[4] Seven years later, it was the location for filming of race scenes of the Richard Pryor film Greased Lightning about Wendell Scott. It would be a shame for it to be torn down.. 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. Richard Petty won four times, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each won once. [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. 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. NASCAR began its 1968 season at the track. That would be GRAND ! Ill definitely have to add this one to the list! 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. Copyright 2023 PopCulture.com. Finally, there is a $10 ad-free version. The Middle Georgia Raceway was a raceway located in Byron, Georgia, in the United States. Later that season, Bobby Isaac shattered Pettys lap record after recording a 98.148 mile-per-hour lap. Richard Petty won four titles, while Bobby Allison won three. Nature has started to reclaim this storied race track in Byron, Georgia. In the 1970s, there was also a massive concert held there that the good people of Georgia were none too pleased about. We learned there were unsung heroes, remarkable feats, incredible memories, checkered pasts, and unhealed wounds that still needed attention.". It would be a GREAT place to get the new generation of kids off the computers and cell phones 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. The track has also hosted a monster truck rally and other events while Thornton has owned it. 09/05/ 1965. The track was used in a few Dodge television commercials in . In 2016, my obsession with the forgotten and abandoned inspired me to create this blog. [2] The final race was held near the end of the year. 28 were held. [1] NASCAR's 1969 season again began at the track. 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 . Earnhardt Jr. created Lost Speedways and will serve as the host for this exclusive look back at racing's history. The Middle Georgia Raceway was a half-mile paved track that opened in 1966, at the cost of $500,000. 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. On these 80 acres sits the Middle Georgia Raceway and the setting of the 1970 Atlanta International Pop Festival. "Matthew and I have been mapping the locations of abandoned tracks for years, and I always wanted to explore them. Talk about a diamond in the rough, this is it. 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. few years the race at Middle Georgia would be called the Macon 300, Middle My father, Bob Moore, and many of his friends cleaned the place up a few years ago for a car show and vintage racing. By Jenna Eason. years.1, The Middle Georgia Raceway not only I saw the trailer for that film on YouTube. Centerville is situated 3 miles south of Antebellum North. Larry Smith was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year. 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). 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. King and even Lamar Brown Jr, the track owner at the 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. 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. Bobby Isaac was the champion of the series as NASCAR transitioned from the Grand National era to the Winston Cup era. [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. See the comprehensive Ingliston Motor Racing Circuit website for photos, results, and complete programmes from Ingliston. General view of the Atlanta Raceway circa 1980's at the Atlanta Raceway in Hampton, Georgia. [2] The final race was held near the end of the year. A race was held the following day. Atlanta International Raceway turn action. [4] On September 15, 2012, an official Georgia Historical Society marker was placed near the raceway to commemorate the 1970 pop festival. http://georgiahistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/9.4_Pop_Fest.pdf Petty started on the pole position and won the 274-mile (441km) race. up from one thousand in 1966 to three thousand three hundred in just two 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. 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. The first NASCAR race at the Middle The property includes an active golf ball driving range adjacent to the highway. Middle Georgia Raceway Middle Georgia Raceway, Macon, Ga. [1]. Thornton once planned to have a moonshine festival there to commemorate another infamous event in the tracks history. Richard Petty won his second consecutive Winston Cup Championship and fourth overall. He holds a bachelors degree in print journalism from Georgia College and is a resident of Warner Robins. [1] Richard Petty won four times, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each won once. Please let me know. It bent the front frame rails, and since the car was a previous generation long wheelbase car, I dont think it was ever rebuilt. For instance, in 1967 authorities found a moonshine distillery located buried in a chamber under the track. Upload media Wikipedia. The California 150 for sportsman cars was run prior to this race. Search By State. The interstate was backed up for miles in both directions. The final NASCAR race at the Middle Georgia Raceway was the 1971 Georgia 500, held on November 7, 1971. Thats really interesting. [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. An interesting situation happened at the track in. He said the tract has been for sale for years, but he hasnt promoted it much. Touch for directions. There has been some talk of having another music festival there. Great photos and interesting back story, thanks for posting it. It wasnt just the NASCAR Grand National series as it was known then that made the track special. He proposed to his wife before the race. 