, etc., and includes a wonderful audio and video archive. RacersReunion Radio is available there. Click on the Radio button in the top center for more information, including a schedule of live shows. Try Stock Car RacersReunion at http://racersreunion.ning.com .

New History of NASCAR Available

Deb Williams, a longtime motorsports writer and a member of the Stock Car Racing Collection Advisory Committee, has authored a new history of NASCAR just in time for the Christmas season. The History of NASCAR Vault recounts the early history the sport and its growth to national prominence. The lavishly illustrated volume contains never before published photographs, artwork, and memorabilia. As they delve into the scrapbook format, readers will find dozens of pockets containing such fascinating items as a 1940s Bill France Sr. business card, a 1959 program from the first Daytona 500, and a 1974 NASCAR driver's license. Published by Whitman, the book is available on Amazon and from bookstores throughout the country.

Dick Beaty Items Donated to the Stock Car Racing Collection

The family of Charlotte area racer and longtime NASCAR official Dick Beaty has donated materials to the Stock Car Racing Collection. Beaty's children, Carolyn Torrence and Don Beaty, donated a number of items from their father's collection, including issues of racing magazines and newspapers, a large collection of race programs, and some personal memorabilia and correspondence related to his career in racing. The magazines,  newspapers, and race programs will expand the Collection's holdings in these areas. Plans for the items directly documenting Beaty's racing career are to organize them for public access and post a descriptive guide of the material on the Collection's web site.

A Visit with Selma Hamrick

Stock Car Racing Collection curator Suzanne Wise recently visited Selma Hamrick, widow of legendary racing broadcaster and publisher Hal Hamrick, who died in 2008. Selma donated audio tapes of several races featuring Hal as a race announcer, as well as some issues of FasTrack, the racing newspaper he published for many years, to the Collection. Suzanne reports that Selma is very active and is on the go a lot visiting children and grandchildren. She also makes an incredibly delicious pound cake!

NASCAR on South Park

In case you missed it, back in October South Park, the shall we say, edgy television show on Comedy Central, did a spoof of NASCAR called "Poor and Stupid." For more about the episode, go to http://hamptonroads.com/2010/10/south-park-takes-nascar-so-did-you-laugh-or-were-you-offended

Revised Edition of Debo Park Motor Speedway Book Available

Rick Yocum has published a second edition of Echoes of Valley Thunder: Remembering Debo Park Motor Speedway. The 2010 version chronicling the history of the historic Ohio racetrack is more than twice the length of the original 2005 edition. It is available for $24.95 from Amazon and other booksellers. Rick kindly donated a copy to the Stock Car Racing Collection. Thanks so much, Rick!