By Kelly Ingram (Nishimoto)
Signal Staff Writer
After nearly a decade in storage, the historic Saugus Speedway scoreboard is returning home to Santa Clarita — thanks to Valley Relics Museum founder Tommy Gelinas, a lifelong preservationist who has called Stevenson Ranch home for the past 15 years.
Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Gelinas’ connection to the speedway runs back to his childhood. “Family and friends in the San Fernando Valley raced at the speedway,” he said. “Not only did I attend the races, we were regulars at the swap meet since the 1970s. Neighbors, businesses, family and friends all raced and supported the speedway — it was a huge part of my childhood.”
When he learned the backstory of the speedway’s closure, Gelinas wanted to make sure it wasn’t forgotten.
“When I found out the backstory regarding the speedway’s demise, I wanted to make sure it was being saved and preserved,” he said. “I really love history, but charity begins at home. Over the years, residents of Santa Clarita and the San Fernando Valley have donated hundreds of programs, photos, trophies and other memorabilia that are currently in our collection. I felt it would be a good fit to be lit up and enjoyed by the public.”
For Gelinas, the scoreboard represents a shared past between both valleys. “I believe the scoreboard is important to the Santa Clarita Valley, but I also believe that residents of the San Fernando Valley supported the speedway for many years,” he said. “A lot of the programs reflect how many Valley residents actually raced at the speedway, along with businesses, advertisers and vendors who supported the swap meet.”
The scoreboard has been in the care of Valley Relics Museum for the past eight years. “It was stored among hundreds of other artifacts at the Valley Relics storage yard in North Hollywood,” Gelinas said. “It was in our warehouse and recently moved outside and staged for pickup by the Santa Clarita (Valley) Historical Society.”
Preserving artifacts in their original state is key to Gelinas’ mission. “We always try to keep all artifacts in their original condition,” he said. “The one thing we do to make it safe is redo the wiring and transformers. A lot of times the neon or light bulbs are destroyed, so those will be replaced as well. In this case, we didn’t have to do any of that — so it is in all original condition.”
Gelinas said he hopes the scoreboard’s return will bring a sense of pride to the community. “I’m so glad that it’s making its way back to Santa Clarita where it belongs,” he said. “I also feel that it will attract visitors from all over as well. It means a lot for us to donate the sign back to Santa Clarita. I am so glad that the Santa Clarita Historical Society has made room for the sign to be among other items that were saved recently.”
His love of history began early and was sparked by the same racing culture he’s helping preserve.
“My father- and mother-in-law used to attend the races,” Gelinas said. “My father-in-law used to race from time to time and was friends with a lot of the major racers. One time, Mr. Ray Stewart — my father-in-law — entered the crash derby. Without telling anyone, his wife, my mother-in-law, put her hair up, put the helmet on, and raced as Ray, her husband. When she was done racing, she took her helmet off, and everybody was in shock.”
Gelinas’ Valley Relics Museum in Van Nuys, located at 7900 Balboa Blvd., Hangars C3 and C4, has been collecting artifacts for over 20 years and became a nonprofit in 2013. The museum is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Among his favorite exhibits are the original “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” bus, the Palomino Club sign from North Hollywood, and the museum’s collection of vintage neon signs, BMX bikes, and FreePlay arcade games.
Since founding the museum, Gelinas said the local and regional response has been overwhelming. “Due to the publicity, we’ve had a lot of support from people all over Southern California and out of state,” he said. “The local community has been so supportive in our mission.”
He added that the museum has welcomed a wide range of visitors, including Paul Thomas Anderson, Travis Barker, Christian Jacobs of Yo Gabba Gabba and The Aquabats, Bill Ward of Black Sabbath, comedian Jo Koy, Eve Plumb, Greg Hetson of Circle Jerks and Bad Religion, Danny Boy O’Connor of House of Pain, Alana Haim from Licorice Pizza, guitarist George Lynch, and many others.
“I’m so glad that it’s making its way back to Santa Clarita where it belongs,” Gelinas said. “It’s been preserved, and now it can be enjoyed by the public again.”
To see the related article, visit https://tinyurl.com/yh2b5s99
