"Big Oly" on Display in Pomona through Aug 31
http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204~27914~134571...
Museum salutes Parnelli
By LOUIS BREWSTER
POMONA -- Wally Parks, for whom the NHRA Motorsports Museum is named, did not want to limit the exhibits to drag racing, the sport he took from the
streets to major league status.
Indeed, the museum located at Fairplex is crammed with 80 cars and other racing artifacts that depict the roots of dry lakes and salt-flat racing,
oval track and drag racing. In addition to Parks, the museum has become a testiment to curator Greg Sharp and Steve Gibbs and Sam Jackson, the first
and current director.
On Friday, the museum will add to its reputation with a sneak preview of a special exhibit, "A Salute to Parnelli Jones." The exhibit, which
chronicles the racing career of a true Southern California icon, will run through Aug. 31.
Among the race cars from the Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing collection on display at the museum are a replica of "Old Calhoun," the car Jones drove to
victory at the 1963 Indianapolis 500; the winning 1971 Indy 500 car driven by Al Unser and owned by Jones and Vel Miletich; the infamous 1968 Lutus
Granatelli turbine car; the 1964 Lotus Ford Indy car driven by the late Jimmy Clark; a 1976 Mustang Funny Car; a 1969 Ford Champ dirt car; and the
1969 "Big Oly" Bronco Jones drove to victory in the Baja 1000.
"I'm honored and excited about the exhibit, and I'm sure Vel would feel the same," said Jones, remembering his partner who died in 1998 at age 73.
"When they came to our museum and started picking through the collection, they took the very best.
"If you were to go to our place today, you would think it's a work in progress."
Among the unique features of the exhibit are various momentos from Ontario Motor Speedway. Jones was involved in the construction of the track that
was opened in 1970 at a cost of $26 million, and closed 10 years later. Paintings, programs and a trophy from OMS are among the artifacts selected by
Sharp.
"I believe this demonstrates the diversity of the museum," said Parks, whose name was added to the facility at a 90th birthday celebration earlier
this year. "I can recall meeting a gentlemen named Omar Danielson at the jalopy races in South Gate. He introduced me to a young driver named Parnelli
Jones and said that one day he would be on the front row at Indianapolis.
"I just said, "Sure he is.' That was my introduction to Parnelli."
In addition to winning at Indy, and taking the pole in 1962 and 1963, Jones also won championships in sprint cars, stock cars, off-road and a Trans Am
championship in 1970.
"I enjoyed driving them all," said Jones, inducted in eight Halls of Fame. "I always wanted to see what was on the other side of the hill. But
my favorite was "Big Oly.' By that time in my career, I was doing it for myself, not a manufacturer, tire company, just myself."
The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults; $3 for seniors 60 and older; $3 for juniors 6 through
15.
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