2) Crenshaw, Wayne. The track which has been closed to racing since 1984, was featured in the second episode of Lost Speedways. [3] Allison won the 274-mile (441km) event in a 1969 Dodge. [1] NASCAR's 1969 season again began at the track. Until it's sold, he says the raceway is still used for special events and commercials. Byron. Out of the nine races at the
Middle Georgia Raceway was one of three tracks in the city of Macon that hosted NASCAR premier series races. After the economy crashed, plans were placed on hold. Lost Speedways is an exclusive product for NBC's new streaming platform, Peacock. But it is not the rest of the story Leon. "Byron Moonshine Legend Lives On." His new show, Lost Speedways, premieres and provides a fresh look at the history of motorsports. They havent eaten each other yet, Lavish oasis up for sale in Connecticut is the home of BeautyRx founder. Reading up in its history , Richard Petty, David Pearson, Bobby Allison and Bobby Issacs all won there. Jump to navigation Jump to search. An aerial view of Middle Georgia Raceway, which hosted NASCAR Cup events from 1966 through 1971. "Byron Pop Festival Gets Historic Marker". Bill Elliott, driving for Harry Melling, had won 11 races in 1985, but lost the title by 101 points to three-time race winner Waltrip. [1], Over the Fourth of July weekend in 1970, the second annual Atlanta International Pop Festival was held in a soybean field adjacent to the track. Richard Petty won four titles, while Bobby Allison won three. The
This brings back memories for me. the Georgia natives Allman Brothers Band. [1] NASCAR's 1969 season again began at the track. Thornton says they may hold a special event to commemorate it. The Telegraph. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (n.d.): n. pag. 3) Contact: Brandy Mai, Director Of Communications, and Ext. The owner has opened the track for occasional events and reunions, but there are no plans to reopen the track. [1], Opened in 1966 at a cost of $500,000, the first race, the Speedy Morelock 200 NASCAR Grand National stock car race, became the location of a speed record when Richard Petty broke the half-mile NASCAR record for half-mile tracks with an average speed of 82.023 miles per hour during the 100-mile (160km) event. As Paul Harvey would say this is the rest of the story, you going to have to drive over if you want to taste the wares --the still could or could not "still" be working. Pearson qualified on the pole and Petty won his third race at the track. BYRON, Ga. Driving down Highway 41 in Byron is a hidden treasure, but you wouldn't see it unless you look past the driving range. I wish he would bring this MIDDLE GEORGIA RACEWAY back to LIFE COME ON DALE. Middle Georgia Raceway, once a full-blown NASCAR Grand National track where Richard Petty and other racing legends battled it out, is for sale. In front of a crowd of 7,500 spectators, Petty hit a top speed of 82.023 miles per hour. Hi! Abandoned Georgia: Exploring the Peach State, Abandoned Georgia: Traveling the Backroads, Abandoned Alabama: Exploring the Heart of Dixie, Middle Georgia Raceway Magic City Radar, Follow Abandoned Southeast on WordPress.com. Touch for directions. My photographs have been featured all over the world including on CBS Inside Edition, CNN Travel, Houston Chronicle, The Weather Channel, MSN, Yahoo News, NPR, the UK Sun, the Daily Mail, NOLA.com, AL.com, and many others. Bobby Allison drove from the pole to win the 274-mile (441km) race. Finally, there is a $10 ad-free version. That would be GRAND ! and let them enjoy the smell of racing gas and sounds of racing engines.They might see there in more in life than sitting on the couch. Kulkosky, Victor. Talk about a diamond in the rough, this is it. Example video title will go here for this video. See the comprehensive Ingliston Motor Racing Circuit website for photos, results, and complete programmes from Ingliston. Wayne Crenshaw has worked as a journalist since 1990 and has been a reporter for The Telegraph since 2002. NASCAR began its 1968 season at the track. Thornton eventually dropped his plans for the moonshine festival. Surrounding development? The bands that performed were: Allman Brothers Band / B.B. [5], There was a big crash at the track in which the barricade went through driver Sonny Braswell's car and broke 14 bones. It featured more than 30 musical acts, including Jimi Hendrix and The Allman Brothers Band. Back in the early eighties (before the referenced ARCA race), I accompanied a good friend and his ARCA car to Unadilla to display the car in promotion of the upcoming ARCA race. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. few years the race at Middle Georgia would be called the Macon 300, Middle
