"Where it all began..."

Long Island Racing Historian Marty Himes Integral Part of Class of 2006
by Joe Saraceno

     Marty Himes has been just about everything you can be in auto racing from a car owner, driver, mechanic, crew chief, fan promoter, and finally the "legend" of motor sports with his museum for vintage auto racing cars, and that all goes along with them.

     If you've never been to the 'Himes Museum of Motor Racing Nostalgia', located at 15 O'Neil Avenue in Bay Shore, Long Island, or on the internet at:  www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/6115.  He can be contacted for Museum tours at (631) 666-4912.

     If you've never been there, you should get over there and witness the greatest collection of auto racing memorabilia assembled on Long Island. Marty has more than 20 cars including Midgets, Indy Cars, Stock Cars, TQ's, Modifieds, Figure Eights, and Outlaw Sprints for you to see and touch. He even has the old ticket booth from Freeport Speedway on the premises.

     I could go on and on about this place, and I'll say that you have to see it to believe it.  Just the collections of well over 100,000 photographs will have you in awe. Islip, Freeport, and Riverhead all have a good showing at this museum. In fact, at this year's banquet, we decided to place the Ernie Maynor Hall of Fame plaque on display at Marty's museum, which will be on 'permanent loan', only being taken away for the yearly S.A.F.E.R. Awards Banquet.

     We honor Marty Himes for over 30 years as the museum's curator, and for everything he has accomplished as he is inducted into the Hall of Fame.