SoCal stuff you just have to see

If you live in Southern California or might visit anytime soon, here are a few things to do:

Legends Of Riverside III

Riverside International Raceway may have been closed for 22 years, but it has never left the memories of those who drove on it and the fans who sat in the brown dirt and scrub brush around the outside.

For the last three years, the Riverside International Automotive Museum has honored those memories with a big reunion of great drivers, race cars and movies. In 2009, the featured hero was Southern California's own Dan Gurney. Last year it was Carroll Shelby. This year it will be the great Parnelli Jones, who won at Riverside in Trans-Am and in many other series that were held there. The event runs March 25-27.

www.legendsofriverside.com

The Mexican 1000 Rally

Up until 1848, California was part of Mexico, so this event still qualifies for this list. The original Baja 1000 first ran in 1967. This event is a relatively leisurely drive from Mexicali to La Paz, with overnight stops in real hotels, all done in vintage racecraft, May 4-8. This year's entry list includes racing greats Walker Evans, Larry Roeseler and Larry Ragland, to name a few.

www.norra.com

NHRA Motorsports Museum

Any fan of the 1320 is required by law to visit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at least once before taking the final checkered flag. One great reason to stop by now is a new exhibit, "60 Greatest Moments in NHRA History." Those include: Wally Parks signing the paperwork to incorporate the NHRA in 1951; "Big Daddy" Don Garlits breaking 200 mph in 1964; Garlits's rear-engine dragster win in 1971, and John Force's 100th victory in 2002. The museum is in Pomona on the grounds of the LA County Fairplex.

www.museum.nhra.com

Supercars: When Too Much Is Not Enough

Any stop in Southern California requires a visit to the Peteresen Automotive Museum at Wilshire and Fairfax, but now there is even more impetus--supercars. Everything from a 1923 Mercedes Targa Florio and a 1939 Bugatti, up through Lamborghinis Miura and Countach and Ferraris F40 and F50 are parked inside. There will be a curator's tour on April 5 and a special gathering of supercars on July 9.

www.petersen.org

Concorso Ferrari

Why pay all that money to see great Ferraris up in Monterey later in the summer when you can see a hundred of them for free on May 22 in Pasadena? Concorso Ferrari is put on by the Southwest Region of the Ferrari Club of America, features hundreds of great cars and costs nothing to see. Organizers shut down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena's Old Town just for the event, a much better use of the privilege than that other event on New Year's Day.

www.fca-sw.org

Also:

-- The Friends of Steve McQueen Car Show promises to have plenty of perfect Porsches on June 4 in Chino Hills.

www.friendsofstevemcqueen.com

-- The Greystone Mansion Concours returns to the Greystone Estate in Beverly Hills for the second year on May 1.

www.greystoneconcours.org

The Fathers' Day Concours on Rodeo will be held on June 19 this year on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The free event will celebrate "The Art of Italian Motoring," but not the kind where you try to get your Alfetta to start.

www.rodeodrive-bh.com/CNC/CNC_2011.html

By Mark Vaughn