In 2008 the Colorado 500 will be making some changes to better identify the goals and objectives for the future of the event, the preservation of the sport, and its historic values that we feel should be retained by way of a museum.

In 1974 “The Ride”, as we called it, started out as a fun ride with racers, four of which were Indy Car drivers; myself, Bobby and Al Unser, and Art Lamey from Champion Spark Plug Co., two X Motorcycle Racers, Sherm Cooper and Eddie Kretz. The other three were local friends, Lon Bromley (now Champ Cars Safety Director), Dick Singer our 32 year veteran and radio dispatcher, and Del Garner a local general contractor.

It has grown into one of the most desirable motorcycle events in the US. The Colorado 500 Road Bike Ride is held in June and the Colorado 500 Dirt Bike Ride in August.

Back in 1981, as we grew, it was decided by the riders and myself to create a charity to give back to the areas and the town’s we pass through or spend the nights in as a token of our appreciation. To help create a better image, not only for us, but for the sport in general. We feel it worked and continues to be effective.

Through the years we not only have created a great relationship with the people in the towns and on the trails but, through the generous donations of the riders to the Charities Fund (our 501(c)3 entity), we have been able to pass on donations to needed areas of the towns such as scholarships, athletic needs for schools, volunteer fire departments, medical clinics, churches, Women & Children shelters and countless other areas to assist in their needs. Our donations have totaled well over a million dollars to date. The Colorado 500 Charities Fund has been a key factor in the relationships that we have created in Colorado. Simply put, it has worked!

The prospect of a museum is very bright, we have a site picked out and are working on the design of a two story structure to accommodate a mix of Colorado 500 history of the trails and towns we have enjoyed over the years, as well as auto racing history from an educational standpoint.

We feel the museum will be an exciting and permanent legacy of the Colorado 500, its riders and its contributions over the years. The museum project will be under the Charities Fund as part of its 501(c)3 activities.

In 1997, the Colorado 500 Legal Defense Fund was created as a way to focus on trail issues, and to maintain and improve the quality of riding we have and continue to enjoy each year. However up to this point donations to the Legal Defense Fund have not been tax deductible and cannot be under the umbrella of our 501(c)3 Charities Fund.

This is why the Colorado 500 Legal Defense Fund as we knew it, is being restructured with a new identity and a new, totally separate organization called Trails Preservation Alliance (T.P.A.). A separate disclosure will provide more information on the goals and purposes of the T.P.A.

We look forward to your comments and will share a rendering and location of the museum as soon as we have it.

We look forward to seeing you in August!

Sincerely,

Wally