Riverside Raceway Museum "Legends of Riverside" Event Features Films, Food, Friends, & Famed Riverside Racers - March 27-29, 2009

Riverside, Calif. - - Whether you attended every event that was ever run, or never even got

there once in person, just the mention of the name: "Riverside" stirs the soul of all true

motorsports fans. The iconic track "only 60 miles from Los Angeles" closed forever in 1989,

its exact location now overgrown by a covey of standard-looking suburban homes, a couple of

fast food-"convenience" stores, and a forlorn, half-empty shopping mall.

You really don't even have to be "of a certain age" to be a part of the magic that long,

twisting, turning, undulating strip of asphalt laid down at the foot of the hills just off Day

Street was. "Riverside," was a single word that held a world full of excitement, hard work,

horseplay, life, death, and every emotion in between.

People who had no earthly interest in sports cars or road racing still knew what others were

talking about when that iconic one-word place name came up in conversation. It was a place

of great adventure, of sunburns and frostbite, of dust and more dust, where so many saw

races and racers that they still talk about to this day.

And now, there's a wonderful opportunity planned for everyone who reacts to that word to

celebrate, enjoy, remember, revel in and relive those days. The Riverside International

Automotive Museum administration has set the weekend of March 27-29, 2009 for a very

special Riverside International Raceway reunion event.

Joining forces with Dave Wolin's annual "Automotive Film Festival", the "Legends of

Riverside" will drop the green flag with a fulll assortment of films on Friday,

a "Tribute To Paul Newman" , Friday night buffet dinner and a discussion panel of well known racers.

Saturday will bring a feature film in the morning, followed by the Can Am / USRRC / F5000 and '58 and

'59 Times Grand Prix Retrospective luncheon, with drivers of that era sharing their experiences

along with a showing of some rarely seen racing footage.

Following the luncheon an afternoon screening of a feature film will be followed by the

"Memories of RIR" dinner; honoring well known racing celebrities of the early days of

Riverside, along with the screening of a feature auto racing related film. Plans are for a

number of special awards to be presented to those who contributed so much to our racing

heritage.

In addition to movies, awards, food, and drink, other events include a silent auction of

assorted racing memorabilia, an autograph signing of the event poster by racing personalities

and a display of historic Can Am, USRRC and Formula 5000 racing cars. in addition to the

many spectacular machines on regular display at the Museum. Most importantly, all

proceeds from this inaugural event will go to charities including the Parkinson's Institute,

the Lee Iacocca Foundation, "Hole In the Wall" Camps and the CHP 11-99 Foundation.

For complete information, ticket purchases and accommodation availability and a complete

schedule of events; visit: www.legendsofriverside.com

The Museum is located in Riverside at: 815 Marlborough Ste 200, Riverside, CA 92507 (951) 369-6966

Public Hours: W- F noon - 4pm Sat 10am -4pm (951) 369-6966