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From the Thursday Daytona Beach News Journal:
Daytona International Speedway starts granting public access to secretive Archives...
BY GODWIN KELLY, STAFF WRITER
April 27, 2011
DAYTONA BEACH -- Daytona International Speedway and parent company International Speedway Corp. store all their valued historical information, photographs and racing memorabilia in an unmarked building well away from the Speedway/ISC hub.
Often referred to as the "bunker" because of its secret location, the ISC Archive is much like the racing company's own "Area 51."
Only a handful of employees have regular access to the facility and a visit requires special permission from the ISC hierarchy.
"Up to now, it's been families of competitors, media and researchers who have been allowed in here," archive curator Eddie Roche said.
The archive hosts a breadbasket of racing items ranging from Speedway/NASCAR publications, posters, dies cast collectibles, helmets, photographs, awards and even automobiles.
Thanks to a push by Speedway President Joie Chitwood III, the ISC Archive is open to the public via a new, three-hour VIP Tour package, which started Tuesday.
The tour, limited to 28 people at a time, offers a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the Speedway. One of the highlights of the air-conditioned bus tour is a stop at the archive, which up to now, has been off limits to the public.
"It's very special to see this old-time stuff and see what racing used to be like years ago," said Dallas visitor Jeff Tallman, 47, after touring with his son, Payton, 15, on Tuesday. "The memorabilia here is amazing."
Since the ISC Archive was founded by Anne B. France, wife of NASCAR co-founder Bill France Sr., in 1988, it has moved two times. Its first home was more of a dank storage area on Ballough Road.
From there the collection was transported to a sprawling facility on Fentress Boulevard, where previous curator Buz McKim, Roche and others began to sort and organize the piles of documents and racing artifacts.
McKim is now the historian at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.
The archive's current home about a mile from the Speedway has three primary rooms which total about 3,500 square feet.
"There is so much history in this area about racing, including (NASCAR founder) Bill France Sr. taking racing from the beach area to the Speedway, we want to share that with our fans," Chitwood said. "This is a history they will appreciate."
The archive is normally dark and quiet. Roche and his assistant Dave Westerman spend their days digitalizing photos and documents for Getty Images or filling research requests.
ISC uses Getty Images as a distributor of its photos. Roche says there are "hundreds of thousands" of images stored in the facility.
Chitwood joined the ISC family after a five-year stint as president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He was named Daytona's president in August. As soon as he learned of the archive, he raced over to take a look.
"I pulled the file on my father and what he did at Daytona," Chitwood said. "There is a file in the archives about Joie Chitwood Jr. For me, I was a fan that day when I looked at my dad's file."
Chitwood's father and grandfather, who share the same name, ran an automobile thrill show for decades. Chitwood Jr. competed in several races at Daytona. Chitwood III is a racing history buff.
"We want to share this with the fans," Chitwood said of the Speedway's hidden treasures. "We want them to know that we have this great history of objects and how special this area is to motorsports."
Roche admitted he was anxious before the first group toured the facility. Afterward, he felt much better.
"I was very nervous," he said. "You know how it's been. Ring the bell. Show your credentials to come in here. Actually, that secrecy adds to the mystique for the public."
Getting a peek at the ISC Archive was especially appealing to Connie Clark from Cincinnati, who liked the car collection display.
"I didn't know we were the first group to tour here," she said. "That's kind of special. It's really interesting. This is neat. This was well worth the money."
TOUR INFO:
LENGTH: 3 hours, air-conditioned bus
HIGHLIGHTS: Drivers' meeting room, Sprint Cup garages, tech inspection, Victory Lane, France suite, ISC archive, Daytona 500 winning car
LIMIT: Maximum 28 customers
DATES: Thursday; May 3, 12, 17, 21, 26, 31; June 9, 14, 18, 23, 28
COST: $50 per person
RESERVATIONS: 877-306-7223
MORE: DIS website
__________________________________________________ _________
NOTE FROM ME: Despite our "secretive" nature, the Archives is available to current and former drivers & their families, track owners & personnel, media and whatever person I will let in... you do not have to be affiliated with NASCAR... just race or like racing... If you will be in the Daytona area and would like a tour contact me but it is by appointment only... Contact me by e-mail at announcerdave@usa.net.
The article and several photos can be viewed by going to the online page of the Daytona Beach News Journal.
