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Your readers should call 1-800-916-0040 (USA and Canada) or 1-314-421-1023 for a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitors Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis online at www.explorestlouis.com
St. Louis Automotive Attractions
Make Car Buffs' Hearts Race
Make Car Buffs' Hearts Race
Perhaps St. Louis' location along historic Route 66 nurtured the natives' affection for and interest in the automobile. In addition to the excitement of professional auto racing at Gateway International Raceway, St. Louis boasts other automotive attractions and points-of-interest for visitors.
St. Louis is home to a famed vehicle of the monster truck circuit and movies - Bigfoot 4x4. The original monster truck is on display at Big Foot 4x4, Inc. along with memorabilia tracing the 30-year history of the Bigfoot phenomenon. The free attraction, which bills itself as the world's only monster truck factory, museum and store, is located at 6311 N. Lindbergh.
More than 300 moving vehicles are on display at the Museum of Transportation. In addition to locomotives, streetcars, and aircraft, the passenger car collection includes one of only two remaining Chrysler Turbine cars, the 1964 Bobby Darin "Dream Car" created by Andy DaDia, and a 1901 St. Louis car - a four-seat, single or two-cylinder engine vehicle with tiller steering that was locally manufactured by the St. Louis Motor Carriage Company. A new automobile gallery designed as a "dealer showroom" features an ever-changing display of vintage vehicles from the museum's vast collection. It includes a special display commemorating St. Louis' connection with Route 66 that showcases a portion of the old Coral Court Motel, a deco-style motor hotel that was once located on the St. Louis stretch of the "Mother Road." Fun exhibits on speedometers, license plates and other auto ephemera fill a second floor gallery. Kids can pretend to sail a pirate ship and fulfill other transportation fantasies in an expanded, colorful playroom. No pretending is necessary to hop aboard the museum's two new mini-locomotives pulling passenger cars along a mile-long track.
At the Missouri History Museum in historic Forest Park, classic car buffs can view a beautiful 1924 Moon Roadster and authentic "Moon car" advertising displays. Joseph W. Moon's Buggy Company began manufacturing automobiles in St. Louis in 1905 for the 1906 model year. After WWI, Moon built a reputation by copying the design of more expensive European cars and selling the vehicles at affordable prices. By 1925 Moon turned out over 10,000 cars per year and employed over 800 workers. The company closed in the early years of The Great Depression. Open daily, general admission to the Missouri History Museum is always free.
The Moon Antique Car ride at Six Flags St. Louis allows even the youngest "drivers" to experience the thrill of the road. Youngsters can steer replicas of 1911 Cadillacs along a track through a scenic, relaxing drive in the 1904 World's Fair section of the theme park. Drivers smaller than 42 inches tall take mom or dad along for the ride. Six Flags St. Louis is open daily from mid-May through August; weekends from April to mid-May and weekends during September and October.
Major league motorsports events are held at the massive track at Gateway International Raceway which is located just minutes from Downtown St. Louis in Madison, Illinois. Annual big racing events include NHRA Drag Racing and Sport Compact Series, NASCAR Busch and CraftsmanTruck Series, motorcycle competitions and weekly drag racing.
Two distinctly different vehicles are on display at the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum and St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame & Museum. The museums, located under one roof across the street from St. Louis' Busch Stadium, celebrates two of America's favorite pastimes - bowling and baseball. The bowling museum provides a parking place for the only car in the world shaped like a bowling pin. This unique vehicle was driven in parades to promote the sport of bowling. A four-wheeled star is on the roster at the Cardinals Hall of Fame - a beautifully restored 1962 "Cardinal Red" Corvette. The classic 'Vette was presented by the Cardinals to slugger Mark McGwire the night in September 1998 when he broke the single-season home run record by hitting homer No. 62. This special car, freshly restored from the ground up, is part of a memorabilia-laden display about the 1998 phenomenal home run race.
Gateway Classic Cars, Antiques & Treasures is a vintage car lover's paradise. The dealership is home to the Midwest's premiere collection of classic and collectible vehicles. An ever-changing supply of hundreds of one-of-a-kind or hard-to-find automobiles, custom and antique trucks and rare motorcycles are on display and for sale in the massive indoor showroom that is located just minutes east of the Gateway Arch.
What do you get when you put hockey, football, polo, and basketball in supercharged bumper cars? Big fun. At Demolition Ball, two five-player teams shoot a whiffle ball through a 16-inch circular goal. It's one place where you don't mind bumping your car into another.
Grand Prix Speedways - St. Louis is where you can suit up and strap in super fast, indoor kart vehicles for a professional racing experience on the largest indoor race track in the nation. The luxury facility houses a four-star restaurant and assistants to provide pre-race safety training and rules of the indoor road.
NASCAR Speed Park, located in the St. Louis Mills shopping and entertainment complex, features five tracks of driving fun for all ages. Kid-sized rides and an official NASCAR merchandise store make this a must stop for racing fans.
Remote control electric car "drivers" can compete against other "RC" racers at Johnny Throttle Speedway. Operators can run their own RC vehicle or choose a model from the Speedway's fleet. The suburban St. Charles, Missouri attraction offers both on-road and off-road electric tracks, practice time and set competitions for 1:10, 1:18 and 1:28 scale RC cars.
Late in January each year, the America's Center® convention complex in Downtown St. Louis is transformed into a gigantic new car display lot. Serious shoppers or those who are simply browsing, can wander through 502,000 square feet of new models, both foreign and domestic, at The St. Louis Auto Show.
The Easter Bunny delivers a gift to automobile aficionados every Easter Sunday in St. Louis. The annual Easter Car Show, held in historic Forest Park, showcases between 100 to 300 street rods, street machines, mini trucks, Corvettes, classics, and notable vintage vehicles.
MEDIA NOTE: For more information or photography of St. Louis, send an e-mail to pr@explorestlouis.com or call Becky Sharp at 1-314-992-0652. For up-to-date information about St. Louis, your readers should call the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission at 1-800-916-0040 or check out our website at www.explorestlouis.com. This news release is also available in electronic form. To obtain an electronic version, e-mail your request to pr@explorestlouis.com or go to St. Louis’ online media center at www.explorestlouis.com/media.
