Sep 26, 2008

NHRA Museum Honors Trophy Queens

It was a bow to a different era, an era in which donning a chiffon gown, leotard or bikini and handing a trophy to a race winner wasn’t looked at with derision. At the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, Calif., fans recently flocked to see the opening of the new Trophy Queens exhibit. Linda Vaughn, “The First Lady of Motorsports” and acknowledged queen of the trophy queens, held court at the event, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.

Not surprising, several photos of Vaughn hang in the new Trophy Queens exhibit, which runs through August 2009. The exhibit features dozens of rare, never-before-exhibited photographs of models making trophy presentations, paying tribute to the glamour girls of racing. Some photos of Hollywood starlets who began as trophy queens are featured in the exhibit, among them a 19-year-old model named Raquel Tejada, later to become Hollywood actress Raquel Welch, and Barbara Huffman, who became Barbara Eden of “I Dream of Jeannie” TV fame. Though many of us have our individual favorites, arguably the greatest of trophy queens is Vaughn who donned many crowns, including the 1966 “Miss Hurst Golden Shifter” and 1962 “Miss Pontiac.” 

“Linda Vaughn waiting in a swim suit, clutching a trophy at the finish line would have been enough to make any hot-blooded race driver put pedal to the metal in the hopes of a hug or a kiss at the end of a grueling race,” said Tony Thacker, executive director of the Parks Museum, who might be in line for a cold shower.

Vaughn took a trip down memory lane as she strolled through the exhibit. She eyed a photo of herself at the 1969 SEMA Show in Anaheim and marveled at the velvet mini skirt and knee-high leather boots. “I still have that outfit in my closet,” she said.

At the exhibit opening, Vaughn was joined by past and present trophy queens, including Dusty Brandel, Diane Guidry, Hila Sweet, Melinda Miles and Heidi Van Horne. Brandel, who is a longtime motorsports journalist and president of the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, saw a 1956 photo of herself presenting an award to Marvin Panch at the only NASCAR race ever held in Willow Springs.

“I was doing double duty,” Brandel said. “I was covering the race, and they asked me to give out the trophy, too.”