The two museums every NASCAR fan must visit

Deep South shrines to all things oval racing

NASCAR has its heart in the American south: from Daytona to Atlanta, Texas to Nashville, nowhere does stock-car racing quite like the Cotton States.

And, because those tin-tops need somewhere to do their rubbin’ and racin’, the region is naturally home to some of the world’s most famous speedways.

What you might not know is that two of those ovals – Darlington Raceway in South Carolina and the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama – are also where you’ll find a pair of the best NASCAR museums, packed with decades’ worth of heritage, cars and collectibles.

Each one is a must-visit for any stock-car fan. Here’s why.

Rooted in history

Darlington’s 1.366-mile loop might look old-fashioned today, but in 1950 the Raceway was the height of modernity: it was the first superspeedway in NASCAR history and host of the inaugural Southern 500, its asphalt surface a huge step up from the dirt-tracks of the sport’s ’shine-running early days.

Today, the egg-shaped circuit is also home to the Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum, opened in 1965 as an alternative to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, which focused on IndyCar.

One Hornet, two Hudsons

Darlington’s museum plays host to a collection of 14 cars, featuring a mix of early NASCAR machines and more recent champions.

Pride of place goes to the 1951 Hudson Hornet in which NASCAR Hall of Famer Herb Thomas won the second running of the Southern 500. Famous in its own right, the ’50s stock-car was also the inspiration for Doc Hudson, the character voiced by Paul Newman in the Pixar film Cars.

Plymouth for the win

Also on show is a copy of Richard Petty’s ‘Petty Blue’ Plymouth Belvedere from 1967, a year in which the legendary driver won an incredible 27 races, including 10 in a row – an astonishing feat that’s unlikely to be repeated any time soon.

Speaking of feats, marking the success of more than 75 legends is the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, where you’ll find portraits and memorabilia, including Richard Petty’s cowboy hat and a pair of Dale Earnhardt’s familiar wraparound sunglasses.

Big-money motor

Elsewhere, you’ll discover the ‘Million Dollar Bird’ on display – a Ford Thunderbird raced in 1985 by Bill Elliott. What’s with the moniker? Elliott earned a million-dollar bonus for winning the Daytona 500, Winston 500 and Southern 500 that year.

And it’s not the only storied Ford at Darlington: one of the most successful machines in the history of stock-car racing is also present – the number 26 ragtop Fairlane, driven by Curtis Turner to victory some 22 times in 1956, in the short-lived and intriguing Convertible Division.

Long and loud

Finished at Darlington? Drive 400 miles west, through the heart of NASCAR country, and you’ll find yourself at the equally historic Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. 

Witnessing a race here is a highlight for any stock-car fan: at 2.66 miles, it’s the longest track on the NASCAR calendar – almost twice the length of Darlington – and the atmosphere is rarely anything short of incredible. Once the action is over? You’ll find the International Motorsports Hall of Fame next door. 

How many Halls of Fame?

Sprawling across three exhibition halls and an outdoor pavilion, the Hall of Fame features not only NASCAR history, but also covers other areas of motorsport including IndyCar, the National Hot Rod Association, Formula One, motorcycles and many one-of-a-kind vehicles. 

You’ll find the Automobile Racing Club of America Hall of Fame here, too, along with the Quarter Midgets of America Hall of Fame, the Alabama Racing Pioneers Hall of Fame and the Alabama Sports Writer’s Hall of Fame. Plenty of halls for plenty of fame, then.

Brought in from the Beach

With a vast collection of more than 150 racers, it’s hard to know where to begin – but the Bill France Room is as good a place as any, with walls covered in colourful murals of Daytona Beach, harking back to the early days of racing on sand.

Cars on display include the 1940 Mercury sedan driven by Sammy Packard, one of the last true beach racers; the black-and-gold 1962 Pontiac Catalina number 22 in which ‘Fireball’ Roberts won the Daytona 500 that year; and a 1983 Imperial that was the last Chrysler to race on the Winston Cup Circuit, piloted by Buddy Arrington.

Not the number you know

You might also catch a blue-and-yellow 1980 Chevrolet Monte Carlo kicking around, donated to the museum by the late Dale Earnhardt.

It’s notable because it’s the number 2 car – rather than the number 3 that came to be his hallmark, even inspiring current Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo's choice of digit – that ‘The Intimidator’ drove to his first Winston Cup championship back in 1980.

Dodge legend

Of course, no NASCAR shrine would be complete without a Richard Petty machine. At Talladega? It’s the 1974 Dodge in which he won his fifth Winston Cup championship. In fact, he liked the car so much that he drove it again the following year, claiming his sixth title. 

And, in a case of life imitating art, the Dodge is parked alongside the 2004 Chevy Monte Carlo Wonder Bread car that was steered by Will Ferrell in the comedy film Talladega Nights.

Record-breaking rocket

Looking for more record-breakers? Beside an impeccable replica of the number 88 Dodge Charger Daytona – the machine that, at Talladega, first broke the 200mph stock-car barrier – sits the Budweiser Rocket.

Or, at least, the narrow-track version of the machine (the original is in the Smithsonian Institution Archives) that some claim was the first land vehicle to break the sound barrier, on an unverified run in 1979 – though the achievement was neither certified nor recognised.

Gear for car and driver

For gearheads, there’s a fine collection of engines at Talladega, including a 1937 Ford V8 that was the first successful American overhead-camshaft racing unit, along with a gallery of Ford flatheads. Because nothing says NASCAR like a big V8 block.

You’ll also find plenty of memorabilia dotted around in display cases, including trophies, flags and race suits – including this one, worn by Bobby Unser during his CART run with Penske at turn of the ’80s.

Pieces, picked up

And there's a quite terrifying section devoted to the remains of cars that were wrecked in accidents. 

Most remarkable of the lot is the 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix number 30, displayed in pieces, in which Michael Waltrip rammed the wall at Bristol International Raceway in 1990 – one of the most devastating crashes in the history of the sport. It’s a testament to NASCAR’s rigorous safety standards that Waltrip was able to walk away.

Pack a few patties

Both museums, then, offer visitors a healthy slice of NASCAR history. Sure, they might not be as thrilling as watching a rabid pack of stock-cars hurtling around an asphalt track, but for an immersion in oval-racing history they’re tough to beat. After all, where else could you get within touching distance of Dale’s sunglasses?

Whichever collection you choose to visit, be sure to time your visit with a barbecue competition or, even better, a race week, to get the full experience.

Michael Milne is the author of the ‘Roadster Guide to America’s Classic Car Museums’