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. Localities in the Area. 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. Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, and David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory. This short track outside of Indianapolis closed in 1960 after "a string of horrific accidents." Byron, GA. This half-mile paved oval welcomed the NASCAR big leagues nine times between 1966 and 1971, four of those races were run by Richard. NASCAR started its 1968 and 1969 season at the Middle Georgia Raceway. 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. The season began on Sunday, February 10 and ended on Sunday, November 17. "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. 35,014 were here. 4) "The True Story Behind The Fake Racetrack in Chryslers Latest TV Commercial." Middle Georgia Raceway, near Macon, hosted many top notch stock car events on its half-mile, paved surface. Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group? 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. The only working part of the still when it was raided was a barrel of mesh "cooking", (fermenting.) 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. Together, they will journey to the abandoned tracks that are no longer recognizable due to the foliage. Nine NASCAR Grand National Series races were held at the track between 1966 and 1971. "There's been everything from car shows to a couple small concerts, a number of film related things, we've actually rented it out.". [4] A few years ago[ when? I wish he would bring this MIDDLE GEORGIA RACEWAY back to LIFE COME ON DALE. I am not asking for any money, just peoples interest. Out of the nine races at the He denied knowing anything about it and was acquitted. Earnhardt Jr. previously posted a trailer to reveal the premiere date and provides some new glimpses into his journey through the history of motorsports. An earlier race was run on November 1968 with the same name and year number. This story was originally published August 30, 2019, 12:05 PM. 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. 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. Even after the raceway was closed down, it gained notoriety after Dodge used this location to film a commercial in 2011. 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 Middle Georgia Raceway opened in 1966, with many of the racing biggies earning victories there. [1] He beat pole-sitter Pearson by 4 seconds and they were the only two cars on the lead lap. ], it was purchased with the goal of converting it to a land development site. Please Don't invite people just to invite people. The owner at the time, Lamar Brown Jr., was arrested after the discovery. "Byron Moonshine Legend Lives On." The season began on Sunday January 21 and ended on Sunday October 21. Ive been going around shooting abandoned tracks the past few weeks and shot North Wilksboro and Rockingham last week. There was no hunter as the story tells. Brown said he bought the yeast to make food for the concession stand at the race track. Within a bunker under turn three, federal agents discovered a moonshine You can reach me at AbandonedSoutheast@gmail.com. Your email address will not be published. Kulkosky, Victor. He hasnt had an event there in years mostly because he has been busy with planning a major development in downtown Macon, he said. What an awesome place. One of Richard Petty's 4 wins at the track came when he was very ill and was questionable to race. Im unsure if Car and Driver ever filmed there. 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. 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. 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: races. Such fun was had. Matthew Dillner, who works with Earnhardt Jr. on the Dale Jr. Download podcast is the show's co-host. ], it was purchased with the goal of converting it to a land development site. [3] Allison won the 274-mile (441km) event in a 1969 Dodge. It would not take a lot to get the track going again. 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. 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. In 1967 federal agents discovered an elaborate underground moonshine still buried off turn three of the track. There are three subscription tiers available for Peacock, including a free, ad-supported version that has limited content. During the trial, the government produced an invoice for 24 pounds of yeast that was purchased by Brown 10 days before the moonshine still was discovered. [3] Allison won the 274-mile (441km) event in a 1969 Dodge. Middle Georgia Raceway. I explored this place many years ago! During the inaugural race, the Speedy Morelock 200, Richard Petty broke the speed record for half-mile NASCAR tracks. The Middle Georgia Raceway is an abandoned race track near Byron, Georgia. 