In 1919, Arthur Thurman became the first Georgia racer to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.

By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature Stories 5/27/11

With the storied history of the Georgia Gang in racing events around the country, and around the world, there is one historic event that has not been a lucky one for drivers from the Peach State, and that’s the annual 500 mile open wheel event in Speedway, Indiana known as the Indianapolis 500.

In fact, only a small handful of drivers with ties back to Georgia have made an attempt to compete in the event, which will celebrate its 100^th anniversary on Sunday.

Darlington Raceway in the fifties. The lack of a seperating wall between the pits and the track would lead to disaster and death during the 1960 Southern 500.

By Eddie Samples
Posted in Feature Stories 4/29/11

The racing world started for Jerry Elzey as a youngster in the 1950′s, when his dad, D.J. Elzey, leased his garage across from their service station on Howell Mill Road in Atlanta to Frank Strickland, a prominent local businessman.

“Frank’s family owned Hudgins Wrecking Company so they had money,” said Jerry. “But my dad was leery of renting to race people. It was an expensive hobby even at NASCAR level, and my old man wanted his rent.”

It looked like old times when former racers, fans and officials gathered at the old Middle Georgia Raceway for a reunion hosted by Racer’s Reunion.com earlier this month. Photos by Joe Cawley

By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature Stories 4/1/11

Back on March 12, the folks at Racers Reunion.com held the inaugural Jeff Smith Chevrolet Middle Georgia Raceway Reunion, held at the historic Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia, near Macon.

The old track had sat dormant for many years, but a group of volunteers worked tirelessly to get the track ready for the big day.

The Betty Lilly owned #24 Ford, driven by Sam McQuagg, provided one of the most iconic moments in NASCAR history, as McQuagg tangled with Cale Yarborough (27) while racing for the lead in the 1965 Southern 500.

By Mike Bell
Posted in Feature Stories 3/11/11

When I sat down to write about Mrs. Betty Lilly, I wondered if all those South Georgia racers realized what an influence she was on racing down there. She spent an enormous amount of money helping Sam McQuagg to become “Rookie-of-the-Year” in NASCAR’s Grand National Division, the premier division of racing as far as Southerners were concerned at that time.

Former driver Lanier Englett visits with NASCAR racing legend Bill Elliott at a recent function. Englett had quite a racing experience himself back in the sport's pioneer days.

By Eddie Samples
Posted in Feature Stories 2/11/11

First of all, Lanier Englett had to be corralled for an interview by his good friend Jimmy Mosteller, historian Mike Bell and myself, Eddie Samples.

We met in racing hall of famer Mosteller’s home in Mableton, Georgia. Lanier lives in nearby Lithia Springs.

Since the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Association’s creation in 1997, the 82 year old Atlanta/Mableton native was one of its founding members and major contributors, and Mosteller knew he had a story to tell.