Or was it a male??? The local newspaper described it as an. Until it's sold, he says the raceway is still used for special events and commercials. A thick row of mimosa trees grows at the base of the stands. Its got a lot of history out there. Take a look, Four of six Warner Robins narcotics officers reinstated amid misconduct investigation, Coffee shop, pizza place & more. It was surreal to see such a place silenced. Thornton eventually dropped his plans for the moonshine festival. Then came the festival, now known as the Woodstock of the South, which featured some notable artists. N.p., n.d. http://www.macon.com/2013/08/25/2627781/byron-moonshine-legend-lives-on.html The track has also hosted a monster truck rally and other events while Thornton has owned it. With the help of the state legislature, restrictions were adopted to make it difficult to organize another festival of this size. Im unsure if Car and Driver ever filmed there. 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. But it is not the rest of the story Leon. During the video the guy that recorded the video made the statement that they had footage other than just the Hendrix part. The 1972 Old Dominion 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that was held on September 24, 1972, at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. I wish he would bring this MIDDLE GEORGIA RACEWAY back to LIFE COME ON DALE. 1) "Middle Georgia Raceway." It needs a Pressbox/VIP lounge, and lighting added throughout the facility. The interstate was backed up for miles in both directions. After eleven days of filming for the Dodge Durango, filming wrapped up and the commercial was eventually aired. Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory. It held nine NASCAR Grand National (today's Sprint Cup) events from 1966-71. [4] A few years ago[when? Yes there would need to be a lot of improvements but some small scale promotions could create some monies and more importantly, interest. Richard Petty won four titles, while Bobby Allison won three. Copyright 2023 PopCulture.com. "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 . Another track from my trip to Georgia, the long dormant Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia. I read the ASA ran some events there and that Davey Allison won an ARCA event there. 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. A team from Miami would come to Byron for a race and then fill a car A race was held the following day. The largest event was a reunion of the Dukes of Hazzard cast, which drew tens of thousands from around the country. Richard Petty set a new track record with a speed of 85.121 miles per hour in November 1968. [4] Seven years later, it was the location for filming of race scenes of the Richard Pryor film Greased Lightning about Wendell Scott. Theres just too much energy there to see the track just sit. Brown said he bought the yeast to make food for the concession stand at the race track. In 1970, the Atlanta International Pop Festival was held in a field next to the track, featuring Jimi Hendrix and the Allman Brothers. The track was truly special as I grew up and remains the site of some the most enjoyable times of my youth. In the 1970s, there was also a massive concert held there that the good people of Georgia were none too pleased about. An aerial view of Middle Georgia Raceway, which hosted NASCAR Cup events from 1966 through 1971. In 1967 federal agents discovered an elaborate underground moonshine still buried off turn three of the track. Middle Georgia Raceway hosted NASCAR races between 1966 and 1971. The local newspaper described it as an elaborate, sophisticated operation with two fermenting tanks totaling 3,700 gallons. 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The only working part of the still when it was raided was a barrel of mesh "cooking", (fermenting.) The first NASCAR race at the Middle The Middle Georgia Raceway was a popular race track for early NASCAR greats, and the 80 acres hosted one of the biggest music festivals in the 1970s. raceway in its natural state, beat down and decaying. See the comprehensive Ingliston Motor Racing Circuit website for photos, results, and complete programmes from Ingliston. As the song goes, :"I guess you had to be there. Dodge purchased a car locally for $2,000 and crashed it to add realism to the scenes, which were filmed over an eleven day period. LeeRoy Yarbrough sat on the pole position and Bobby Allison won the 267-mile (430km) race. The premier Motorsports destination of Middle Georgia whether your into the ultimate show. You may wish to switch to the. