Petersen Automotive Museum Opens ‘Driven to Win’ Exhibit

1966 Lola T70 MKII Spyder

The Petersen Automotive Museum announced its newest exhibit, “Driven to Win: The Automobile in Competition,” is now open in the Charles Nearburg Family Gallery. The display showcases more than 100 years of motorsport history across a variety of competitive disciplines and highlights the technologies that propelled winning race cars across the finish line.

Vehicles on display include iconic racers, such as the 1946 Kurtis-Miller Ross Page Special, the 1968 AAR Eagle 68 driven by Denny Hulme, the 2018 McLaren MCL33, the 1966 Lola T70 MKII Spyder and the 1993 AAR Toyota Eagle MKIII, which achieved 21 wins in 27 IMSA races, along with the 1913 Mercer Type 35-J Raceabout, considered one of the U.S.’s first sports cars.

The exhibit also features the 1957 Teverbaugh & Kirkland Bonneville Special, a land speed racer that was the first equipped with a parachute, the 1957 Chevrolet 150 Utility Sedan “Black Widow” by SEDCO, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona raced by Buddy Baker in 1969 and 1970 when he became the first driver to achieve 200 mph on a closed course, the 1972 Alpine A110 1800 Group IV that competed in the inaugural World Rally Championship and the 2010 John Force Racing Ford Mustang driven by Force to his 15th NHRA Nitro Funny Car Championship.

1968 AAR Eagle 68

“Motorsports is a significant part of automotive history, and this display represents the ever-evolving journey of racing,” said Terry L. Karges, executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum. “We hope our guests enjoy a look at how auto racing has evolved over the last century.”

“Driven to Win: The Automobile in Competition” will be displayed at the Petersen Automotive Museum until 2025. 

By Pat Curtin

Pat Curtin is the managing editor of THE SHOP magazine.