Inaugural Petersen Invitational Offers Ultimate Driving Weekend

Inaugural Petersen Invitational Offers Ultimate Driving Weekend

The Petersen Automotive Museum, the stewards of automotive stories in Southern California and beyond, offers car enthusiasts a unique motorsports opportunity February 21-22 at the private Thermal Club motorsports country club near Palm Springs. The Petersen Invitational is a fund-raiser that benefits the Petersen Automotive Museum’s year-long $120 million remodeling project. The museum is scheduled to re-open in December 2015.

 The Petersen Invitational offers driving enthusiasts an opportunity to autocross their own cars plus test these models on The Thermal Club’s “private pavement”: Lotus Evora, Lexus RC, BMW M-Class, Porsche Model S and Porsche Cayman S. Rides will be available in a Lamborghini Super Trofeo; the exotic Scarbo SVF1 re-creation 1967 Ferrari 312 Formula 1 car will be on display.

 The weekend also includes a cocktail party and dinner honoring 1985 Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan.

 Commenting on hosting the fund-raiser, Dave Jenkins, The Thermal Club’s Sales & Marketing Director, said, “The Petersen Automotive Museum has been a friend to The Thermal Club since it was just an orchard of palm trees. From our ground-breaking to our first few laps around the tracks, they have chosen to share their confidence in our concept of a world-class club for drivers, by attending our many mile-marker events along the way. We appreciate their confidence and support, and are now excited to share our new tracks, clubhouses, and thriving social scene in return.

 “There is no club or group more in tune with the auto world both past and present than the Petersen Automotive Museum, so we are thrilled to welcome them out for this special weekend of driving, along with celebrity entertainment under the stars.” Adam Langsbard, the museum’s Chief Marketing Officer, added, “The Petersen Automotive Museum is thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with The Thermal Club for our inaugural Petersen Invitational. The ability to conduct such a rich, experiential event at an exclusive place like the Thermal Club is more than we could have ever asked for. The facilities are perfect for the kind of museum fund-raiser we want to host: something very different from the traditional stuffy dinner, guest speakers and auction items, but an environment suited towards pulse-pounding automotive fun.”

 

The Thermal Club’s gates open for the event at 2:00 PM on February 21. Following afternoon driving experiences and an exotic-car concours, participants will be treated to a cocktail reception and dinner. Famous driver Danny Sullivan will be honored. Event emcee is KABC Channel 7 (Los Angeles) automotive reporter Dave Kunz.

 Additionally, participants with full-weekend Driver Tickets will be treated to meals on Sunday, February 22, and additional track time on The Thermal Club’s road course. For additional information and to purchase tickets for this fund-raiser, please visit PetersenEvents.org. Use the promo code Enthusiast for special pricing.

 The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, California 90036. For general Museum information, call 323/930-CARS or visit the Museum’s Web site at: www.petersen.org.

  

Petersen Invitational Fact Sheet

Inaugural Motorsports Fund-Raiser,

February 21-22, Thermal Motorsports Club, Thermal, CA

 

• Benefit for the Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation (Los Angeles, CA)
• A 501(c)(3) non-profit
• Mission: Automotive preservation and education, particularly the automobile’s influence on Southern California culture and life

 

            Petersen Automotive Museum

• Opened on June 11, 1994
• Currently undergoing a $120 million total renovation
• Will re-open December 2015 with 300,000 square feet of exhibit space and 25 galleries on three floors:
  

  Petersen Museum Exterior

            Third Floor: History of the Automobile

            Second Floor: Industry / Technology –

            motorsports gallery, satellite Art Center College of Design Campus

            First Floor: Art of the Automobile, restaurant, gift store

            Vault: basement visible storage and maintenance shop –

            above-ground galleries can accommodate about 150 cars, another 150+ vehicles are stored here

 

            Petersen Invitational at The Thermal Club

• Sponsors / Available Cars:

            Lotus Evora – Sage Lotus of Palm Springs

            Lamborghini Super Trofeo – Beverly Hills Lamborghini

            Porsche Cayman S – Thermal Club

            BMW M-Class – Thermal Club

            Lexus RC F

            Tesla Model S

            Scarbo Performance SVF1 Formula 1 recreation (display only)

• Cocktail Party and Dinner

            Honoring Indy 500 Winner Danny Sullivan

            Hosted by ABC-7 Los Angeles Auto Specialist Dave Kunz

• National Media Coverage (scheduled to appear): Motor Trend, Hot Rod
• Enthusiast Tickets include rides/drives, concours, cocktails and dinner
  

  Thermal Club

• Driver’s Tickets add Sunday hot laps on the Thermal Club’s track
• Additional Information: Petersenevents.org (use discount promo code Enthusiast)

 

The Thermal Club: “Private Pavement”

• Private motorsports-themed “country club” community
• Open to members and their guests
• 3 independent racetracks plus go-kart facility
• Full course is 4.5 miles
• Additional Information: TheThermalClub.com

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