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- Remembering Parnelli Jones (1933-2024) - Auto racing lost a legend, and The Henry Ford lost a friend, when Parnelli Jones passed away on June 4, 2024. Rufus Parnell Jones (an aunt gave him his lifelong nickname, “Parnelli”) was born August 12, 1933, in Texarkana, Texas.
- June 08, 2024
- Collections - article
Remembering Parnelli Jones (1933-2024)
Auto racing lost a legend, and The Henry Ford lost a friend, when Parnelli Jones passed away on June 4, 2024. Rufus Parnell Jones (an aunt gave him his lifelong nickname, “Parnelli”) was born August 12, 1933, in Texarkana, Texas.
- Janet Guthrie: Breaking Indy's Glass Ceiling - Explore the inspiring story of Janet Guthrie, the first woman race car driver to qualify and compete in both the Indy 500 and Daytona 500.
- March 01, 2021
- Collections - article
Janet Guthrie: Breaking Indy's Glass Ceiling
Explore the inspiring story of Janet Guthrie, the first woman race car driver to qualify and compete in both the Indy 500 and Daytona 500.
- Wendell Scott: Breaking NASCAR’s Color Barrier - Wendell Scott overcame obstacles, including the insidious challenge of racism, to become the first African American driver to compete full-time in NASCAR’s top-level Cup Series. Learn his story on our blog.
- February 12, 2021
- Collections - article
Wendell Scott: Breaking NASCAR’s Color Barrier
Wendell Scott overcame obstacles, including the insidious challenge of racism, to become the first African American driver to compete full-time in NASCAR’s top-level Cup Series. Learn his story on our blog.
- Remembering Dan Gurney (1931-2018) - Race car driver and friend of The Henry Ford Dan Gurney leaves behind a rich and enduring legacy. His spirit, determination, and accomplishments will continue to inspire generations to come.
- January 16, 2018
- Collections - article
Remembering Dan Gurney (1931-2018)
Race car driver and friend of The Henry Ford Dan Gurney leaves behind a rich and enduring legacy. His spirit, determination, and accomplishments will continue to inspire generations to come.
- Just Added to Our Digital Collections: Spindizzies - Recently, we’ve been digitizing a collection acquired last year of spindizzies, a type of model race car. Spindizzies were popular in the 1930s and 1940s, incorporating model airplane engines powered by gasoline.
- September 09, 2014
- Collections - article
Just Added to Our Digital Collections: Spindizzies
Recently, we’ve been digitizing a collection acquired last year of spindizzies, a type of model race car. Spindizzies were popular in the 1930s and 1940s, incorporating model airplane engines powered by gasoline.
- Just Added to Our Digital Collections: Dave Friedman Photos - One of the gems to be found in The Henry Ford’s archives is the Dave Friedman auto racing collection, particularly covering racing from the 1960s through 1990s.
- August 28, 2015
- Collections - article
Just Added to Our Digital Collections: Dave Friedman Photos
One of the gems to be found in The Henry Ford’s archives is the Dave Friedman auto racing collection, particularly covering racing from the 1960s through 1990s.
- Jim Clark and the 1965 Indianapolis 500 - Scotsman Jim Clark won the Indianapolis 500 with this rear-engine car in 1965. After his victory, a traditional front-engine car never won that race again. The Lotus-Ford combined a European Formula One-inspired lightweight chassis with a big Ford V-8 engine. The Lotus-Ford's success effectively killed the traditional Indy roadster and established a new design for American race cars.
- September 05, 2013
- Collections - Set
Jim Clark and the 1965 Indianapolis 500
Scotsman Jim Clark won the Indianapolis 500 with this rear-engine car in 1965. After his victory, a traditional front-engine car never won that race again. The Lotus-Ford combined a European Formula One-inspired lightweight chassis with a big Ford V-8 engine. The Lotus-Ford's success effectively killed the traditional Indy roadster and established a new design for American race cars.
- Race Cars of Driven to Win - Scotsman Jim Clark won the Indianapolis 500 with this rear-engine car in 1965. After his victory, a traditional front-engine car never won that race again. The Lotus-Ford combined a European Formula One-inspired lightweight chassis with a big Ford V-8 engine. The Lotus-Ford's success effectively killed the traditional Indy roadster and established a new design for American race cars.
- April 01, 2021
- Collections - Set
Race Cars of Driven to Win
Scotsman Jim Clark won the Indianapolis 500 with this rear-engine car in 1965. After his victory, a traditional front-engine car never won that race again. The Lotus-Ford combined a European Formula One-inspired lightweight chassis with a big Ford V-8 engine. The Lotus-Ford's success effectively killed the traditional Indy roadster and established a new design for American race cars.
- Exceptional Engines - Take a fascinating look at the machines that move us with Curator of Transportation Matt Anderson. Explore some of the more unusual automobile engines in The Henry Ford’s collection, like Franklin’s air-cooled crosshead of 1905 or Chrysler’s experimental gas turbine of 1963. The heart of any car is its engine, and through the evolution of engine design and technology, we discover the importance of how innovation and diversity shape the automotive landscape.
- May 30, 2024
- Collections - Video
Exceptional Engines
Take a fascinating look at the machines that move us with Curator of Transportation Matt Anderson. Explore some of the more unusual automobile engines in The Henry Ford’s collection, like Franklin’s air-cooled crosshead of 1905 or Chrysler’s experimental gas turbine of 1963. The heart of any car is its engine, and through the evolution of engine design and technology, we discover the importance of how innovation and diversity shape the automotive landscape.
- A Lesson in Safety: Salt Walther’s Race Car - David "Salt" Walther's 1973 crash is still considered one of the worst in Indy 500 history. See the remains of his McLaren M16A on exhibit in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, and learn more about the safety innovations sparked by the crash.
- February 28, 2022
- Collections - article
A Lesson in Safety: Salt Walther’s Race Car
David "Salt" Walther's 1973 crash is still considered one of the worst in Indy 500 history. See the remains of his McLaren M16A on exhibit in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, and learn more about the safety innovations sparked by the crash.