Widdis Down Under

01/29/03
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Don Erickson
WiddisRacing.com

DETROIT, MI - The entire Widdis family recently "went down under" to attend many different auto-racing attractions.

The Widdis family recently made the long trek to Detroit, Michigan to attend the 37th Annual MARFC Dinner Dance & Awards Banquet. The team, though, made a few stops along the way.

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is located in Novi, Michigan just off I-96. The museum terrifically showcases the history and legends of American motorsports. The museum has "champion and record holding race vehicles" such as Art Arfon's Green Monster, Kenny Bernstein's Funny Car, Cale Yarborough's Hardees stock car, Darrell Waltrip's "Tide Ride", and Dale Jarret's No. 88 Quality Care Ford. Other great features of the museum include stirring race videos, slot cars, driver uniforms, and memorabilia displays. An onsite computer is set up to browse the museum's website, and an "in your face" feel for driving in a Daytona 500. The museum has many headsets ready for you to listen to a conversation between a driver and his crew chief at the biggest races of the year: the Daytona 500. The Hall of Fame honors those racers "who have demonstrated skill and excellence in motorsports." Some inductees include A.J. Foyt, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Shirley Muldowney, Kenny Roberts, Ameilia Earhart, Lee Petty, and many, many more! You can visit the museum's website at www.mshf.com.

From its humble beginnings as the "Detroit Auto Show" to its current status as the "North American International Auto Show" one thing is for sure: Detroit sure knows what's best for all Americans, cars, trucks, concepts, and just about anything that can move! The "North American International Auto Show began in 1907 in a beer garden in Detroit, Michigan. A total of 17 exhibitors showed 33 vehicles that first, groundbreaking year. The auto show has grown tremendously over the years moving the show to several different locations along the way. In 1965 the "Detroit Auto Show" moved to its current home at Cobo Conference/Exhibition Center in downtown Detroit. The first time auto manufactures displayed their vehicles was in 1957. Domestic models now shared the floor space with the likes of Volvo, German Isetta, Jaguar, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz. The show officially became the "North American International Auto Show" in 1989. The NAIAS has literally become one of the biggest happenings in the auto world. Individuals from many different countries flock to Detroit to witness the wonder of the NAIAS.

At the MARFC Dinner Dance & Awards Banquet Bret Widdis accepted his second award for his accomplishments in his record setting 2002 season at Kinross Speedway. Bret was the 2002 Kinross Speedway Soo Automotive Pure Stock Champion as well as the 6th place finisher in the Late Model division.