Doug Magnon

Doug Magnon, a commercial real estate businessman and founder of Riverside International Automotive Museum, died in early February after a short battle with cancer. He was only 55.

Dan Gurney was quoted in the Press Enterprise as saying Magnon’s family " were all very proud of Doug.
He added “Doug had great promise. He was really just getting started and looking forward to a great future. But all of a sudden, that’s all changed.”

Magnon’s interest in cars was inherited from his father Ray, according to Gurney, who grew up in Riverside. He later became enamored of Maseratis and in 2006, with his father opened a Maserati museum when he realized that,since Riverside was where from 1957 to 1989 there was a notable track, he could get a lot more input from the local community by featuring many of the cars that raced there, including Maseratis.

Many sports car driving reunions have been built there since.

The Press Enterprise also pointed out that he had strong interests in Italian food and family.

In 2012, he and his sister opened Magnone Trattoria & Market, the latest in a string of Magnon family restaurants. Magnon had chef training and was executive chef of the restaurant.
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In addition to Gurney’s American Eagles and race cars driven and his contemporaries, the museum displays cars from Mr. Magnon’s collection.

A real gearhead, he insisted the cars not just be for display. but kept in running order so at any time they could be roadable to drive to a concours.