As for the reason for the shutdown, it all boils down to the naming of the facility. The museum entered litigation with the tobacco company ITG, where the company filed multiple lawsuits against the facility over ownership of Winston Cup history. ITG claimed that Spencer was “infringing on their ability to market their cigarettes to racing fans.”
To settle this issue, Spencer agreed to rebrand and rename the museum to Ralph Seagraves Memorial Museum. Unfortunately, this was unable to push through due to financial constraints.
The museum will continue to operate until December 16, with tickets costing $12 for adults and $8 for children ages 6-12. The facility honors military IDs, as well as children ages 5 and below, giving them free admission. While it may be the end of the brick-and-mortar facility, Spencer says he will continue to preserve NASCAR history by other means.