LeMay-America’s Car Museum: For Gold & Glory, A Tribute to Charles Higgins

Meet Charlie Wiggins — driver, mechanic, innovator, race-car builder, and four-time Gold & Glory Sweepstakes champion.

Charlie’s remarkable achievements helped shape American motorsports, yet his story was nearly lost to history. Guest curated by legendary automotive designer Ed Welburn, For Gold & Glory brings Charlie’s legacy back into the spotlight and restores his place in American racing history.

Step into the world that shaped Charlie’s story through an immersive exhibition exploring Indiana Avenue, the Gold & Glory Sweepstakes, his engineering ingenuity, and his achievements on the racetrack. Historical imagery, artifacts, automotive design, sound, and storytelling bring this important chapter of American automotive and motorsports history to life.

At the center of the exhibition is the original, one-of-one Wiggins Special — the race car Charlie built himself and drove to four championships. Its debut in For Gold & Glory marks the car’s first public viewing in more than 90 years.

The Museum will celebrate the opening of For Gold & Glory with a full week of special programming, including media days, VIP events, private experiences with guest curator Ed Welburn, and a major family-friendly public celebration on Saturday, September 19.

Opening day brings together automotive history, family learning, live music, and a field full of cars, with:

www.americascarmuseum.org/ForGoldandGlory