09/05/ 1965. King and even
Ive been kind of waiting for the right person, waiting for the right opportunity to sell to somebody to try to preserve the history, he said. From 1966 to 1971, the track hosted nine NASCAR races with winners including Richard Petty and Bobby Allison. I want to see it preserved, he said. In the commercial, a sign stated that it was the Brixton Motor Speedway.[4]. It opened in 1966. Kulkosky, Victor. http://georgiahistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/9.4_Pop_Fest.pdf
Please Don't invite people just to invite people. That would be really cool. Even though NASCAR no longer used the track, many ASA racers of the late 1970s, like Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin raced here in amateur races. [1] He beat pole-sitter Pearson by 4 seconds and they were the only two cars on the lead lap. Over 300,000 attended the . The 1970 Georgia 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on November 8, 1970, at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia. Theres not even a sign at the property stating it is for sale and Thornton doesnt have it listed on the website of his real estate company. Sunshine and 70s are the name of the game this week, 'This could be you or your child' | Former Atlanta mayor asks gun owners to act responsibly after bullet enters nephew's room, Poison ivy is getting worse with climate change, Peach County's South Peach Park to get new entrance, 'Georgia Camera Ready' looking for filming sites in Peach County. I explored this place many years ago! What's shared in the group should stay in the group. An earlier race was run on November 1968 with the same name and year number. Not quite remembering. 20 years ago, GMS Productions of Macon syndicated a 30th anniversary radio special about the event. Nine NASCAR races were held there from 1966 to 1971. Location: Jeffersonville, Georgia : Surface: Paved : Length: 1/8 mile Phone: (478) 550-3137 Visit track website: Facebook: Twitter: Race Track Locator. Tim Thornton is the owner of the land, and says he has vivid memories watching the races and serving ice cream at the festival. HELP US OUT, Your email address will not be published. Middle Georgia Raceway (abandoned) This 1/2 mile paved oval track has been abandoned since 1984. This amount of yeast could have fed the
During the video the guy that recorded the video made the statement that they had footage other than just the Hendrix part. The 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 31st season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 8th modern-era Cup series. Middle Georgia Raceway, near Macon, hosted many top notch stock car events on its half-mile, paved surface. Over 30 musical acts performed including Jimi Hendrix, B.B. A . Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group? Byron, Georgia (GA), US. It held nine NASCAR Grand National (today's Sprint Cup) events from 1966-71. See me at the MGR Reunion Aug 31 and I will tell you the whole story. The largest event was a reunion of the Dukes of Hazzard cast, which drew tens of thousands from around the country. Heres whats coming to this new plaza in Houston County, Warner Robins police narcotics unit under investigation for misconduct, DA says, Warner Robins car crash on Houston Road leaves one dead, two injured, police say, Museum of Aviation hosts panel for Vietnam POWs to share homecoming stories, Warner Robins meth ringleader sentenced to 35 years in prison in Macon. All the top drivers from 66 to I guess 1970 all competed there. Only one foreigner was racing that year, a Canadian named Frog Fagan. The first season will also showcase Occoneechee Speedway in Hillsborough, North Carolina, Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia and several others. BangShiftcom. Although the current owner had placed a fresh coat of paint over the walls, Dodge "aged" the walls and even bought a local car for $2,000 and crashed it to add realism to the scenes. Still, thousands of music lovers were outside the gates demanding the gates be opened and the festival become free, like Woodstock. As the song goes, :"I guess you had to be there. Richard Petty set a new track record with a speed of 85.121 miles per hour in November 1968. One federal
Larry Smith was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year.
