Velocity Invitational tags McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Ford CEO Jim Farley to headline panel on future of motorsports
Trackside banquet during the Velocity Invitational event will raise money for the Petersen Automotive Museum and includes a live auction, panel discussions from leaders in the automotive industry on November 12th.
LOS ANGELES – The Petersen Automotive Museum, in partnership with the Velocity Invitational, will host “The Future of Motorsports Panel Discussion and Auction” at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on November 12, 2021. The event will be headlined by a panel discussion from some of today’s most influential figures in the automotive industry including McLaren Racing’s Zak Brown and Ford’s Jim Farley.
The event will feature a panel of several high-profile figures in the motorsports world, including Jim Farley, CEO of Ford; Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing; Richard Varner, CFO of MotoAmerica and chairman of the Board of Directors at the Petersen Museum; Jay Frye, President of INDYCAR and Jacob Hawksworth, Founder and CEO of Hypercraft. Guests will have the opportunity to listen to these legendary automotive personalities discuss the future of motorsports through their respective lenses.
Alongside the panel discussion, a live auction will feature a number of high end, motorsports-themed items available to bid on. The auction includes a racing suit worn by Dan Gurney at the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Long Beach Grand Prix, a ride-along with Bruce Canepa in one of his personal race cars, a signed painting by ex-Formula1 driver and painter Stefan Johansson and an ESP LTD James Hetfield Signature Iron Cross electric guitar signed by the Metallica frontman himself.
“We are honored to be a part of the first Velocity Invitational event,” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “One of our goals at the Petersen is to educate people about the history of racing and we are proud to offer a long list of vehicles and exhibits that have highlighted different moments in motorsport history.”
As part of the Velocity Invitational event, the Petersen will bring the Hetfield Collection which features James Hetfield’s personal collection of custom cars. Cars on display include his 1936 Packard “Aquarius,” 1936 Auburn Speedster replica “Slow Burn,” 1936 Ford 5-Window Coupe “Iron Fist,” 1937 Lincoln Zephyr “Voodoo Priest,” 1948 Jaguar “Black Pearl” and 1953 Buick Skylark “Skyscraper.”
The Future of Motorsports Panel and Auction takes place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Turn 1 hospitality pavilion at the track, giving guests views of the “Mini vs. Mustang” Enduro Challenge race at 5 p.m. that evening. Dinner attendees receive access to VIP parking on Friday as well as dinner and a selection of local fine wines. Event and live auction proceeds will be donated to the Petersen Automotive Museum.
The Velocity Invitational takes place November 11-14 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, Calif. with back-to-back races held daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information about the Velocity Invitational and to buy tickets for The Future of Motorsports Panel Discussion and Auction, please visit VelocityInvitational.com. For more information about exhibits and events put on by the Petersen Museum, please visit Petersen.org.
About Petersen Automotive Museum
The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, 90036. Admission prices are $17 for general admission adults, $15 for seniors and $12 for children ages 4 to 17. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under age 4 are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.petersen.org.
About Velocity Invitational
Velocity Invitational is dedicated to highlighting the best race cars and collections from the international community and the United States. The primary goal of the event is to showcase the best racing and sports cars the world has to offer while enjoying the finest wines and food in the region. For more information visit velocityinvitational.com or email info@velocityinvitational.com.
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