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. [4] Seven years later, it was the location for filming of race scenes of the Richard Pryor film Greased Lightning about Wendell Scott. This amount of yeast could have fed the Richard Petty (2010), then entering the prime of his career, won the first two races at the track in the spring of 1966 and '67.. [1] He beat pole-sitter Pearson by 4 seconds and they were the only two cars on the lead lap. I took my Supra out there and an older Porsche..loved it. Earnhardt Jr. created Lost Speedways and will serve as the host for this exclusive look back at racing's history. On the way back to Atlanta, we stopped at this race track for him to get some practice laps. From watching the 23,333 were here. Jump to navigation Jump to search. The 1970 Georgia 500 also occurred at the track. For instance, in 1967 authorities found a moonshine distillery located buried in a chamber under the track. NASCAR started its 1968 and 1969 season at the Middle Georgia Raceway. Reading up in its history , Richard Petty, David Pearson, Bobby Allison and Bobby Issacs all won there. This short track outside of Indianapolis closed in 1960 after "a string of horrific accidents." It was designed by Fireball Roberts. kinda like a journey for the chosen few to the promised land. hold your peace and show your face and you may be rewarded, but remember this, your word is the only thing you can give but also keep, This site requires Javascript to function properly - please enable Javascript in your browser. It featured more than 30 musical acts, including Jimi Hendrix and The Allman Brothers Band. 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). All in all I say that maybe 3 million would be needed. I really believe that this facility has lots potential. According to a former racer, moonshine was never sold during the This 1/2 mile paved oval track has been abandoned since 1984. In 1970, the Atlanta International Pop Festival was held in a field next to the track, featuring Jimi Hendrix and the Allman Brothers. In 2016, my obsession with the forgotten and abandoned inspired me to create this blog. The 1976 Dixie 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on November 7, 1976, at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia, USA. The Middle Georgia Raceway was a popular race track for early NASCAR greats, and the 80 acres hosted one of the biggest music festivals in the 1970s. The company 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. 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. This brings back memories for me. He denied knowing anything about it and was acquitted. [1] NASCAR's 1969 season again began at the track. Over 300,000 attended the . [1] NASCAR's 1969 season again began at the track. One of Richard Petty's 4 wins at the track came when he was very ill and was questionable to race. The Middle Georgia Raceway was a raceway located in Byron, Georgia, in the United States. Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory. The Second Annual International Pop Festival was also . I hope to preserve the past through documentation and photographs since many of these amazing places are often lost to neglect, demolition, or renovation. commercial, you would not be able to recognize the racetrack due to Dodge I explored this place many years ago! Now the track is overgrown again, with grass sprouting through the seams of the paved half-mile oval. "There's been everything from car shows to a couple small concerts, a number of film related things, we've actually rented it out.". 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. Nine NASCAR Grand National Series races were held at the track between 1966 and 1971. He said the tract has been for sale for years, but he hasnt promoted it much. Tim Thornton is the owner of the land, and says he has vivid memories watching the races and serving ice cream at the festival. One federal A third Atlanta Pop Festival never happened. hauler with large amounts of moonshine. The property includes an active golf ball driving range adjacent to the highway. "Byron Pop Festival Gets Historic Marker". I heard a rumor some time back that David Ragan and some of his friends had wanted to try to refurbish the track to run legends cars on the small track that is part of the infield and main track. Ive been going around shooting abandoned tracks the past few weeks and shot North Wilksboro and Rockingham last week. Middle Georgia Raceway, once a full-blown NASCAR . The Second It's been almost 50 years since that festival and Thornton has the land up for sale at $1.5 million. [6], in 1984 the Arca Racing Series ran at the track and the race was won by Davey Allison. The Second Annual International Pop Festival was also located on the Middle Georgia Raceway in 1970. spent eleven days filming and supposedly spent 2 million dollars as well.4. RELATED: Peach County's South Peach Park to get new entrance, RELATED: 'Georgia Camera Ready' looking for filming sites in Peach County. Thornton says they may hold a special event to commemorate it. I have to live here. It would not take a lot to get the track going again. [3] Allison won the 274-mile (441km) event in a 1969 Dodge. Wednesday night, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. begins a journey to visit some of racing's abandoned tracks. {{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. Hi! It opened in 1966. In 2011 Dodge shot a commercial there. In 2011, Dodge contacted the current owner and asked to use the track for an advertisement. Thanks, Dale Jr. Is looking for old and abandoned race tracks. Nature has started to reclaim this storied race track in Byron, Georgia. Thornton himself planned to put a light industrial park there when he bought the property in 2006, but fate intervened. He won the 100-mile event in his 1966 Plymouth. years.1, The Middle Georgia Raceway not only Nine times between 1966 and 1971, the premier series raced at Middle Georgia Raceway in the town of Macon. There was no hunter as the story tells. Those racers ended up being NASCAR Hall of Famers, and Byron was on the map. In addition to NASCAR races there were sprint car races and outlaw. This was the first season where all races were televised in some form. few years the race at Middle Georgia would be called the Macon 300, Middle Isaac sat on the pole after recording a 98.148-mile-per-hour (157.954km/h) lap, which was the fastest in the track's history. 