Tribute to Legendary Racer George Follmer at the Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Museum is hosting a tribute to legendary racer George Follmer on Thursday night, and if you live near Los Angeles and like checking out vintage race cars, this is an event you should check  out. Over the course of his career, Follmer competed in Trans Am, Can-Am, ran three races at Indy, ripped up the ovals in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and competed in Formula 1, and there are going to be nine examples of his vintage racers on display.

The Porsche 917/10 pictured above is coming in for the event from a private collection in Chicago, and this could be the last time the public gets a chance to see it.  There will also be a laundry list of racing royalty—including Hall of Famer Parnelli Jones—rounding out the crowd, so while the $125 admission isn’t cheap, you’ll be rubbing shoulders with some very cool cats. 

Get all the details below!

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RACING LEGENDS AND HISTORIC RACE CARS PAY TRIBUTE TO GEORGE FOLLMER THIS THURSDAY AT PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM

(LOS ANGELES, NOVEMBER 5, 2012)– For its fourteenth year of celebrating Legends of Motorsport, the Petersen Automotive Museum, along with the Checkered Flag 200, a support group of the museum, will present a very special “Tribute to George Follmer” program at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles on Thursday, November 8, beginning with cocktails at 6:00 p.m. The dinner event will feature prominent guests, friends and colleagues. The evening’s festivities include a gallery display of George Follmer-centric race cars and memorabilia generously supported by eminent collectors.

A bevy of historic race cars from Follmer’s illustrious career will be on display including the Porsche 917/10 that Follmer drove to victory in the 1972 Can-Am Championship. “People at this year’s tribute event will see the mighty Porsche 917 for probably the last time. It has been sent to the Petersen from Chicago as a special gesture to honor George Follmer. After this event the car will return to a private collection and Porsche enthusiasts may not see it again. People attending the George Follmer Tribute are the lucky ones,’ said event organizer Tom McIntyre.

Historically significant Follmer race cars on display will include:
1960 Porsche 550A Spyder Raced in 1961
1966 Penske Lola T-70
1968 Penske Trans Am Camaro
1969 Bud Moore Trans Am Boss 302
1970 Bud Moore Trans Am Boss 302
1972 Roy Woods Trans Am AMC Javelin
1972 Can Am Porsche 917-10
1974 UOP Can Am Shadow DN4
1976 Vasek Polak Trans Am Porsche 934

In addition to the collection of vintage race cars, Tribute Night guests will mingle racing greats during cocktail hour. A buffet dinner follows, then a multi-monitor video screening compiled of filmed and still photo highlights from Follmer’s competition years.

Follmer’s teammates and competitors will be introduced to tell some of their best stories from knowing George Follmer, with the tribute evening hosted and moderated by Master of Ceremonies Bill Stephens.

Invited racing personalities include:
Car Fabricator, Bruce Burness
Competitor, Jim Busby
Trans Am Champion, Tomy Drisi
Owner/Driver, Jim Hall
Race Car Designer, Trevor Harris
Champion Driver, Parnelli Jones
Driver, Rick Knoop
Journalist, Pete Lyons
Author, Tom Madigan
Le Mans Co-Driver, John Morton
Formula 1 Owner/Constructor, Don Nichols
SCCA Rival, Patrick Scooter
Penske 917 Crew Chief, Woody Woodard

The Tribute to George Follmer event is sponsored by Ford Motor Company. Porsche 917 transportation provided by Intercity Lines, Inc.

To guarantee admission for this gathering, or for more information on the event at the Petersen Automotive Museum, please call Sarah Hill (323) 964-6325, or Paul Moritz (323) 964-6359. Reserved ticket purchase is priced at $125 per person for Museum Members, $150 for non-members. Ticket price includes buffet dinner, the evening’s complete program, and parking. A cash bar will be available. Tickets are not mailed; “Tribute to George Follmer” reservations will be held at the Petersen Museum door. Tickets may also be purchased online through the Museum’s website at www.petersen.org.

The Petersen Automotive Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90036-3605, with enclosed Museum parking entrance just south of Wilshire on Fairfax Avenue. This “Tribute to George Follmer” one-night event is industry sponsored and brought to you by the avid Checkered Flag 200 members of the Petersen Automotive Museum. For more general Museum information, call 323-930-CARS (2277).

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