Georgia Racing Hall of Famer Jack Smith with his trophy from the 1951 NSCRA season in 1999. Photo courtesy Eddie Samples
By Eddie Samples
Posted in Feature Stories 9/25/09
I started looking at NASCAR’s list of their top 50 drivers of all time, but I never saw the name of Jack Smith.
The list was chock full of good racers but very absent of one of its best.
Anyway, I called Jack at his transmission shop in Spartanburg, South Carolina and asked to stop by to see him.
I wanted to know exactly what it was I was missing that NASCAR apparently wasn’t.
Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Columns 9/18/09
Georgia is known as a home for many forms of auto racing. Open wheel racing, for example, long had a foothold in Georgia, with races being held at the famed Peach Bowl, Lakewood Speedway, Central City Speedway in Macon and at the old Atlanta Speedway, including big cars, Indy cars and the ever popular midgets.
And, of course, it goes without saying that Georgia was the early cradle of stock car racing, with events held all over the Peach State, including NASCAR events, ARCA, ASA and more.
NASCAR pioneers Gober Sosebee and Swayne Pritchett were remembered by their family members during the recent Arcade Centennial Celebration, which included recognition for the nearby Jackson County Speedway.
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature Stories 9/11/09
On August 17, the city of Arcade, Georgia, officially turned 100 years of age.
As part of their centennial celebration, city officials chose to honor and recognize the Jackson County Speedway, which was located nearby.
The Jackson County Speedway was built in 1947, and operated until sometime in the early 1950s. The track was notoriously known for an accident that led to the death of driver Swayne Pritchett, as well as for two separate accidents that took the lives of race spectators.
Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Columns 9/4/09
I was fortunate enough earlier this week to get to witness a little piece of history.
On Monday, Micky Cain brought out the ASA Southeast Tour’s ride-along car and made the first laps at speed at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia.
In case you hadn’t heard, Gresham Motorsports Park is formerly Peach State Speedway. Towards the end of last year, the 42 year old speed plant was purchased by a group headed up by father and son Jim and Tony Gresham, whose roots in auto racing go back a long ways.
