History Found an old race track-With pics

[Joe T Creep]

So I have been here in Perry Georgia for a few weeks for work. Its a little more than an hour south of Atlanta. Ive been working and driving all over this area and today while driving down route 41/11 I look right and see the side of an old oval and grandstands!!!!
Its located at 4015 US Highway 41 N Byron, GA 31008 The front of it is now a golf driving range. I pulled in and went to the little gold shack and it was closed. There was a number on the window and I called it to see if I could go take some pictures of the track. No answer. There were a few keep out signs and a trailer that I knocked on the door but no answer. I took a few pics from the parking area and decided that I wasnt going to tromp across the 200 yard open space past the keep out sign to take some more pics. I drove off and saw a small side street into a trailer park right behind the grandstands so I drove down there thinking I could get some closer shots from the side. Maybe a name or something. So I drove to the end of the street and I saw a spot to take some pics. As I got closer I saw that there was no fence there so I decided to get a closer look.
The place was great. Very overgrown and dilapitated, but I could just close my eyes and hear cars and people that had run there in the past. I walked under the stands and onto the track. I was amazed. I know its not that huge of a deal but I was just amazed. Paved banked oval. It was so neat to stand there. Why cant there be any places like this out near my place in CA? It may sound silly but it had an effect on me.
I did some searches on it and I found out it was called the Middle Georgia Speedway. It operated from 1966-1971. If what I read is correct a bunch of bands including Hendrix performed there in 1970 about ten weeks before his death.
Not a super long run, but a very cool place.
Im sure some local HAMBers know about this place. All the guys around here have been really nice about inviting me over to check out there places, but ive been working so much I havent had a chance. But thanks guys!!!

[2002p51]

Is it near Macon?

I found this on the web:

http://www.racing-reference.info/tracks?id=042

[pasadenahotrod]

The bones of old raceways, dragways, and road courses are all over the USA. It's neat to see how many are still "there" but in absolute disrepair and decay though.
Funny how that dirt which was so expensive and made the guy sell is still "as it was" with no improvements. I guess they're waiting for the NEXT land boom, oops, missed it!

[Retro Jim]

Check this out . Nascar raced there ! Look what was found there

Ole Days

Middle Georgia Raceway

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Middle Georgia Raceway, Macon, 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 Petty, two by Bobby Allison and one each by David Pearson and Bobby Isaac — all Cup champions.



In 1968, government agents raided the racetrack as part of a major illegal liquor sting. A secret door located in the ticket booth led to a ladder, which descended 35 feet to another hidden entrance. That trap door led to a 150-foot tunnel, which ended at a cave beneath the track infield. Inside the cave was a gigantic moonshine still, which was promptly shut down and the track owner was sent to the slammer.



The race, however, was run as planned and won by Pearson enroute to his second series title.

There way a huge rock concert there , check out the performers !/
Show:2nd Annual Atlanta International Pop Festival
Date:Jul 3, 1970
Venue:Middle Georgia Raceway (Macon, GA)

Performers:
Jimi Hendrix
The Allman Brothers Band
Jethro Tull
Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band
Mountain
Procol Harum
B.B. King
It's a Beautiful Day
Ginger Baker
Richie Havens
Hampton Grease Band
Taos
Ballin' Jack
Bloodrock
Lee Michaels
John Sebastian
Ten Years After
Spirit
Ravi Shankar
Symposium of Awareness
Terry Reid
Cactus
Gypsy

[Jobe]

now that is cool!

[Dirtynails]

Go back and take pics of the still!, watch out for snakes when you climb down the ladder though.
Jimi Hendrix was in England then,unless he went back to the US for a concert.

[yankbuilt]

That is very cool.They should do a show on the history channel about stuff like this.Hum?

[GreenMtnBoy]

Very Cool.
I sent this to dirty old man, sounds like his stomping grounds. I'm sure he'll chime in soon.

[Joe T Creep]

Thats the place near Macon! WOW I might have to take another trip and look for that tunnel. You guys sure do find some cool stuff.

[Slickster51_50]

That is freakin awesome!I bet there are a few guys on here that would remember that old place.I'de love to hear some stories.

[Ted Kempgens]

Story is that they backed a concrete truck up to the tunnel and poured concrete. Use to travel up there with Wayne Reutimann to run sprints when i was kid. The reason the track closed as we have been told was that it sat on the line of two countys. One would alow racing and the other ruled against it. A local Florida promoter was the last to try and open it. Could not get approvel from the other county. Was a super fast high banked track. Ted

[Crazy Horse]

Don't you love local government???? What they don't realize is the potential businees would come to both of their counties if the track was opened up and ran.........idiots Cool find tho..I bet it was fast in its days

[Kid Jeff]

That is awesome!!! I want to see some more pictures. You have got to go back and take more to show us. Very good find.

[Rootie Kazoootie]

More pics here:

http://historicmustang.proboards49.c...play&thread=28

[vertible59]

yep, that track is about 5 mi. from my home. it was a hot spot in its day and the "war stories" abound about the races and drivers. and yes, hendrix WAS on the bill at the second atlanta international pop festival that was held there. i was seated about 10 feet from procol harum when they played "A WHITER SHADE OF PALE"! grand funk's set from the show was used in their live album, and bob seeger, mountain, and rig also performed, along with the others previously listed. quite a storied place...race cars rock 'n' roll and the "powers that be" making sure that we don't do it again.

[I SMELL SMOKE]

that is a cool place!!!!!! i hate to see tracks close

[fuel pump]

http://national.citysearch.com/profi...ing_range.html

[dirty old man]

Sorry about my late entry into this thread, been busy offline.
Yep, been there many times, both in the stands and in the pits, but never actually raced there, as my cars were all built for dirt and didn't work very well on asphalt.
"Dirt is for racing, asphalt is for getting to the track."
A local promoter once put on races with rules that allowed the dirt cars to run, but few if any had any success against the asphalt cars that showed up. Many had problems due to the greatly increased speeds which literally ripped apart some of the cars due to the force of air at these higher speeds on cars which had been built for 1/4-3/8 mi dirt tracks and had what little aerodynamic work setup for these slower tracks. Saw the roof blow off a couple of cars, just leaving the roll cage above the beltline!
Seems to me that a lot of the problems about being in 2 counties came from "Sunday Blue Laws". Anyhow, the place just wasn't successful without the supplemental income from the liqour still.
I remember that ticket booth right beside the track crossover to the infield and the pits, never saw any selling of tickets from thaty booth.
Dave

[Abomination]

That's awesome- but whoever tries to find the tunnel, you HAVE to take pictures and post 'em here!

~Jason

[Racewriter]

What's amazing to me is how little the place has deteriorated after sitting for 38 years. That track is about two months' work from being race ready again. The pavement is cracked, sure, but no worse than many tracks that still hold races. The concrete bleachers still look usable, and the light poles are still up, some with light fixtures! The biggest need is a concrete wall in the turns, cleanup, and getting the systems working.