Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Columns 9/3/10
When the NASCAR Sprint Cup tour rolls into Atlanta this weekend, it will be mark the last time the tour will visit the 50 year old facility twice in one season for the foreseeable future.
It’s an odd situation to see Atlanta lose its spring race date. Since it’s first event in 1960, the speedway has hosted to Cup events yearly.
But the spring race has always been a tough sell. And, with the opportunity to go to new venues, the decision was made to limit AMS to only one event, the successful Labor Day race, for 2011.
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Posted 03 September 2010
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A look at Jefco Speedway (now Gresham Motorsporst Park) just prior to its opening in 1967.
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature Stories 8/27/10
When the green flag falls at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia on the night of Saturday, August 28, it will be another page in the NASCAR history books at the storied speedway.
NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series East is making its only Peach State appearance this year with a 150-lap event at the high-banked half-mile track. Drivers such as 2009 series champ Ryan Truex, Ty Dillon, Darrell Wallace, Jr. and Eddie MacDonald will be vying for the win.
In the number 113 Ford Standard coupe from Columbus, Georgia is Dusty Rhodes – the perfect name for a race car driver. Taken at Columbus Super Speedway by Earl Garrettson.
By Mike Bell
Posted in Feature Stories 8/20/10
Most people don’t remember but there have been several race tracks in the Columbus, Georgia area that are long gone. Let’s quickly review the first two, which were the Idle Hour Speedway at Martin Stadium in Phoenix City, Alabama and the Columbus Speedway northeast of town off Hamilton Road.
People congregated at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, Georgia to remember Lakewood Speedway on Aug. 7. Photo by Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed and John Close
Posted in Feature Stories 8/13/10
On August 7, around 350 former racers, fans and friends of the old Lakewood Speedway gathered to remember the grand old track and those that raced there at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, Georgia.
A huge contingent of former Lakewood motorcycle racers were in attendance, many making their first trek to the Hall of Fame, as the facility prepares to induct motorcycle racing legend Ted Edwards into the Hall later this year.
Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Columns 8/6/10
For some reason in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a slew of stock car racing movies filmed in the south.
Some were okay, some were terrible, but many of them had one thing in common – they were made by people who really didn’t know what stock car racing was all about.
The film “White Lightning Road” is just such a film. It was made in 1965, written, directed and produced by Ron Ormond, a low-budget filmmaker from Nashville.
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Posted 06 August 2010
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Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Columns 7/30/10
Reports from the Associated Press this week said that two of NASCAR’s top tier drivers were handed down stiff financial penalties recently for making critical comments publicly about the racing series.
In other words, after telling them “boys, have at it” in the off season, it was followed by “boys, keep your traps shut.”
This move has been justified by some since other big league sports have taken the same path over the years.
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Posted 30 July 2010
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Jack Etheridge accepts the trophy and a handshake for a win at Atlanta's Peach Bowl in 1951.
By Eddie Samples
Posted in Feature Stories 7/23/10
Jack Etheridge was a Georgia native, and lived in Mableton, Georgia, just west of Atlanta. Jack was married to his wife, Roma, for 65 years before his passing in 2000.
Jack had an interesting life, which included 20 years as a race car driver. He retired from behind the wheel in 1954, saying he felt it was time to find a real job.
Tim Flock and his 1953 co-driver, Jocko Flocko. Photo courtesy Frances Flock
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature Stories 7/16/10
When the American automobile racing scene was in its infancy, having a passenger in a racing car was a common thing to see, as drivers would have “ride along” mechanics to help them during races.
These mechanics would diagnose any problems with the car, as well as to warn the driver when someone was approaching them from behind or preparing to make a pass.
Built in 1949, the Peach Bowl Speedway was one of the most important and historic tracks in Georgia. Photo courtesy GARHOFA
By Mike Bell
Posted in Feature Stories 7/9/10
One of the victims of the New South and the ever-expanding boundaries of the New South “Capital” was the Peach Bowl Speedway on Brady Avenue in Northwest Atlanta.
It all started when Roy Shoemaker built the small quarter-mile oval for midget racing. He spent some $100,000 to $150,000 to build a full dirt track with seats for 5,000 fans, a large pit area off the backstretch and acres of free parking.
Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Columns 7/2/10
First off, let me start this column by saying a big thank you to all our readers!
Georgia Racing History.com turned one year old on June 26. So far, the response has been phenomenal, and we can’t say thank you enough!
The birth of this website actually started more than a year prior to the website being officially launched. It began as a conversation between myself and Mike Bell, the historian and CEO of the Georgia Auto Racing Hall of Fame Association.
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Posted 02 July 2010
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