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. Hey my name eddie taylor I live in Byron ga an my family has been in racing our whole life my uncle Doc ran on the dirt tracks an at middle ga raceway it was an awesome place an it really needs to be brought back to life we need to try an get people talk about it. In the trailer, he walked through fields and sat in the stands at abandoned tracks. There has been some talk of having another music festival there. I am not asking for any money, just peoples interest. Marker is on U.S. 41, 0.2 miles south of High Point Way, on the right when traveling south. up from one thousand in 1966 to three thousand three hundred in just two The marker stands at the Middle Georgia Raceway. On these 80 acres sits the Middle Georgia Raceway and the setting of the 1970 Atlanta International Pop Festival. [1] The final NASCAR race was held on November 7, 1971. He proposed to his wife before the race. It is zoned general commercial, and could be an industrial park or even a housing development, he said. Required fields are marked *. 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 . Lamar Brown gave me a guided tour of the still after it was destroyed. Ill definitely have to add this one to the list! 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. NASCAR began its 1968 season at the track. The Telegraph. 20 years ago, GMS Productions of Macon syndicated a 30th anniversary radio special about the event. Petty started on the pole position and won the 274-mile (441km) race. Middle Georgia Raceway (abandoned) This 1/2 mile paved oval track has been abandoned since 1984. I hope the owner decides to do something with it. "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.". He proposed to his wife before the race. The Moonshine Track. He is considering, however, making a more active push to find a buyer. Thornton once planned to have a moonshine festival there to commemorate another infamous event in the tracks history. changing the name to Brixton Motor Speedway on the retaining wall. King and even 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. Pearson qualified on the pole and Petty won his third race at the track. He dropped the idea of an industrial park. I got this site from my buddy who informed me regarding this site and now this time I am visiting this website and reading very informative posts here. Middle Georgia Raceway held nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (then NASCAR Grand National) races from 1966-1971. During the inaugural race, the Speedy Morelock 200, Richard Petty broke the speed record for half-mile NASCAR tracks. Nine NASCAR races were held there from 1966 to 1971. [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. This story was originally published August 30, 2019, 12:05 PM. The season began on Sunday January 23 and ended on Sunday November 12. Petty returned to win the 150-mile (240km) NASCAR race during the following season.[1]. The app will launch the same day and provide users with the ability to stream Lost Speedways and other NBC shows on their Google Chromecast, Apple TV, and other devices. It held nine NASCAR Grand National (today's Sprint Cup) events from 1966-71. The economy soured and people began approaching him about having a racers reunion there, which he allowed. The track owner was arrested and tried. [1] He beat pole-sitter Pearson by 4 seconds and they were the only two cars on the lead lap. The distillery was capable of producing 80 gallons of moonshine per day. Dale Earnhardt was crowned NASCAR Rookie of the Year. [2] The final race was held near the end of the year. Atlanta International Raceway turn action. Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory. LOL!!! I remember well as I went as a kid almost every week and especially the special races. The first season will also showcase Occoneechee Speedway in Hillsborough, North Carolina, Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia and several others. Such fun was had. His new show, Lost Speedways, premieres and provides a fresh look at the history of motorsports. Authentic, expressive discussions make groups great, but may also be sensitive and private. The Middle Georgia Raceway opened in 1966, with many of the racing biggies earning victories there. 2) Crenshaw, Wayne. An interesting situation happened at the track in. I saw the trailer for that film on YouTube. General view of the Atlanta Raceway circa 1980's at the Atlanta Raceway in Hampton, Georgia. Kulkosky, Victor. 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. Oh yes they have Dave. Finally, there is a $10 ad-free version. Petty started on the pole position and won the 274-mile (441km) race. Byron, GA. The service, which was previously only available for Comcast subscribers, launches on Wednesday alongside Earnhardt's show. 