I took my Supra out there and an older Porsche..loved it. The distillery was capable of producing 80 gallons of moonshine per day. There use to be weekly NASCAR Sortmen races that drew racers from Asheville, NC (Jack Ingram, Bosco Lowe, etc,), Tennessee (Friday Hasler, Bob Burcham, etc), Alabama (Bobby And Donnie Alison, etc), Florida (Paul Conners) and another that I dont recall where he was from (Bob Leach). In 2011, the current owner leased the track to Dodge, who wanted to use it for a Durango commercial. For instance, in 1967 authorities found a moonshine distillery located buried in a chamber under the track. The 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 24th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 1st modern-era NASCAR Cup series season. June 8, 2022 Blog by Johnson Social media was stirring over a photo of famous rapper and car enthusiast Rick Ross posing at the defunct Middle Georgia Motor Speedway. The Middle Georgia Raceway was a half-mile paved track that opened in 1966, at the cost of $500,000. Johnny, if the still ain't working, why should I drive that far? The 1970 NASCAR Grand National Series season began on Sunday January 18 and ended on Sunday November 22. BYRON -- On Wednesday morning, Tim Thornton made his way through a wooded area behind turn three at the old Middle Georgia Raceway in search of the source of a local legend. Premium will also include non-televised Premier League soccer games beginning in August. A third Atlanta Pop Festival never happened. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, "Byron raceway roars back to life in car ads". The Middle Georgia Raceway was a raceway located in Byron, Georgia, in the United States. Middle Georgia Raceway. 11/04/ 1965. Darrell Waltrip, driving for Junior Johnson, was crowned champion at the end of the season. Described as the Woodstock of the South, bands played throughout the night while over 300,000 concertgoers descended on a town with a population of 1,500. Your email address will not be published. In later years the track was used for special events, concerts, commercial and feature filming, and most recently as a Halloween attraction. But a disgruntled female.???? The 1970 Georgia 500 also occurred at the track. This short track outside of Indianapolis closed in 1960 after "a string of horrific accidents." Microsoft has removed the Birds Eye imagery for this map. [1] In the middle of the season, Bobby Isaac won the second of the three NASCAR races held at the track in a 300 lap event. Earnhardt Jr. created Lost Speedways and will serve as the host for this exclusive look back at racing's history. Thanks for the great content Abandoned Southeast! The last race happened in 1971, and by 1986 it was closed. Thanks, Dale Jr. Is looking for old and abandoned race tracks. Nine NASCAR Grand National Series races were held at the track between 1966 and 1971. The following 4 files are in this category, out of 4 total. One reason Thornton has been in no rush to sell it is that the lease to the driving range operator pays the property taxes and upkeep, so it doesnt cost him anything to hold onto the property. All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. Now the track is overgrown again, with grass sprouting through the seams of the paved half-mile oval. Middle Georgia Motorsports Park (Formerly Twiggs/Macon National Dragway) Track Conditions. Nine NASCAR Grand National Series races were held at the track between 1966 and 1971. On the weekend of July 4, 1970, the second annual Atlanta International Pop Festival was held in a soybean field adjacent to the Middle Georgia Raceway. In 1967 federal agents discovered an elaborate underground moonshine still buried off turn three of the track. Lamar Brown gave me a guided tour of the still after it was destroyed. ], it was purchased with the goal of converting it to a land development site. Other nearby markers. General view of the Atlanta Raceway circa 1980's at the Atlanta Raceway in Hampton, Georgia. The 1981 Mason-Dixon 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on May 17, 1981, at Dover Downs International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. An interesting situation happened at the track in. In the early 2000s, some local people sought to bring back racing to the track, but surrounding development around the track in the years since the track closed saw that never happened. Created by Wesley Muncy on March 2nd 2015, 1:39:31 am. "Georgia's "Woodstock Festival" Receives Historic Marker." Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory. Lamar Brown Jr, the track owner at the
The season began on Sunday January 21 and ended on Sunday October 21. The 1974 Southern 500, the 25th running of the event, was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race on September 2, 1974, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. After eleven days of filming for the Dodge Durango, filming wrapped up and the commercial was eventually aired. He denied knowing anything about it and was acquitted. I saw the trailer for that film on YouTube. You mean the trailer park next door that needs to be bulldozed? Ive been going around shooting abandoned tracks the past few weeks and shot North Wilksboro and Rockingham last week. Ken Ragan, father of 2-Time NASCAR Winner David Ragan, won the final race at Middle Georgia Raceway, as said on Peacock's Lost Speedways, hosted by NASCAR On NBC Announcer Dale Earnhardt Jr. Anyone