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 . Nine NASCAR Grand National Series races were held at the track between 1966 and 1971. Last updated by Clio Admin on March 27th 2015, 1:16:16 am. NASCAR began its 1968 season at the track. Centerville. In 2011 Dodge shot a commercial there. shows Jimi Hendrix performed at due to his death three months later.3, The Doge Durango television ad The track was truly special as I grew up and remains the site of some the most enjoyable times of my youth. From 1966 to 1971, the track hosted nine NASCAR races with winners including Richard Petty and Bobby Allison. This amount of yeast could have fed the 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 is loaded with history ranging from record setting runs t. Theres just too much energy there to see the track just sit. With the help of the state legislature, restrictions were adopted to make it difficult to organize another festival of this size. Track Facts. I read the ASA ran some events there and that Davey Allison won an ARCA event there. Nine times between 1966 and 1971, the premier series raced at Middle Georgia Raceway in the town of Macon. N.p., n.d. http://www.macon.com/2013/08/25/2627781/byron-moonshine-legend-lives-on.html A trap door inside of a ticket booth led 17 feet underground to a cave where the distillery was kept. Middle Georgia Raceway held nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (then NASCAR Grand National) races from 1966-1971. The premier Motorsports destination of Middle Georgia whether your into the ultimate show. The local newspaper described it as an elaborate, sophisticated operation with two fermenting tanks totaling 3,700 gallons. Middle Georgia Raceway, Byron, GA, USA Middle Georgia Raceway Byron Concert Setlists City Byron, GA, United States Add Byron venue Opened 1966 Web Middle Georgia Raceway on Wikipedia Info Closed in 1986 the infrastructure is still mostly intact and has been occasionally been used for events. Richard Petty won his seventh and final Winston Cup championship, winning by 11 points over Darrell Waltrip. Over 30 musical acts performed including Jimi Hendrix, B.B. Middle Georgia Raceway former stock car racing rrack. The prosecutor told the jury that 24 pounds of yeast would make enough bread to feed Atlanta for a week. [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. From 1966 to 1971, the track hosted nine NASCAR races with winners including Richard Petty and Bobby Allison. This 1/2 mile paved oval track has been abandoned since 1984. Another track from my trip to Georgia, the long dormant Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia. 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. Take a look, Four of six Warner Robins narcotics officers reinstated amid misconduct investigation, Coffee shop, pizza place & more. 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 festival was one of the last In front of a crowd of 7,500 spectators, Petty hit a top speed of 82.023 miles per hour. 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. A team from Miami would come to Byron for a race and then fill a car While the racetrack had a short life within professional racing, the land where the track was located holds many stories. On the way back to Atlanta, we stopped at this race track for him to get some practice laps. All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. It was surreal to see such a place silenced. Petty started on the pole position and won the 274-mile (441km) race. Awesome shots, would love to check this track out someday and shoot some video of it. An aerial view of Middle Georgia Raceway, which hosted NASCAR Cup events from 1966 through 1971. 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. Richard Petty won four races, Bobby Allison won three, David Pearson and Bobby Isaac each earned one victory. [4] Seven years later, it was the location for filming of race scenes of the Richard Pryor film Greased Lightning about Wendell Scott. [4] On September 15, 2012, an official Georgia Historical Society marker was placed near the raceway to commemorate the 1970 pop festival. The race was 200 laps with the winner being Richard Petty by 19 seconds from Tom Pistone. Right Johnny M. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. We too went through the brush to get pictures on motorcycles and take a few laps. hauler with large amounts of moonshine. Instance of: motorsport racing track; Location: Peach County, Georgia: 32 40 08.04 N, 83 42 46.08 W . It may need General admission booths, and fencing to the grandstands. Middle Georgia Raceway was one of three tracks in the city of Macon that hosted NASCAR premier series races. This page was last edited on 7 January 2022, at 03:32. He won the 100-mile event in his 1966 Plymouth. He cleaned up the track, which hadnt seen a race in years, and more events were held. You mean the trailer park next door that needs to be bulldozed? The Middle Georgia Raceway was a raceway located in Byron, Georgia, in the United States. During the video the guy that recorded the video made the statement that they had footage other than just the Hendrix part. Do you think it would be possible to get him to mix up a couple of hours of that concert and bring in a big video screen and do a 50th anniversary screening there. Thanks for sharing. and there is a page two --- last two years the reunion was held i could take you to where the real hooch was being run off -- if no one tells i may just make another trip ,for the chosen few. Johnny, if the still ain't working, why should I drive that far? Theres a lot of people that I think would really appreciate One federal Petty returned to win the 150-mile (240km) NASCAR race during the following season.[1]. Brown was the only witness for the defense and adamantly denied knowing anything about the still. More than 30 acts performed over the 3+ days and the festival drew several hundred thousand fans. They havent eaten each other yet, Lavish oasis up for sale in Connecticut is the home of BeautyRx founder. Its got a lot of history out there. Richard Petty set a new track record with a speed of 85.121 miles per hour in November 1968. But it is not the rest of the story Leon. 1) "Middle Georgia Raceway." Middle Georgia Raceway, near Macon, hosted many top notch stock car events on its half-mile, paved surface. I apologize for being a little behind on uploading this. your content. 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). The Second Annual International Pop Festival was also . Forested areas around the festival were transformed into campgrounds. The economy soured and people began approaching him about having a racers reunion there, which he allowed. The owner has opened the track for occasional events and reunions, but there are no plans to reopen the track. attracted professional racers and their fans but also those looking for moonshine. The winner was Ivan Baldwin followed by Dan Clark and Jim Sanderson. ?? LOL!!! Location: Jeffersonville, Georgia : Surface: Paved : Length: 1/8 mile Phone: (478) 550-3137 Visit track website: Facebook: Twitter: Race Track Locator. 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. All the top drivers from 66 to I guess 1970 all competed there. The moonshine distillery was reported to have an electric exhaust system, electric lighting, and electronic insect repellant devices. [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 opened in 1966. [4]. [1] Later that year, David Pearson won a 150-mile (240km) race from the pole. Darrell Waltrip, driving for Junior Johnson, was crowned champion at the end of the season. In 2011, the current owner leased the track to Dodge, who wanted to use it for a Durango commercial. The 1970 Georgia 500 also occurred at the track. The commercial shows the Village Centerville is a city in Houston County, Georgia, United States. Hey Michael your dad was one of greatest friends ever my uncle was Doc Taylor your dad was actually one of the most important people in my life an one of the greatest racecar drivers ever how is your mom doing she one amazing person me an wife used to stop an eat an set several hours with them when they lived in Lexington place some the times. It opened in 1966. Middle Georgia Raceway held nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (then NASCAR Grand National) races from 1966-1971. The One of the destinations that will take center stage is Jungle Park Speedway. N.p., n.d. http://bangshift.com/general-news/videos/the-true-story-behind-the-fake-racetrack-in-chrysler-s-latest-tv-commercial/. Maybe something like that could be looked at also. "Georgia's "Woodstock Festival" Receives Historic Marker." My name is Leland Kent and I have had an interest in abandoned places ever since I was a kid. an invoice signed by Brown for the purchase of 24 pounds of yeast, which could After eleven days of filming for the Dodge Durango, filming wrapped up and the commercial was eventually aired. In 2011, Dodge contacted the current owner and asked to use the track for an advertisement. 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. The following 4 files are in this category, out of 4 total. 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. Even it all the trees and over growth were gone, the track looks like it needs wooden bleachers built over the concrete, I am sure it needs modern restrooms, concession stands, a catch fence, guard rail around the track, surface repaved, the pit area fenced in, with restrooms, concession stand, pit office, then it needs a sound system to both the pit area and grand stand as well as a timing and scoring board. Wednesday night, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. begins a journey to visit some of [], By John Newby This was the first season where all races were televised in some form. Thats where it has to start, people being interested. brought the Middle Georgia Raceway back to life. Hi! Or was it a male??? 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. Over 300,000 attended the concert; Byrons population was around 2,000 at the time. One controversial piece of evidence was Middle Georgia Raceway On September 23, 1967, federal agents discovered a moonshine distillery in an underground bunker next to the track at turn three. Ticket prices for the weekend event to see the 30 bands were $14.00, a bargain even then. [1] The final NASCAR race was held on November 7, 1971. [6], in 1984 the Arca Racing Series ran at the track and the race was won by Davey Allison. 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. The last concert at Middle Georgia Raceway was on July 03, 1970. Touch for map. In the trailer, he walked through fields and sat in the stands at abandoned tracks. The Allman Brothers Band, who was relatively unknown before this festival, opened and closed the show. [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 the song goes, :"I guess you had to be there. What's shared in the group should stay in the group. He thinks it would be a good location for a public park. 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. LeeRoy Yarbrough sat on the pole position and Bobby Allison won the 267-mile (430km) race. 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. I want to see it preserved, he said. The season marked series first visit to the state of Maine. The owner, developer Tim Thornton, said the property on U.S. 41 includes about 61 acres. A . Middle Georgia Raceway hosted NASCAR races between 1966 and 1971. 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. Federal agents found out about it after a hunter smelled fumes and tipped off the authorities. After the economy crashed, plans were placed on hold. A third Atlanta Pop Festival never happened.