The Logbook

This presentation will discuss some of findings from Ms. Goodman’s recent work on “Rolling 20s, Roaring Art: French Automotive Mascots,” an award-winning exhibition at Revs Institute. In the process of compiling her research into a literature review, Lauren found that these small objects embody some of the big conundrums facing automobile heritage today. Could these little sculptures point us in the right direction?

In the late 19th century, cities constructed ornate opera houses as civic symbols of their cultural sophistication, and the performance of operas there provided the members—and aspiring members—of the upper crust of society with a venue in which to see and be seen.

The postwar era of Grand Prix racing was notable for the high number of Italian racers killed in accidents. Yet little attention has been paid to the role of racing “martyrs.” This presentation will examine how the Italian Fascist regime presented dead drivers as martyrs to several causes.

The OPEC Oil Embargo had a profound influence on sport, travel, and recreation throughout the U.S. In 1974, many feared racing could be banned for the first time since World War II. Competitors, spectators, fans, and the motorsports industry hoped normalcy would return to American motorsports as the 1975 season began.

The Eastern Museum of Motor Racing (EMMR) not only serves as a steward of motorsports history but also as an example of how institutional memory preserves and shapes community heritage.

Mark Raffauf’s career in motorsports embodies the ideal combination of a successful motorsports professional who has embraced the writing of history. Mark is both a fine historian and has been a key player in the success of the IMSA series from its inception to the current day.

This presentation explores the sociocultural significance of 1965: one year when new technologies emerged, ambitious plans took shape, and history was made across multiple fronts in motorsports and space exploration.

Joe will discuss the evolution of the IMRRC since its founding in 1998 and its mission to collect, share, and preserve the history of motorsports. The presentation will focus on the Center’s current digitization efforts and what to expect in 2026 and beyond

People refer to “the Watkins Glen effect,” which seems to have two distinct meanings. As Cameron Argetsinger expressed in 2007, “racing remains an economic engine not only for Watkins Glen, but for the entire upstate New York region.” This Watkins Glen “effect” was to establish racing as economically successful sports tourism with the potential to be emulated elsewhere.

For the past half-century, the FIA has been the principal driver behind efforts to make racing safer. It wasn’t always so. Although the SCCA required seat belts in 1957, the FIA didn’t follow suit until 1972.