interested in this project should e-mail me, danny1754@att.net. It wasnt just the NASCAR Grand National series as it was known then that made the track special. The 1969 Georgia 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on November 9, 1969, at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia. It held nine NASCAR Grand National (today's Sprint Cup) events from 1966-71. During the inaugural race, the Speedy Morelock 200, Richard Petty broke the speed record for half-mile NASCAR tracks. Later that season, Bobby Isaac shattered Pettys lap record after recording a 98.148 mile-per-hour lap. The next year, federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives discovered a moonshine distillery in an underground bunker at turn three. The Georgia Historical Society believes it was the largest American crowd Hendrix ever played in front of and one of his last performances before his untimely death in September 1970. I hope the owner decides to do something with it. But that would be a small amount compared to what you would have when that all was done, a facility worth at least 15 million if not more. This story was originally published August 30, 2019, 12:05 PM. Pearson captured the championship with 35,638 points over second place James Hylton who finished the season with no wins, but 33,638 points for his consistency and efforts. I would like to see the name changed as the word middle is like middle of the road. Atlanta International Pop Festival occurred on July 3rd -5th,
If you know someone who genuinely has interest in racing history particularly MGR, I am all for you . Jimi Hendrix, the Allman Brothers Band and over 30 other acts performed in front of an estimated crowd of 400,000 concertgoers (the town had a population of about 2,000). My goal is to showcase the obscure, sometimes historic, forgotten places I have visited across the Southeast. The 1979 Southern 500, the 30th running of the event, was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on September 3, 1979, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. You just can't put NOTHIN past uscan you??? [4] Seven years later, it was the location for filming of race scenes of the Richard Pryor film Greased Lightning about Wendell Scott. attendance varied each year from 6,000 to 10,000 and the prize money also went
31 races were scheduled in the 1973 season. A race was held the following day. Thornton himself planned to put a light industrial park there when he bought the property in 2006, but fate intervened. The Second
There was a time that you could wind your own hotrod through the weeds and sneak onto the track for a run, pretty sure it was in the 80s and 90s. The race was 200 laps with
The Middle Georgia Raceway was a raceway located in Byron, Georgia, in the United States. One of Richard Petty's 4 wins at the track came when he was very ill and was questionable to race. Authentic, expressive discussions make groups great, but may also be sensitive and private. Matthew Dillner, who works with Earnhardt Jr. on the Dale Jr. Download podcast is the show's co-host. He won the 100-mile event in his 1966 Plymouth. All nine races at the 500-mile paved oval were won by Hall of Famers: Richard Petty won four times, including the first race, while Bobby Allison was thrice victorious with the distinction of winning the final race. Middle Georgia Raceway former stock car racing rrack. an invoice signed by Brown for the purchase of 24 pounds of yeast, which could
Dirt Oval located in Byron, GA: Track Status: Closed (Opened: 1966 --- Closed: 1986) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction Winner Laps 10 May 1966: NASCAR Grand National: Richard Petty: 200 22 May 1966: Marker is at or near this postal address: 4015 US Highway 41 North, Byron GA 31008, United States of America. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Thanks, Dave. I vote for Byrons Grand National Speedway This ties into its history of being having held 9 NASCAR Grand National events. Or was it a male??? 114 Or 912.651.2125. It would be a GREAT place to get the new generation of kids off the computers and cell phones One of Richard Petty's 4 wins at the track came when he was very ill and was questionable to race. Georgia Raceway was called The Speedy Morelock 200. In addition, there is a $5 premium version that has limited ads and is free to existing Comcast subscribers. your content. In the 1970s, there was also a massive concert held there that the good people of Georgia were none too pleased about. In the commercial, a sign stated it was the Brixton Motor Speedway. Agents would typically have blown it up with dynamite, but instead used acetylene torches to destroy it so the track would not get damaged. It's been almost 50 years since that festival and Thornton has the land up for sale at $1.5 million. I remember well as I went as a kid almost every week and especially the special races. [1] The final NASCAR race was held on November 7, 1971. In front of a crowd of 7,500 spectators, Petty hit a top speed of 82.023 miles per hour. {{Motorsport venue | Name = Middle Georgia Speedway | Nicknames = | Time = EST/EDT (-0500/-0400) | Location = 4015 US-41 Byron, Georgia United States | Coordinates = .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap} 32408.00N834245.93W / 32.6688889N 83.7127583W / 32.6688889; -83.7127583 Coordinates: 32408.00N834245.93W / 32.6688889N 83.7127583W / 32.6688889; -83.7127583 | Image = | Image_caption = | Capacity = | Owner = [[] | Operator = | Broke_ground = | Opened = 1966 [1] | Closed = c.1986 | Construction_cost= $500,000 | Architect = | Former_names = | Events = NASCAR | Layout1 = Oval | Surface = Paved [1] | Length_km = | Length_mi = .548 [1] | Miles_first = True | Turns = 4 | Banking = | Record_time = | Record_driver = | Record_team = | Record_year = | Record_class = }}, The Middle Georgia Raceway was a raceway located in Byron, Georgia, in the United States. Nine NASCAR Grand National Series races were held at the track between 1966 and 1971. Within the next
