When we planned a camping trip in Talladega, Alabama, our main goal was to check out the state’s high point- because, yes, we’re the kind of people who go out of our way for that kind of thing. But once we realized just how much racing history is packed into this area, we decided to lean all the way into the motorsports theme.
Even though we weren’t there for race weekend (which is still on Josh’s bucket list- someday!), we toured the Talladega Superspeedway, strolled through the Talladega Walk of Fame, and spent a solid hour getting lost in the stories and artifacts at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum. I’ll be honest, I’m not a racing fan, but I still found this place super interesting. The history, the cars, the sheer variety of motorsports represented- it was way cooler than I expected.
If you’re passing through or already planning a stop in Talladega, this museum makes a fun and surprisingly fascinating detour. Here’s what to know before you go.
About the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum
If you’re even a little into racing, or just curious about the legends behind the wheel, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (IMHOF) in Lincoln, Alabama is worth pulling off the highway for. Sitting right next to the famous Talladega Superspeedway, this museum is a deep dive into the fast, loud, and fascinating history of motorsports.
Since 1983, the IMHOF has been collecting some of the coolest and most significant racing artifacts out there. The museum is broken into three exhibit halls and a pavilion area, each packed with everything from vintage motorcycles to championship stock cars, open-wheel racers, dragsters, and more. It’s kind of like a time machine for racing fans, with vehicles and memorabilia from almost every type of motorsport imaginable.
But it’s not just about the cars. The museum also honors the people behind them. You’ll find tributes to the greats in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame itself, plus several other halls of fame housed within the building, including:
- The ARCA Hall of Fame
- The Quarter Midgets of America Hall of Fame
- The Alabama Racing Pioneers Hall of Fame
- The Alabama Sports Writers Hall of Fame
And if you’re a motorsports nerd (in the best possible way), the McCaig-Wellborn Motorsports Research Library is a must-see. It’s 3,000 square feet of racing knowledge, with over 14,000 books, magazines, and archives. Just note- it’s only open on weekdays.
You can take your time here. The tour is self-guided and usually takes about an hour, but racing fans might want to linger a little longer.
How to Visit the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum
Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning a visit to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame:
Location
3198 Speedway Blvd, Lincoln, AL 35096
Right next to Talladega Superspeedway
Website
https://www.motorsportshalloffame.com/
Hours
Open Monday through Sunday, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Special hours apply on race weekends, so check ahead if you’re visiting during an event.
Admission
- Adults: $15
- Seniors & Military: $12
- Kids under 12: $7
Bonus: Leashed dogs are welcome! So your pup can tag along for the ride through racing history.
Pro Tip: If you’re already planning to catch a race at Talladega, build in a little extra time to check out the museum. It’s literally right next door and makes for a perfect pre-race stop.
International Motorsports Hall of Fame Highlights
The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a massive museum, but very well organized and laid out. There are arrows pointing you the right direction as you move from room to room, and plenty of signage to explain what you’re looking (which is especially helpful to someone like me who doesn’t actually know racing).
From the ticket desk, you’ll first head into the Bill Frances Sr. Building (the round room pictured on the left above), then follow the arrows into the Union 76 Building (the room with the checkered floor on the right above), which also has the actual Hall of Fame. From there, you’ll keep making a circle around the building to the Enoch Staley Building, before looping back to the entrance. These rooms all surround the covered pavilion, which you can access from any of the hallways between buildings.
So let’s look at some of our favorite things we saw!
There are lots of famous cars here driven by drivers like Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty, Dane Earnhardt, Bobby Allison, and Bill Elliott… and of course the car driven by Ricky Bobby (IYKYK).
Besides cars from famous drivers, there are also cars from all eras of racing, as well as prototype cars. There is a really wide range of vehicles, which made it interesting for a non-race fan. I love that the early race cars were actual sports cars that from the outside look the same as something you’d see on the road.
The red car in the bottom left photo is the Panoz LMP-1 Roadster #50, a replica of a 1999 concept car. It’s the only open cockpit front engine prototype sports car. The white car on the bottom right is the Sears XDH-1 Research Car, an electric car equipped with 20 DieHard batteries.
Some of the other interesting vehicles here are the Budweiser Rocket (in red) and the Bonneville Land Speed Streamliner (in black). The Budweiser Rocket set several speed records in 1979 and reached the speed of sound. The Bonneville Land Speed Streamliner is the only gasoline powered car to achieve over 400 MPH.
Besides cars, there are plenty of other vehicles- trucks, vans, motorcycles, go-karts, and even Dale Earnhardt’s motor coach that he traveled in while racing.
There are a couple different sections of the museum dedicated to different classes of go-karting. The blue kart on the right below is the world’s fastest kart! It’s called the Blendzall Special and its record was 152.07 MPH.
Besides racing bikes, there are also some fun unique ones on display! The middle bike is a Caterpillar-themed bike built for the TV show American Chopper. I used to live near Caterpillar headquarters, so stuff like this is always fun to me!
Of course, we can’t forget the Hall of Fame itself. Unfortunately, the displays are not up to date and the most recent inductee on display is from the ’90s, but it was fun to look for recognizable names.
One of the big exhibits is on the Alabama Gang and Alabama’s racing history in general. The Alabama Gang was a group of NASCAR drivers who operated out of Huetyown, AL and included Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Davey Allison, Neil Bonnett, Red Farmer, and Clifford Allison.
One of my favorite sections was Crash Corner. The first car in this row is to show modern safety standards, and the other two are actual race wrecks. What was even wilder was that above each of these cars were TVs playing footage of the actual crashes. Seeing the cars in person was really eye-opening and it’s amazing how much damage they can take! The drivers from these crashes were all relatively unharmed.
And finally, here are just a couple more cars I thought looked neat!
More to Do in Talladega
Make sure to check out our other Talladega posts:
