Thats where it has to start, people being interested. Petty started on the pole position and won the 274-mile (441km) race. Until it's sold, he says the raceway is still used for special events and commercials. Forested areas around the festival were transformed into campgrounds. The very first of these races was won by NASCAR legend Richard Petty. [6], in 1984 the Arca Racing Series ran at the track and the race was won by Davey Allison. The owner, developer Tim Thornton, said the property on U.S. 41 includes about 61 acres. 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. The economy soured and people began approaching him about having a racers reunion there, which he allowed. Right Johnny M. Other nearby markers. 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. He said the tract has been for sale for years, but he hasnt promoted it much. [1] [4] On September 15, 2012, an official Georgia Historical Society marker was placed near the raceway to commemorate the 1970 pop festival. [4]. 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. The Second Annual International Pop Festival was also . ], it was purchased with the goal of converting it to a land development site. I apologize for being a little behind on uploading this. You mean the trailer park next door that needs to be bulldozed? Middle Georgia Raceway held nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (then NASCAR Grand National) races from 1966-1971. The season marked series first visit to the state of Maine. I do not know about the parking lot, it may need to have paved access roads and gravel. 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. The Second Annual International Pop Festival was also located on the Middle Georgia Raceway in 1970. What an awesome place. The only thing law enforcement could do about the widespread drug use and nudity was to look the other way. He won the 100-mile event in his 1966 Plymouth. This page was last edited on 7 January 2022, at 03:32. A race was held the following day. The Augusta International Raceway was a multi-use motorsports facility located in Hephzibah, Georgia, United States. In 2011 Dodge shot a commercial there. He denied knowing anything about it and was acquitted. RELATED: Peach County's South Peach Park to get new entrance, RELATED: 'Georgia Camera Ready' looking for filming sites in Peach County. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4015 US Highway 41 North, Byron GA 31008, United States of America. The Middle Georgia Raceway is an abandoned race track near Byron, Georgia. This short track outside of Indianapolis closed in 1960 after "a string of horrific accidents." 'Lost Speedways': How to Watch Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Peacock - Sports Wednesday night, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. begins a journey to visit some of racing's abandoned tracks. In 2011, the current owner leased the track to Dodge, who wanted to use it for a Durango commercial. [3] Allison won the 274-mile (441km) event in a 1969 Dodge. Federal agents found out about it after a hunter smelled fumes and tipped off the authorities. (2012-09-19). The local newspaper described it as an. A . Middle Georgia Raceway was one of three tracks in the city of Macon that hosted NASCAR premier series races. The largest event was a reunion of the Dukes of Hazzard cast, which drew tens of thousands from around the country. The Allman Brothers Band, who was relatively unknown before this festival, opened and closed the show. It would not take a lot to get the track going again. "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 . city of Atlanta for a week. Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory. There was no hunter as the story tells. The service, which was previously only available for Comcast subscribers, launches on Wednesday alongside Earnhardt's show. 2) Crenshaw, Wayne. Unfortunately, after just a few laps, he lost control coming off turn four, and then over-corrected and went head-on into the outside wall. 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. Kulkosky, Victor. In the commercial, a sign stated it was the Brixton Motor Speedway. N.p., n.d. http://racing-reference.info/tracks/Middle_Georgia_Raceway He hasnt had an event there in years mostly because he has been busy with planning a major development in downtown Macon, he said. Copyright 2023 PopCulture.com. 4 MIDDLE GEORGIA RACEWAY Premium High Res Photos N.p., n.d. http://bangshift.com/general-news/videos/the-true-story-behind-the-fake-racetrack-in-chrysler-s-latest-tv-commercial/. The distillery was capable of producing 80 gallons of moonshine per day. He won the 100-mile event in his 1966 . By Jenna Eason. King and even Your email address will not be published. All the racers named were the top finishers in the weekly races. The Second ": I was there. i have byron and a bunch more lost ga tracks on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GAghosttracks/. He dropped the idea of an industrial park. A team from Miami would come to Byron for a race and then fill a car He holds a bachelors degree in print journalism from Georgia College and is a resident of Warner Robins. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (n.d.): n. pag. Lamar Brown Jr, the track owner at the Auto Racing Legends V | Middle Georgia Raceway - Facebook Ticket prices for the weekend event to see the 30 bands were $14.00, a bargain even then. The first NASCAR race at the Middle A trap door inside of a ticket booth led 17 feet underground to a cave where the distillery was kept. Middle Georgia Raceway; Middle Georgia Raceway; former stock car racing rrack; tor wycigowy (Stany Zjednoczone); bouwwerk in Georgia, Middle Georgia Raceway curve and back straightaway.JPG, Middle Georgia Raceway infield with trees.JPG, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Middle_Georgia_Raceway&oldid=619795589, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The track has also hosted a monster truck rally and other events while Thornton has owned it. Mar 9 2013 From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. We too went through the brush to get pictures on motorcycles and take a few laps. be used for fermentation of alcohol. 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. All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. 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! [6], in 1984 the Arca Racing Series ran at the track and the race was won by Davey Allison. It bent the front frame rails, and since the car was a previous generation long wheelbase car, I dont think it was ever rebuilt. Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group? Middle Georgia Raceway - Clio This was the first season where all races were televised in some form. It would be a shame for it to be torn down.. Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory. class kills 16-year-old, Washington school says, Heres how the new Macon Mall courtrooms will help Macons backlogged justice system, Three unlikely creatures seen sharing the same den. 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. Maybe something like that could be looked at also. Middle Georgia Motorsports Park (Formerly Twiggs/Macon National Dragway) Track Conditions. One controversial piece of evidence was ?? 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. From 1966 to 1971, the track hosted nine NASCAR races with winners including Richard Petty and Bobby Allison. The season began on Sunday January 21 and ended on Sunday October 21. The only working part of the still when it was raided was a barrel of mesh "cooking", (fermenting.) attracted professional racers and their fans but also those looking for moonshine. This brings back memories for me. [1] NASCAR's 1969 season again began at the track. During the video the guy that recorded the video made the statement that they had footage other than just the Hendrix part. Pamela Mullis, 54, was sentenced to 90 to 120 days in prison after she pleaded guilty to felony theft in Houston County Superior Court. Over 30 musical acts performed including Jimi Hendrix, B.B. 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. From 1966 to 1971, the track hosted nine NASCAR races with winners including Richard Petty and Bobby Allison. The 1968 Islip 300 was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on July 7, 1968, at Islip Speedway in Islip, New York. Category: Middle Georgia Raceway. 114 Or 912.651.2125. 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. The property includes an active golf ball driving range adjacent to the highway. changing the name to Brixton Motor Speedway on the retaining wall. He thinks it would be a good location for a public park. It featured more than 30 musical acts, including Jimi Hendrix and The Allman Brothers Band. Please Don't invite people just to invite people. "There's been everything from car shows to a couple small concerts, a number of film related things, we've actually rented it out.". But a disgruntled female.???? This 1/2 mile paved oval track has been abandoned since 1984. N.p., n.d. http://www.macon.com/2013/08/25/2627781/byron-moonshine-legend-lives-on.html This half-mile paved oval welcomed the NASCAR big leagues nine times between 1966 and 1971, four of those races were run by Richard. Thanks for the great content Abandoned Southeast! A historical marker at the property recognizes it as one of the largest public gatherings ever held in Georgia. Hi! Village Photo: Bill Golladay, CC BY-SA 4.0. The Moonshine Track. Middle GA Podcasts on Apple Podcasts Nature has started to reclaim this storied race track in Byron, Georgia. He proposed to his wife before the race. After eleven days of filming for the Dodge Durango, filming wrapped up and the commercial was eventually aired. 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. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Please let me know. Localities in the Area. The season began on Sunday, February 10 and ended on Sunday, November 17. Premium will also include non-televised Premier League soccer games beginning in August. The first season will also showcase Occoneechee Speedway in Hillsborough, North Carolina, Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia and several others. Middle Georgia Raceway, once a full-blown NASCAR Grand National track where Richard Petty and other racing legends battled it out, is for sale. Great photos and interesting back story, thanks for posting it. [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. 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. A thick row of mimosa trees grows at the base of the stands. brought the Middle Georgia Raceway back to life. One of the destinations that will take center stage is Jungle Park Speedway. The short clip also showed him talking to Richard Petty, NASCAR's all-time wins leader. 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. agent claimed it was one of the most elaborate and clever operations he had ever seen. Ghost Trax Ep. 7 Middle Georgia Raceway - YouTube 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. Required fields are marked *. I released my first book, Abandoned Birmingham, in July 2018 and it is available worldwide through most major booksellers. Earnhardt Jr. created Lost Speedways and will serve as the host for this exclusive look back at racing's history. I hope to preserve the past through documentation and photographs since many of these amazing places are often lost to neglect, demolition, or renovation. The Middle Georgia Raceway was a raceway located in Byron, Georgia, in the United States. Middle Georgia Raceway Concert History Ive been going around shooting abandoned tracks the past few weeks and shot North Wilksboro and Rockingham last week. 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. On September 23, 1967, federal agents discovered a moonshine distillery in an underground bunker next to the track at turn three. Select a location to search by state/province . The interstate was backed up for miles in both directions. Georgia 500 and finally the Georgia 500. I explored this place many years ago! 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. LeeRoy Yarbrough sat on the pole position and Bobby Allison won the 267-mile (430km) race. Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory. During the inaugural race, the Speedy Morelock 200, Richard Petty broke the speed record for half-mile NASCAR tracks. 1970. 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. My goal is to showcase the obscure, sometimes historic, forgotten places I have visited across the Southeast. Surrounding development? 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. Byron, Georgia (GA), US. [4] On September 15, 2012, an official Georgia Historical Society marker was placed near the raceway to commemorate the 1970 pop festival. Middle Georgia Raceway - WikiMili, The Best Wikipedia Reader [1] NASCAR's 1969 season again began at the track. In the 1970s, there was also a massive concert held there that the good people of Georgia were none too pleased about. Reading up in its history , Richard Petty, David Pearson, Bobby Allison and Bobby Issacs all won there. Here's how to watch the first eight-episode season of the new racing-centric series. I wish he would bring this MIDDLE GEORGIA RACEWAY back to LIFE COME ON DALE. THA MOVIE Greased Lightning starring Richard Prior had one of race scenes filmed there. Middle Georgia Raceway Memories - Facebook If you know someone who genuinely has interest in racing history particularly MGR, I am all for you . The track was used in a few Dodge television . For instance, in 1967 authorities found a moonshine distillery located buried in a chamber under the track. Still, thousands of music lovers were outside the gates demanding the gates be opened and the festival become free, like Woodstock. 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. The Middle Georgia Raceway was a half-mile paved track that opened in 1966, at the cost of $500,000. With the recent release of the dvd ,ELECTRIC CHURCH, the live performance by Jimi Hendrix at the Atlanta Pop Festival a renewed interest in that concert is occurring. You just can't put NOTHIN past uscan you??? Larry Smith was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year. I would like to see the name changed as the word middle is like middle of the road. Created by Wesley Muncy on March 2nd 2015, 1:39:31 am. General view of the Atlanta Raceway circa 1980's at the Atlanta Raceway in Hampton, Georgia. 23,333 were here. The last race of any notability was an ARCA race in 1984 that was won by Davey Allison. 31 races were scheduled in the 1973 season. 1) "Middle Georgia Raceway." Together, they will journey to the abandoned tracks that are no longer recognizable due to the foliage. Middle Georgia Raceway (abandoned) This 1/2 mile paved oval track has been abandoned since 1984. Welcome to AbandonedSoutheast.com! 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. King / Procol Harum / Grand Funk Railroad / Mountain / Ten Years After / Ravi Shankar / Jimi Hendrix / Poco / Johnny Winter / Chambers Brothers / John Sebastian / Terry Reid / Spirit / Radar / Hampton Grease Band / Bloodrock . 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. The final NASCAR race at the Middle Georgia Raceway was the 1971 Georgia 500, held on November 7, 1971. It was also the last NASCAR national touring series season to feature a dirt track race until the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and the last time the Cup series raced on dirt until the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series. Theres just too much energy there to see the track just sit. 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. See the comprehensive Ingliston Motor Racing Circuit website for photos, results, and complete programmes from Ingliston. Middle Georgia Raceway (abandoned) - Virtual Globetrotting And not even the names have been changed to protect the innocent?!! I recently have a phone conversation with current owner Tim Thornton and he seems to be very interested in seeing the track come back to life. HELP US OUT, Your email address will not be published. BangShiftcom. In the trailer, he walked through fields and sat in the stands at abandoned tracks. Ingliston Circuit | The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project It held nine NASCAR Grand National (today's Sprint Cup) events from 1966-71. In the commercial, a sign stated that it was the Brixton Motor Speedway.[4]. The following 4 files are in this category, out of 4 total. Race Results at. Middle Georgia Raceway - Abandoned Southeast - July 15, 2020 02:30 pm EDT. up from one thousand in 1966 to three thousand three hundred in just two Detroiturbex.com - Middle Georgia Raceway Try to find a half mile track on 100 acres with such a great location and a awesome history. Track Facts. Byron. I continued to follow the named drivers long after the track closed and one of my favorite drivers was Friday Hasler who was killed in a Daytona 500 qualifying race in 1972. the winner being Richard Petty by 19 seconds from Tom Pistone. It was designed by Fireball Roberts. I hope the owner decides to do something with it. It opened in 1966. Georgia's Deep NASCAR Roots | NASCAR Hall of Fame | Curators' Corner Does Middle Georgia Motor Speedway Have a New 'Boss?' With the help of the state legislature, restrictions were adopted to make it difficult to organize another festival of this size. It may need General admission booths, and fencing to the grandstands. Nine times between 1966 and 1971, the premier series raced at Middle Georgia Raceway in the town of Macon. I put nothing in writing. [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. Bobby Isaac was the champion of the series as NASCAR transitioned from the Grand National era to the Winston Cup era. Former NASCAR race track, Byron, Georgia Raceway for sale - Macon Telegraph The Middle Georgia Raceway is an abandoned race track near Byron, Georgia. After the economy crashed, plans were placed on hold. The last race happened in 1971, and by 1986 it was closed. The Telegraph. Now the track is overgrown again, with grass sprouting through the seams of the paved half-mile oval. An earlier race was run on November 1968 with the same name and year number. [1] The final NASCAR race was held on November 7, 1971. Only one foreigner was racing that year, a Canadian named Frog Fagan. The Middle Georgia Raceway is loaded with history ranging from record setting runs t. [1] The final NASCAR race was held on November 7, 1971. After the economy crashed, plans were placed on hold. In later years the track was used for special events, concerts, commercial and feature filming, and most recently as a Halloween attraction. [4] A few years ago[ when? An aerial view of Middle Georgia Raceway, which hosted NASCAR Cup events from 1966 through 1971. The moonshine distillery was reported to have an electric exhaust system, electric lighting, and electronic insect repellant devices. 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. After eleven days of filming for the Dodge Durango, filming wrapped up and the commercial was eventually aired. "Byron Pop Festival Gets Historic Marker". "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. [5], There was a big crash at the track in which the barricade went through driver Sonny Braswell's car and broke 14 bones. [1] He beat pole-sitter Pearson by 4 seconds and they were the only two cars on the lead lap. 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. It wasnt just the NASCAR Grand National series as it was known then that made the track special. Thanks for sharing. Matthew Dillner, who works with Earnhardt Jr. on the Dale Jr. Download podcast is the show's co-host. In addition, there is a $5 premium version that has limited ads and is free to existing Comcast subscribers. The winner was Ivan Baldwin followed by Dan Clark and Jim Sanderson. Dale Earnhardt was crowned NASCAR Rookie of the Year. He is considering, however, making a more active push to find a buyer. 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. There has been some talk of having another music festival there. Petty returned to win the 150-mile (240km) NASCAR race during the following season. Atlanta International Raceway turn action. The Tim Thornton is the owner of the land, and says he has vivid memories watching the races and serving ice cream at the festival. Lost Speedways is an exclusive product for NBC's new streaming platform, Peacock. Lamar Brown gave me a guided tour of the still after it was destroyed.

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