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). All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. NASCAR allowed the return of the Chrysler Hemi engine in 1966, and at the same time Ford decided to boycott NASCAR for the season. [1]. While the racetrack had a short life within professional racing, the land where the track was located holds many stories. [4]. distillery capable of producing 80 gallons of moonshine a day. It would be a shame for it to be torn down.. That would be GRAND ! Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory. A field adjacent to the track was the location of the Second Atlanta International Pop Festival in 1970, commonly called the Byron Pop Festival, which drew hundreds of thousands people. 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.The story was so big it made national headlines.Here's the Associated Press story as carried by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in its edition of. an invoice signed by Brown for the purchase of 24 pounds of yeast, which could In the commercial, a sign stated it was the Brixton Motor Speedway. It bent the front frame rails, and since the car was a previous generation long wheelbase car, I dont think it was ever rebuilt. I apologize for being a little behind on uploading this. Isaac sat on the pole after recording a 98.148-mile-per-hour (157.954km/h) lap, which was the fastest in the track's history. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. "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 Media. My father, Bob Moore, and many of his friends cleaned the place up a few years ago for a car show and vintage racing. Georgia 500 and finally the Georgia 500. I released my first book, Abandoned Birmingham, in July 2018 and it is available worldwide through most major booksellers. [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. The following 4 files are in this category, out of 4 total. Within the next Bobby Allison drove from the pole to win the 274-mile (441km) race. The bands that performed were: Allman Brothers Band / B.B. Thanks for sharing. It wasnt just the NASCAR Grand National series as it was known then that made the track special. Race Results at. I would like to see the name changed as the word middle is like middle of the road. The track which has been closed to racing since 1984, was featured in the second episode of Lost Speedways. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4015 US Highway 41 North, Byron GA 31008, United States of America. Over 30 musical acts performed including Jimi Hendrix, B.B. 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. This half-mile paved oval welcomed the NASCAR big leagues nine times between 1966 and 1971, four of those races were run by Richard. Brown was the only witness for the defense and adamantly denied knowing anything about the still. I do not know about the parking lot, it may need to have paved access roads and gravel. Byron, Georgia (GA), US. [4] A few years ago[ when? 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. The final NASCAR race at the Middle Georgia Raceway was the 1971 Georgia 500, held on November 7, 1971. Richard Petty won four times, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each won once. During the inaugural race, the Speedy Morelock 200, Richard Petty broke the speed record for half-mile NASCAR tracks. He cleaned up the track, which hadnt seen a race in years, and more events were held. The owner has opened the track for occasional events and reunions, but there are no plans to reopen the track. HELP US OUT, Your email address will not be published. Middle Georgia Raceway Middle Georgia Raceway, Macon, Ga. The moonshine distillery was reported to have an electric exhaust system, electric lighting, and electronic insect repellant devices. The Middle Georgia Raceway is an abandoned race track near Byron, Georgia. [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. The last race of any notability was an ARCA race in 1984 that was won by Davey Allison. Pearson qualified on the pole and Petty won his third race at the track. Still, thousands of music lovers were outside the gates demanding the gates be opened and the festival become free, like Woodstock. ], it was purchased with the goal of converting it to a land development site. Middle Georgia Raceway held nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (then NASCAR Grand National) races from 1966-1971. Microsoft has removed the Birds Eye imagery for this map. The 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 25th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 2nd modern-era Cup season. In 2011, Dodge contacted the current owner and asked to use the track for an advertisement. Here's the Associated Press story as carried by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in its edition of September 26, 1967: thats only an inkling of the story -- come to The reunion and we will tell you the REST of the STORY.. Quite a description of an adventure! Watched some awsome races and ran on this track super fast and fun to race wish they would at least run karts, Atlanta International Pop Festival (1970) marker, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcY4Di6OgWw. Middle Georgia Raceway, once a full-blown NASCAR Grand National track where Richard Petty and other racing legends battled it out, is for sale.
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