CELEBRITY PANEL TO HONOR SAM POSEY AT SARATOGA AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM’S JUNE GALA
Story By: HOLLY HULFISH / SAM MEDIA Photos By:GETTY IMAGES
Saratoga Springs, NY – March 10, 2016- The June opening of the Saratoga Automobile Museum’s new Golub Gallery exhibit, “POSEY: Shifting Through the Creative Life of Sam Posey,” will be highlighted by a celebrity panel’s discussion of his multi-faceted career during the Museum’s annual gala, set for Friday, June 24 at the museum.
Posey will be on hand along with veteran TV personality Bob Varsha, who will moderate a distinguished panel slated to honor their longtime friend, famed racer, author, broadcaster, architect, and painter. The panel will include Frank Stella, iconic figure of Post-War American art, Skip Barber, renowned former racer and Lime Rock Park owner, Bill Warner, founder and chairman of the famed Amelia Island Concours, Luigi Chinetti Jr., scion of the oldest Ferrari importer in America, and Archie Urciuoli, a longtime sports car racer, author of children’s books and former chairman of Merrill Lynch International.
A resident of nearby Sharon, CT, Posey has had a fabulous and varied career that took him from entry level racing at Lime Rock Park to driving in the Indianapolis 500, Formula One and the 24 Hours of LeMans. Following his retirement from competition, Posey returned to Indianapolis as a broadcaster for ABC, a career that would later bring him an Emmy for Best Writing in recognition of his observations on a number of events, including Alaska’s iconic Iditarod sled dog race.
In recent years, Posey has become equally as well known for his architectural designs, his paintings and his devotion to model trains, which resulted in a very popular book on the subject.
“Anyone who has read Sam’s wonderful book “The Mudge Pond Express” knows the key role a slot car racing set played in the awakening of a shy, admittedly nonathletic kid whose whole world changed when he discovered something he was not only fascinated by, but very good at,” summed up Varsha. “That talent and confidence led to a driving career at tracks from his beloved Lime Rock Park to Indianapolis and Le Mans.
Away from the circuits his intelligence and sense of style was on display in his prolific work as an artist and architect, while his communication skills gave birth to yet another career as a writer and broadcaster, a small corner of his amazing life I was lucky enough to share. Sam is simply one of the most accomplished people I have ever met, and I look forward to sharing him with the audience at the Saratoga Auto Museum in June.”
The Saratoga Automobile Museum, located on the Avenue of the Pines in the scenic Saratoga Spa State Park, is recognized nationally for its innovative programs highlighting the dangers of distracted driving. The gala is held annually to support that program and the museum’s many other educational programs and exhibits.
More information on the SAM gala, the upcoming Posey exhibit and other Saratoga Automobile Museum activities can be found online at www.saratogaautomuseum.org
The mission of the Saratoga Automobile Museum is to preserve, interpret and exhibit automobiles and automotive artifacts. We celebrate the automobile and educate the general public, students and enthusiasts regarding the role of the automobile in New York State and in the wider world. In addition to technical and design aspects, our educational focus is on the past, present and future social and economic impact of the automobile. With a strong focus on safety today on the roads. The Museum is chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York Department of Education as a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit institution. The Museum is a member of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and the National Association of Automobile Museums (NAAM).
