Racing trophy queens on display

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Women and fast cars seem to go together like, well, women and fast cars.

And that’s not a recent development — as evidenced by the “Trophy Queens” exhibit opening today at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona.

As the title suggests, the exhibit features dozens of rare photos of the generally swimsuit-clad young women who presented a trophy and a kiss to winning race drivers.

The exhibit covers trophy queens from the 1930s through the 1970s and includes photos of a certain 19-year-old model named Raquel Tejada, who went on to fame and fortune as actress Raquel Welch. From 1956 is a photo of Barbara Huffman, dressed differently than in her ‘60s sitcom heyday when, under the name Barbara Eden, she starred in “I Dream of Jeannie.”

“Wherever there are race cars, there always seems to be pretty girls,” museum spokesman Bill Groak said. “Funny how that works.’

Trophy queen legend Linda Vaughn, named Miss Hurst Golden Shifter in 1966, will be on hand at the opening to greet fans and pose for pictures.

The exhibit opens to the public around 2 p.m. after a private preview. It will run for a year during regular museum hours Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for kids 6 to 15. For more information, call 909-622-2133 or go to museum.nhra.com.

-- Martin Zimmerman

(See another pic after the jump)

Photos Raquel Tejada (Welch), top, and Linda Vaughn, bottom, from collection of Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.