The Winston Cup Museum, an unofficial facility in Winston Salem, North Carolina that paid tribute to NASCAR’s golden age, closed over the weekend following a prolonged legal battle with the current owners of the Winston Cigarette brand.
The short version, explained into greater detail here and here, is that ITG Brands acquired the cigarette manufacturer from RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company in 2015 and began taking legal action against the museum this past year.
It claims it owns anything with the Winston branding on it and that includes having an interest in the items inside the museum. Will Spencer, the owner of the museum, claims ITG only acquired the cigarettes themselves not anything from the Winston Sports Marketing entity that closed in 2003.
Three lawsuits were filed and two were dismissed before Spencer decided to give up the fight last month and close the doors for good this past weekend. The physical museum housed numerous artifacts and memorabilia from when Winston sponsored the Cup Series from 1971 to 2003.
Those artifacts will be sold at a Mecum auction in Florida next month and now Spencer says the legacy of the museum will live on the form of a website and social media platform that will pay homage to that era.
The Winston Cup Museum has always been a place to celebrate racing history, honor RJ Reynolds and Sports Marketing Enterprises contributions to the sport, and give fans a place to come and walk down memory lane And as most museums can attest to this fact, it has never been a revenue generator. But preserving this history was never about money, it was about bringing joy to other people who loved this era of racing like me.
From the race fans who have visited from all over the world, to the race car drivers from the 1960s to early 2000s who have come to see their own cars on display, it was always about them. Creating the museum has been one of my greatest accomplishments and joys in my life. I take great pride in what I collected and built.
And as you can imagine, it is very hard to see it come to an end under such difficult circumstances. But, just like every good chapter in a book, there’s an ending, and I believe the time is right for that ending and new beginning. My love of history, racing, and cars has not been diminished by everything that has happened. I’m even more passionate about finding ways to talk about my own experiences in the motorsports industry, my personal car collection, and saving old race cars.
And because I still have a lot to share I will be creating a new digital platform called “Win Cup Museum” where you can continue to follow my love of all things car related from stories, photos, car restoration, interviews, and more great content with Stapleton42 and Colbert Seagraves.
We are in the process of building out the website and social media platforms and they will be available soon.
There are no words to express my gratitude for the support we have received from you all. It’s been overwhelming and humbling. It has reminded me that there are many people who understand where this passion comes from and I’m honored that you all have taken the time to express your support through your social media posts, your comments and those of you who were able to come out and visit the museum one last time.
With gratitude,
Will Spencer.