Petersen Automotive Museum opens new exhibit exploring the iconic vehicles and impact of off-road racing

The Petersen Automotive Museum’s newest exhibit, “Legends of the Dirt,” offers an immersive look into the vehicles, technology and cultural impacts of one of the most thrilling and technically demanding forms of motorsports.

Now on display in the Nearburg Gallery, and presented in collaboration with OPTIMA Batteries powered by Clarios, “Legends of the Dirt” features purpose-built vehicles created to tackle the rugged terrain of the legendary SCORE Baja 1000, the King of the Hammers races and other epic off-road races. Also included in the exhibit are groundbreaking vehicles from the World Rally Championship (WRC), the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and multiple off-road racing motorcycles. Each made significant contributions to advancements in off-road motorsports and the technologies surrounding them.

Standout vehicles of the exhibit include the innovative “Big Oly” Ford Bronco that won the Baja 1000 in 1971 and 1972, the WRC championship-winning 1983 Lancia Rally 037 driven by Walter Rohrl, Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima’s radical 1993 Suzuki Cultus Twin-Engine Pikes Peak Special and the first Ford Bronco Ultra4 racer to win the King of the Hammers. The iconic 1995 Terrible Herbst Motorsports “LandShark” that captured four overall Baja 1000 wins, Tanner Foust’s 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Global Rallycross car and the late Rick Huseman’s Toyota-powered Pro 4 short-course racer are also featured.

“The innovative designs and engineering found in off-road motorsports have helped push automotive technology forward for decades,” said Terry L. Karges, executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum. “Through our partnership with OPTIMA Batteries and Clarios, we look forward to sharing with our guests deep insight into an exciting form of motorsports that continues to make important contributions to automotive culture.”

“Legends of the Dirt” will be on display until January 2027. To purchase tickets or for more information about the Petersen Automotive Museum, please visit Petersen.org/exhibits.