LeMay – America’s Car Museum To Open ‘For Gold & Glory’ Exhibition
World premiere exhibition tells the extraordinary story of Charlie Wiggins, an American racing legend whose achievements were nearly lost to history…
LeMay – America’s Car Museum will open “For Gold & Glory” on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, bringing national attention to Charlie Wiggins, the brilliant driver, mechanic, innovator and four-time Gold & Glory champion whose achievements were long excluded from the best-known narratives of American motorsports, museum officials stated in a press release.
Ed Welburn, former vice president of Global Design at General Motors, serves as guest curator of “For Gold & Glory.” He is the singular driving force behind championing Wiggins’ legacy and securing the rights to tell Wiggins’ life story with the care, authority and scale it deserves, the release noted.
The exhibition traces Wiggins’ life and racing career within the vibrant world of Indiana Avenue and the Gold & Glory Sweepstakes. Through historical imagery, artifacts, automotive design, sound and immersive interpretation, visitors will encounter both Wiggins’ extraordinary talent and the barriers Black racers faced in segregated America.
“Charlie Wiggins’ story represents exactly why museums like ours exist,” says Bruce Patton, curator at LeMay – America’s Car Museum. “Automotive history is not only about the cars that were built or the races that were won, but about the people whose ingenuity, determination and courage shaped the culture around them. ‘For Gold & Glory’ gives us an extraordinary opportunity to bring Charlie’s achievements to a much wider audience and help restore his rightful place in American motorsports history. We are incredibly proud to work alongside Ed Welburn to tell this story with the depth, respect and ambition it deserves.”
100 Years After Wiggins’ First Championship & the Recovery of the Wiggins Special
The launch campaign began Aug. 7, exactly 100 years after Wiggins won the first of his four championships in the Wiggins Special, the race car he built himself. The centennial anchors a campaign designed to move from curiosity to education and, ultimately, to the long-overdue public recognition of Wiggins’ place in American racing history, museum officials said.
At the center of the exhibition will be the original Wiggins Special. Lost for more than 90 years, the one-of-one race car built and driven by Wiggins himself has been recovered and acquired and will be part of the new “For Gold & Glory” exhibition at the museum. Wiggins drove the car to four Gold & Glory Sweepstakes championships, making its return a powerful connection between his remarkable achievements and the history the exhibition seeks to restore. The exhibition opening will be the first public viewing of the prolific race car in more than 90 years.
Guest curator Welburn’s presence will be central to opening week. The celebrated automotive designer will be at the museum Sept. 11-19 for exhibition previews, media interviews, private tours and guided experiences.
“Charlie Wiggins was so much more than just a great race car driver,” says Welburn. “He was a brilliant mechanic, an innovator, a craftsman and a champion who achieved extraordinary accomplishments despite barriers that should never have been placed in his way. I have carried Charlie’s story with me for many years, and seeing it come to life through ‘For Gold & Glory’ is deeply personal. My hope is that people walk into this exhibition not knowing his name and leave inspired by his story and unbelievable perseverance.”
Opening Week Schedule & Activities
- Sept. 11: Concours Club Gathering VIP exhibition preview with Welburn, providing guests the first official viewing of “For Gold & Glory.”
- Sept. 15-17: Flexible media days for on-site television, radio, print, digital, podcast, photography and creator interviews. The Museum’s Tuesday and Wednesday closures offer controlled access for production, interviews, photography and B-roll.
- Sept. 18: Sponsor, partner and VIP private evening with Ed Welburn
- Sept. 19, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.: Official public opening celebration during regular museum hours.
The Sept. 19 public opening will coincide with Family STEAM Day, offering free admission to visitors 18 and under; Avants Wagonfest on the museum field; public exhibition programming; and a performance in the exhibition by a local high school jazz band. Together, the programs will create a full-day destination for families, automotive enthusiasts, history audiences, and the wider community, museum officials added.
