NASCAR race fans described the North Turn restaurant as a museum where they could enjoy lunch while going back in time; that is until a late-night fire consumed much of what was inside the restaurant two months ago.

The iconic racing restaurant sits on the Ponce Inlet Beach, where decades ago drivers sped on the hard-packed sand.

It was forced to close due to a fire. And now the North Turn is in a race of its own to reopen.

The North Turn restaurant is scheduled to partially open Monday at 11 a.m.

It's good news for faithful customers like Fred Schaub, and employees like Scott Hyde.

"There was a lot of damage done. All the old race car driver's signed photographs. Even as far back as the women drivers." said Hyde, working to get the restaurant ready for its soft opening.

Hyde describes memorabilia lost in the fire which raged through the North Turn restaurant Saturday July 12.

Some pieces date back to the early 1930's when racing ruled the beach before moving on to stadium-like speedways.

"You could see things that probably not even NASCAR had. It was just incredible and it’s very sad to think that some of it is gone." said Fred Schaub outside the restaurant, eager for it to reopen.

Schaub lives in a condominium just down the street.

The fire was caused by an electrical short; starting in the kitchen and spreading throughout the restaurant.

Close to 70 employees lost their jobs overnight.

The owners lost hundreds of thousands of dollars turning away faithful followers to rebuild.

But owners say the most painful loss are those priceless, irreplaceable items.

The good news is that some items -- like racing legend John Washington's goggles and hat and gloves -- survived the smoke and flames.

Other items have never been seen by the regular crowd, before today.

That’s because those same loyal customers who have been waiting for this icon to reopen are returning the pleasure the North Turn brought them by donating memorabilia of their own.

"There's people within the NASCAR association. There's people here in Ponce Inlet that have offered you know, some materials, some old pictures." said Hyde.

The owner tells News 13 the North turn restaurant will be open 100 percent within two to three months.