Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Columns 11/25/11
It’s not been very often that a good, solid friendship between the Georgia racing scene and television has come together.
That has not been the case, however, when it comes to Dave Wiley and this Commerce, Georgia based TV station, JBTV-54.
Dave’s channel has become a favorite of the locals in and around north Georgia. While it is carried solely on Windstream cable, Dave sends his programming all over north Georgia, including high school football, gospel music programs and other local based programming, including races from Gresham Motorsports Park.
Mike Bell
By Mike Bell
Posted in Columns 11/18/11
In the beginning of our research on the old days of racing, I found the library at the University of Georgia. I can’t remember who told me about it, but it was either Joe Cawley or Eddie Samples.
Eddie actually accompanied me on the first trip there. He wouldn’t make that mistake again. We stayed for hours. In the basement of that library were microfilms of almost every newspaper printed in the state of Georgia. I’ve been told that the only place with more is the Georgia State Archives, which is now located south of Atlanta near Ellenwood.
It took Ronnie Sanders 22 years to win the World Crown 300. Photo by Robert Turner
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature Stories 11/11/11
For Ronnie Sanders, it was the one major event that had eluded him.
He had lost the World Crown 300 at Peach State Speedway (now Gresham Motorsports Park) in Jefferson, Georgia, in just about every way you could imagine.
From cut tires to engine woes to getting caught up in other people’s problems, the Georgia speedster had seen strong runs at the crown fall apart time and time again, dating all the way back to the first running of the event in 1983.
A look at an untorn ticket from the inaugural World Crown 300 on Nov. 27, 1983 at Georgia International Speedway (now Gresham Motorsports Park) in Jefferson, Georgia. Photo courtesy George Seagraves
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature Stories 11/3/11
It came about as an idea for the ultimate short track event.
All Pro Series head man Bob Harmon had been looking for a late season event to pit the best short track racers from the south against the hottest hot shoes from the north. Teaming with former ASA official Rob Joyce, who had just taken over the position of promoter and general manager of Georgia International Speedway (now known as Gresham Motorsports Park) in Jefferson, Georgia, it appeared they had found just the right formula.