Daytona International Speedway starts granting public access to secretive Archives...
BY GODWIN KELLY, STAFF WRITER
April 27, 2011
DAYTONA BEACH -- Daytona International Speedway and parent company International Speedway Corp. store all their valued historical information, photographs and racing memorabilia in an unmarked building well away from the Speedway/ISC hub.
Often referred to as the "bunker" because of its secret location, the ISC Archive is much like the racing company's own "Area 51."
Only a handful of employees have regular access to the facility and a visit requires special permission from the ISC hierarchy.
"Up to now, it's been families of competitors, media and researchers who have been allowed in here," archive curator Eddie Roche said.
The archive hosts a breadbasket of racing items ranging from Speedway/NASCAR publications, posters, dies cast collectibles, helmets, photographs, awards and even automobiles.
Thanks to a push by Speedway President Joie Chitwood III, the ISC Archive is open to the public via a new, three-hour VIP Tour package, which started Tuesday.
The tour, limited to 28 people at a time, offers a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the Speedway. One of the highlights of the air-conditioned bus tour is a stop at the archive, which up to now, has been off limits to the public.
"It's very special to see this old-time stuff and see what racing used to be like years ago," said Dallas visitor Jeff Tallman, 47, after touring with his son, Payton, 15, on Tuesday. "The memorabilia here is amazing."
Since the ISC Archive was founded by Anne B. France, wife of NASCAR co-founder Bill France Sr., in 1988, it has moved two times. Its first home was more of a dank storage area on Ballough Road.
From there the collection was transported to a sprawling facility on Fentress Boulevard, where previous curator Buz McKim, Roche and others began to sort and organize the piles of documents and racing artifacts.
McKim is now the historian at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.
The archive's current home about a mile from the Speedway has three primary rooms which total about 3,500 square feet.
"There is so much history in this area about racing, including (NASCAR founder) Bill France Sr. taking racing from the beach area to the Speedway, we want to share that with our fans," Chitwood said. "This is a history they will appreciate."
The archive is normally dark and quiet. Roche and his assistant Dave Westerman spend their days digitalizing photos and documents for Getty Images or filling research requests.
ISC uses Getty Images as a distributor of its photos. Roche says there are "hundreds of thousands" of images stored in the facility.
Chitwood joined the ISC family after a five-year stint as president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He was named Daytona's president in August. As soon as he learned of the archive, he raced over to take a look.
"I pulled the file on my father and what he did at Daytona," Chitwood said. "There is a file in the archives about Joie Chitwood Jr. For me, I was a fan that day when I looked at my dad's file."
Chitwood's father and grandfather, who share the same name, ran an automobile thrill show for decades. Chitwood Jr. competed in several races at Daytona. Chitwood III is a racing history buff.
"We want to share this with the fans," Chitwood said of the Speedway's hidden treasures. "We want them to know that we have this great history of objects and how special this area is to motorsports."
Roche admitted he was anxious before the first group toured the facility. Afterward, he felt much better.
"I was very nervous," he said. "You know how it's been. Ring the bell. Show your credentials to come in here. Actually, that secrecy adds to the mystique for the public."
Getting a peek at the ISC Archive was especially appealing to Connie Clark from Cincinnati, who liked the car collection display.
"I didn't know we were the first group to tour here," she said. "That's kind of special. It's really interesting. This is neat. This was well worth the money."
TOUR INFO:
LENGTH: 3 hours, air-conditioned bus
HIGHLIGHTS: Drivers' meeting room, Sprint Cup garages, tech inspection, Victory Lane, France suite, ISC archive, Daytona 500 winning car
LIMIT: Maximum 28 customers
DATES: Thursday; May 3, 12, 17, 21, 26, 31; June 9, 14, 18, 23, 28
COST: $50 per person
RESERVATIONS: 877-306-7223
MORE: DIS website
__________________________________________________ _________
NOTE FROM ME: Despite our "secretive" nature, the Archives is available to current and former drivers & their families, track owners & personnel, media and whatever person I will let in... you do not have to be affiliated with NASCAR... just race or like racing... If you will be in the Daytona area and would like a tour contact me but it is by appointment only... Contact me by e-mail at announcerdave@usa.net.
The article and several photos can be viewed by going to the online page of the Daytona Beach News Journal.