The cars of George Robson (left) and George Barringer (right) at the scene of the Labor Day, 1946 crash that took both men's lives. Photo courtesy Eddie Samples
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Columns 9/16/11
It was planned to be a race to celebrate Labor Day. It ended up as one of the darkest moments in Atlanta racing history.
It occurred on September 2, 1946. Racing promoter Sam Nunis put together a 100-lap Indy car race at Atlanta’s famed Lakewood Speedway, a treacherous one-mile dirt track located on the grounds of the Lakewood Fairgrounds. The event was sanctioned by the AAA, who also sanctioned the famed Indianapolis 500, which had run its first event since the ending of World War II only a few months prior.
Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Columns 9/9/11
A couple of weeks ago, I traveled with Georgia racing historian Mike Bell down to New Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia to take in sprint car action on the fast 3/8 mile track.
After a great night of racing, we headed back north towards the Atlanta area. As usual, we discussed various aspects of racing, both past and present.
Now, there are many things Mike and I agree on when it comes to the history of auto racing. There are others that we don’t quite agree on.
A field of classic “Skeeter” Super Modifieds comes off the second turn of the Banks County Speedway sometime in the mid 60s. Photo courtesy Mike Bell
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature 9/2/11
Out off of Highway 198 in Banks County in rural North Georgia is a former house of speed.
Hidden out in the woods, on private land and cut off from the world by an electric fence, is the old Banks County Speedway, a track that used to draw the best racers from all over the southeast.
Ken Ragan made a name for himself as a driver in ARCA and NASCAR's Sprint Cup series before working with Legends car racing. Photo courtesy GRHOF
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature 8/26/11
When most people talk about Ken Ragan, they talk about his time as an independent racer out of Georgia, or about his later role in bringing the current form of racing known as Legends cars to prominence.
What many may fail to realize is that Ken Ragan was a second generation racer who brought much skill, determination and drive to all his racing efforts.
George Elliott, pictured right, celebrates a victory at Rockingham in 1984 with, left to right, sons Dan Elliott, Bill Elliott and Ernie Elliott. Photo courtesy GRHOF
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature 8/19/11
Ask most anyone who knew him, and you will hear that Dawsonville, Georgia’s George Elliott was the epitome of a hard worker and a fine gentleman.
George Elliott was born April 7, 1924 in Dawsonville. While he may be best known as the father of NASCAR champion brothers Bill, Ernie and Dan Elliott and the grandfather to up and coming stock car racer Chase Elliott, those who knew him say he was the epitome of a hard worker and a fine gentleman.
Harold Kite won at Daytona Beach in 1950, but his racing legacy continues on today. Photo courtesy GRHOF
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature 8/13/11
A racing legacy can take several different forms. Sometimes it comes in the form of a racing dynasty spanning many years with a number of wins and championships.
But another kind of racing legacy can come from the impact that someone had on the racing world in a relative short period of time, and how that impact continues to resonate today.
Such is the racing legacy of Harold Kite of East Point, Georgia.
Swayne Pritchett (left), seen here with mechanic Jack Edwards, was true racing pioneer. Photo courtesy the Pritchett family
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature 8/5/11
Racing historian Mike Bell is working on a book on all the different race tracks in Georgia. One section of the book, he says, will honor all the drivers who lost their lives while competing in the state.
It’s hard to say how many of those there were, to be honest. Between races on obscure, dusty bullrings and events held prior to World War I, there are huge gaps in what we know about the happenings on the various race courses in the Peach State.
Mike Head (right) and Dale Earnhardt at Woodstock, Georgia's Dixie Speedway.
By Mike Bell
Posted in Feature Stories 7/29/11
In the past, many of the drivers we have profiled here on this website were born before World War II. We felt that some of the modern racers defined the word “throwback.”
Mike Head does just that. In the very early years of stock car racing before and just after the war, weekly racing was unknown. Drivers traveled to other cities, sometimes distant, to race. The early Georgia drivers made the choice to go where the racing and money were. Daytona to end every winter; then Charlotte, Columbia, Chattanooga and other cities had their races.
The 2011 Georgia Racing Hall of Fame inductees are, left to right, George Elliott, Mike Head, Harold Kite, Swayne Pritchett and Ken Ragan.
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature 7/22/11
The votes have been tallied, and the five inductees for 2011 into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame have been chosen.
The 2011 inductees are George Elliott of Dawsonville, Mike Head of Ellenwood, Harold Kite of College Park, Swayne Pritchett of Baldwin and Ken Ragan of Unadilla.
The 2011 Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Induction banquet will be held on Oct. 21, 2011 at 6 pm at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, located inside the Dawsonville Municipal Complex in Dawsonville, Georgia.
Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Columns 7/15/11
The recent news that Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia would be hosting Wednesday night races for the first time in several years brought back memories of a time when mid-week racing was the norm in Georgia.
While modern day fans might not know it, long time race chasers remember the days when drivers would face off at various tracks around the region all through the week.
