Winston Cup Museum announces it will close amid multiple lawsuits

The city of Winston-Salem is losing a staple as the Winston Cup Museum will be closing amid multiple lawsuits against them. When the museum was started in 2005, it was an ode to what is seen as the Golden Age of NASCAR. Now, it will have to close.

When the museum opened, it was not intended to infringe on any sort of copyright. However, now that the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company has been bought out by ITG Brands, things have changed. They now own the Winston brand. Winston was the title sponsor of the Cup Series from 1971-2003.

ITG has gone after the Winston Cup Museum with multiple lawsuits. The founder of the museum has simply had enough. While it is a big loss to the NASCAR community, it does seem like a lot to go through for William L. Spencer and his family.

“They [ITG] claim that we are infringing on their ability to market their cigarettes to racing fans,” a statement from the museum says. “We have put up a good battle over the past four years against multiple lawsuits. Two of which have been completely dismissed. The third lawsuit is exhaustingly ongoing.

“After much contemplation, I have come to the realization that fighting with ITG is not worth the resources that it will take and the toll it has taken on me and my family.”

The Winston Cup Museum will be CLOSED until further notice. pic.twitter.com/SyV81F4Bbb

— Winston Cup Museum (@WinCupMuseum) July 3, 2023

So, the museum is set to close. It is a strange argument that a museum prevents the company from marketing to race fans. With cigarettes being on the way out, maybe ITG needs all the money it can get.

Winston Cup Museum to close after lawsuits

When you turn your passion into a reality, it can be hard to deal with it coming to an end. I’m sure the Spencer family has done all they can. However, a big corporation with money to burn isn’t easy to beat in court. So, if this is what the museum has to do for it to end, so be it.

NASCAR fans are all about history. Before we dismiss this as a random museum coming to a close, look at it from a historical perspective. Winston-Salem and North Carolina in general are woven into the fabric of stock car racing. Race fans were able to experience and relish in the past of the sport they love with real memorabilia and other items.

When you see that car you remember winning at Martinsville or the firesuit of your favorite childhood driver, it’s more than just cool. These museums and collections retain the history of the sport in a way that pictures and videos cannot.

Sadly, the Winston Cup Museum is coming to a close after almost 20 years.