WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The Winston Cup Museum & Special Event Center reopened its doors Sept. 1 after a judge mandated a 60-day shutdown stemming from ongoing legal issues with Imperial Tobacco Group Brands. 

            What You Need To Know

• The Winston Cup Museum has been closed since July 3 and is legally able to reopen Sept. 1


• ITG Brands is suing the museum over allegations of copyright infringement 


• The Winston Cup Racing Series is one of NASCAR’s most well-known events of the golden age of racing

The space houses all sorts of tobacco-brand memorabilia that comes from the sport's earlier decades, but the right to use those images is still being sorted out in court. 

The NASCAR Winston Cup Racing Series was started in 1971 by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company’s Winston Brand, and they became the title sponsor of the event. The Winston sponsorship of the event ran for 33 years, with its final race in 2003. 

The late Ralph Seagraves was an executive at R.J. Reynolds who helped bring marketing to the sport of racing, including big logos, such as Kentucky Fried Chicken, 7-Eleven and of course, R.J. Reynolds. His son, Colbert Seagraves, has been working as the executive director of the museum since 2019. 

A race car sports the Winston Tobacco logo at the Winston Cup Museum. (Spectrum News 1/Sydney McCoy)

“Well, back in 1969, when the federal government banned TV and radio advertising, R.J. Reynolds was spending $70 million a year back then,” said Seagraves, which is how the Winston Cup was born. 

The race attracted large names in NASCAR, including Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth, helping launch what Seagraves said was the sport's best time. 

“To me, 1971 to 2003 was the golden years of NASCAR. I mean, it was the most successful they had, the most fans. They had sellout crowds everywhere,” Seagraves said. 

The museum features one-of-a-kind memorabilia, including race cars, helmets, trophies and winning champagne bottles. 

“We got the king, we got the Intimidator, we got Mr. Excitement, Jimmy Spencer,” Seagraves proclaimed. 

Seagraves' love for his dad is also on display through artifacts. 

“You know, my dad was my hero. He was larger than life to me. He was my best friend. And he was one of these kind of people that would give you the shirt off his back, everyone loved my dad,” Seagraves said. 

Not only did Ralph Seagraves leave a lasting legacy on the people he met, he was a grandfather for the sports marketing we know today. 

Colbert Seagraves looks at a photo of his father, Ralph Seagraves. (Spectrum News 1/Sydney McCoy)

“And that was Pop. He was like I said, he was a wheeler and dealer, and he was one of those people. You've heard the expression he could sell ice to Eskimos. Well, he could,” Seagraves said. 

Colbert Seagraves calls himself the final gatekeeper of not only his father’s legacy through the museum, but everyone who worked to make the Winston Cup Racing Series a NASCAR staple. 

“It was his way of thanking R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company for 33-year sponsorship and also is a gift to the city of Winston Salem. And, you know, it's to me I'm helping. Being here helps keep my father, T. Wayne Robertson and everybody that's on this pit box that worked at Sports Marketing Enterprises for R.J. Reynolds for 33 years. It's our legacy and, you know, it's something that I cherish and that I want to protect,” Seagraves said. 

Due to ongoing legal issues, the museum had to close for 60 days, but Seagraves is excited to see the fans return. 

“The excitement, the wonderment and the thirst for knowledge. I mean, people that come in here, you know, they are always asking questions, and then there's a lot of people that come in here that have a lot of knowledge, and they school me, and I love that. I love learning things that I didn't know before,” said Seagraves. 

Original racing helmets are on display at the Winston Cup Museum. (Spectrum News 1/Sydney McCoy)

The museum’s owner, William Spencer, is being sued by ITG Brands over the use of the artifacts and logos from the racing series, which was opened in 2005. 

ITG entered an Asset Purchase Agreement with R.J. Reynolds in 2015, where the company sold four cigarette brands to ITG. 

According to court documents, ITG claims it owns all copyrights to the artifacts, logo, and branding of and inside the Winston Cup Museum. 

Spencer in court documents states that he purchased all of the artifacts that were on loan in May 2017 from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company for $300. 

The two sides are currently in court-ordered mediation, but delays have continued. 

Special Superior Court Judge Adam Conrad extended mediation until Sept. 14 at ITG’s request. 

Spectrum News 1 reached out to ITG for a comment on the case but did not receive a reply.