But what he really wants is to sell it to someone who will keep the race track there and make it an event location, or even bring back racing. "Byron Pop Festival Gets Historic Marker". The subject of the moonshine still under turn 3 was talked about on the Goat Rodeo radio broadcast Tuesday night with the good folks from Middle Georgia Raceway preparing for their Saturday, August 31st Reunion with Richard Petty as Grand Marshal. "There's been everything from car shows to a couple small concerts, a number of film related things, we've actually rented it out.". Petty started on the pole position and won the 274-mile (441km) race. The marker stands at the Middle Georgia Raceway. It needs a Pressbox/VIP lounge, and lighting added throughout the facility. (2012-09-19). Track Facts. My father, Bob Moore, and many of his friends cleaned the place up a few years ago for a car show and vintage racing. He hasnt had an event there in years mostly because he has been busy with planning a major development in downtown Macon, he said. The 1969 Dixie 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on August 10, 1969, at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia. The 1976 Riverside 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on June 13, 1976, at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California. By Jenna Eason. But less than two months before the track's second race in 1967, federal agents raided the track and found a trap door in the ticket . This is an information and social media page for the brand new Middle Georgia Sports. Heres more. There has been some talk of having another music festival there. You may wish to switch to the. It held nine NASCAR Grand National (today's Sprint Cup) events from 1966-71. I hope to preserve the past through documentation and photographs since many of these amazing places are often lost to neglect, demolition, or renovation. Petty returned to win the 150-mile (240km) NASCAR race during the following season.[1]. about the Middle Georgia Raceway is the International Pop Festival. One controversial piece of evidence was
The Middle Georgia Raceway is an abandoned race track near Byron, Georgia. From 1966 to 1971, the track hosted nine NASCAR races with winners including Richard Petty and Bobby Allison. Anyone who can come up with about $1.2 million can be the owner of a local race track with a long and colorful history. (2012-09-19). Jimi Hendrix headlined the three-day concert and played a unique rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner at midnight on the 4th of July, accompanied by a fireworks display. He made the unwise decision to run tires from his previous race at Talladega, which were a harder compound, AND, the track had lots of sand on it. "My reasons for wanting to do this show were purely selfish I love the mystique and eeriness of abandoned things, especially when those things are race tracks," Earnhardt said, per Dirty Mo . Middle Georgia Raceway held nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (then NASCAR Grand National) races from 1966-1971. For instance, in 1967 authorities found a moonshine distillery located buried in a chamber under the track. You can reach me at AbandonedSoutheast@gmail.com. On these 80 acres sits the Middle Georgia Raceway and the setting of the 1970 Atlanta International Pop Festival. [1], Opened in 1966 at a cost of $500,000, the first race, the Speedy Morelock 200 NASCAR Grand National stock car race, became the location of a speed record when Richard Petty broke the half-mile NASCAR record for half-mile tracks with an average speed of 82.023 miles per hour during the 100-mile (160km) event. It may need General admission booths, and fencing to the grandstands. "Jimi Hendrix and the Allman Brothers, we had definitely heard of the Allman Brothers because they were from Macon, at that time, they were the only band that opened and closed the festival so that was pretty cool.". Both of the pay tiers will include live sports and early access to late-night shows. The property includes an active golf ball driving range adjacent to the highway. 1) "Middle Georgia Raceway." Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, "Byron raceway roars back to life in car ads", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Middle_Georgia_Raceway&oldid=1144342976, Motorsport venues in Georgia (U.S. state), Buildings and structures in Peach County, Georgia, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from November 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 March 2023, at 06:20. He covered the 250 miles (400km) with a speed of 85.121 miles per hour (136.989km/h) which was the fastest in the track's NASCAR history. The economy soured and people began approaching him about having a racers reunion there, which he allowed. It was surreal to see such a place silenced.
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