Other Top Stories of ‘09
Atlanta Motor Speedway hosting NASCAR's Labor Day weekend event, the facility's first stock car event under the lighs, was another choice for top Georgia racing moment of 2009. Photo by Rhonda McCole
Gresham Motorsports Park wasn’t the only big story of 2009, as several of those polled told us.
Jeff Hood looked to the Labor Day NASCAR cup event at Atlanta Motor Speedway for most historic moment.
“It was significant for several reasons,” Hood said. “It brought racing back to the south on Labor Day weekend. And it was the first Sprint Cup race under the lights at Atlanta Motor Speedway.”
Mike Bell pointed to a couple of controversial moments outside the state that could have ripple effects back home before all is said and done.
“Jeremy Mayfield’s suspension from NASCAR will become a bigger item in the future even though it happened in 2009,” he said. “As for dirt, Scott Bloomquist’s fine for his tires was a biggee nationally.”
Tim Glover and his wife, Wanda, work as freelance reporters covering the drag racing scene in north Georgia. While it wasn’t strictly a Georgia story, they pointed to a certain NHRA Top Fuel racer who made some strong statements on the racetrack in 2009.
“(We) immediately thought of Antron Brown, who swept the ‘Western Swing’ of the NHRA tour this year, becoming only the seventh driver in 20 years to do so,” Tony said.
Brown also has been a previous winner at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia.
Bill Kelley, host of Rolling Thunder TV, said 2009 was a very unusual year on the dirt track of northeast Georgia.
“On the ‘down’ side we had a poor economy, which led fewer folks in the grandstands and in some cases lower than normal car counts at many tracks,” he said. “Toccoa, Lavonia and Hartwell more or less held their own during the year. One track made quite a comeback last year, just over the Georgia-South Carolina state line Westminster speedway went through a face lift and new owners brought back weekly racing to the fast track. They had huge crowds with their Friday night shows and car counts were also large.”
Kelley said one of the bright spots was the successful third year of the Southeastern Late Model Sportsman series.
“With races in Toccoa, Lavonia, Union County, Tri-County, and Travelers Rest, Randy McCoy’s series put together a great venue for the Limited Late Model Drivers,” Kelley said.
Jim Seay, of Jim Seay Productions and host of “Racing Through History” on RacersReunion.com radio, pointed to the impact he feels the upcoming film “Red Dirt Rising”, which centers on racing history in North Carolina in the 1940’s and 50s’ as being something that has and will have a definite impact on folks seeking the nostalgia of the early days of the sport.
“Of course, since guys like North Carolina’s Bill Mangum have ‘surrendered’ to Georgia on the question of ‘who started what, where and when’, it still should be a showcase of the early days focusing on Jimmie Lewallen, Fred Harb, Bill Blair and Buck Baker, all portrayed in this independent production,” Seay said. “All who have seen the previews give it high marks. I haven’t seen it but Harb, the only survivor of that group, says it’s a very good representation of racing the way it was.”
Georgia's rising racing stars, including Chase Elliott, got much attention from those polled. Photo by Brandon Reed
Dale Terry had several items that he felt were big stories this year after the reopening of GMP, including AMS getting the Labor Day NASCAR event and seeing it’s best crowd in years, along with the rising stars of Chase Elliott, Tyler Millwood and Andrew Smith.
He also mentioned the loss of Birmingham and Nashville as historic moments outside of Georgia on the bad side.
Allen Hastings said the tough year for short track racing in the state was a big story, especially the plight of asphalt tracks in the Peach State.
“We have seen dwindling car counts, the loss of (several) racing series and the closing of race tracks,” he said. “In some cases the tracks torn down or they are being converted to dirt. The primary issue is the cost of racing. Most promoters have failed to increase their purses, especially for the asphalt racer, to help them absorb the cost of fielding a car. Tire cost continues to be a major issue.”
Hastings added that after starting with four Pro Late Model touring series that were headquartered in or near the state in 2009, including the Southern Pro Late Models, Georgia Asphalt Series, ASA Late Model South and ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour, now only the Georgia Asphalt Series remains.
“The GAS Series has struggled though the year to hang on itself due to low car counts through the season,” he said. “The ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour seemed to have the best thing going with higher purses and therefore car counts. As the season went along, the current economic climate began to catch up with them, therefore suspending the remainder of the 2009 season.”
But, Hastings said things are looking a little brighter for 2010.
“The Georgia Asphalt Series has been purchased by Florida based, Fountain Motorsports, with former Lanier National Speedway GM Terry Roberts at the helm and with hopes of growing the series to its original glory,” he said. “In addition, there are rumors of a new ASA Series for Pro Late Models in the works.
“As a auto racing supporter my entire life, I am hopeful of a turnaround in 2010. I hope I’m not disappointed.”