Yellow River Drag Strip, GA - Question

Many know of the terrible disaster in 1969 that happened at the Yellow River Dragstrip that made it infamous, and that it is a mobile home park now.

My dad and mom used to race at the Yellow River Dragstrip in the 50's and 60's winning many trophies - which of course they didnt keep after all the years. Unfortunately, most of what I find out about the dragstrip on the web is about the accident.

Does anyone know if the YR dragstrip had any mascot or decals? (Like Lions dragway has the lion). I would love to find a flyer or decal for my '36 I am building as a tribute to my dad's truck, the "Gazooka", that he raced there.

It's a long shot - but I thought asking here might turn something up...

Thanks, Casey

P.S. Picture of my dad's truck he raced there attached

 

Casey, I don't know but if you find any I want some too.. I'll start looking

 

ttt- Anyone out there that might know something about the Yellow River Dragway? Thanks, Casey

 

I pm you a tele no.. For any one the GARHoF or Ga auto racing hall of fame has a lot of things about racing.. Both circle and drag..

 

try www.georgiadragracing.com There's some history there and a lot of pictures from Yellow River. I don't recall seeing any re-poped stickers as I have for other defunct GA strips though.

BTW, there's a mobile home park on what's left of the drag strip.

 

I raced there for years, don't remember any decals. David Dilbeck @georgiadragracing.com probably has the most info on the track. What is your dad's name?

 

My Dad's name is Tommy (or Tom) Hill. My Mom is Fran Hill. He said his drag club was "Burn In Hell"......(he whispered that part to me.....like we were in church and might be overheard ). He said my Mom raced a '51(?) cadillac completely gutted and won more torphies than he did . Thanks! Casey

 

I guess the disaster you are talking about was when Hubert Platt lost control of his car and 11 people lost their lifes.. Most were standing by the finish line less than 10 feet from the racing surface. One person became tangled in the drag chute and was draged to their death. This and the Richard Petty wreck caused Georgia law makers mandate insurance and saftey laws. As nite flyer said Mr Dilbeck who is still involver in circle track racing with his grandson knows a lot of ga racing history.. The ga drag strips I raced at were Reds or Dallas. And the track in Warner Robins ga called Houston county drag way. I migt have gone to some others but I really dont rember... I hope this helps some.. Bobby..

 

Huston Platt (Hubert's brother), driving the Dixie Twister, was the one who crashed at Yellow River drag strip. From what I've read, Huston heard a loud explosion and pulled his chute. It just so happened that a spectator was leaning over the chain link fence and dropped his beer. It landed upright and he leaned over to grab it. Just as he did, the car came by and he got caught up in the chute and it threw the car out of control. The track never reopened. My dad used to race there in 62 - 64 in a black on red 62 Chevy Impala w/a Dyno Don built 409. I am also on the hunt for Yellow River info, including a picture of this car. He said he couldn't remember a mascot or anything. Visited the track a couple of months ago. the strip is a road in the middle of a mobile home park now.

Techdraw.

 

I have a Jacket from the yellow river dragstrip does anyone know where i might be able to sell it Thanks

 

Didn't Huston just pass away ?? I thought I saw that somewhere

 

Huston passed away 11/30/11. He was 79 years old and resided in Buford,Ga.

 

Sorry to hear that. R.I.P

 

I was at several races there........never recalled a mascot. But I'm old and could be wrong. Still have my trophies from Atlanta Speed Shop though...
'll"ll ask around.

 

As stated it was Huston Platt not Hubert. I raced there from 1962-68 (sparingly from 66-68 since I was in the Marine Corps). My last race there was December 1968 in my new '69 R/T. The approach to the starting line was up hill. It was easy to roll back out of the lights if you weren't careful. Don't recall ever seeing any decals or a mascot of any type from there. Only employees were all I ever saw with a jacket. Guy above says he has one, could really be rare.....

 

Sorry I got the first name wrong.. After all its been over 40 years ago and I am getting old and forget..But Damn I was close.. Both started with Hu.........

 

i have a pic of beswick and dyno racing at yellow river, wheels up on both cars on the starting line. what year did the track actually shut down?

 

went there a lot then I was in Nam when the crash happened my mom sent me pics and said see what happens so get rid of the race car when you get home.But didn't started going to Dallas and Atl Speedshop Dragway and Fairburn till the early 70's then quit racing now do street rods

 

I was there that day, sitting on the top row of bleachers when the guy got caught up in the chute. As parts and people scattered, I rolled off the top of bleachers. Don't think I'll ever forget that day.
I don't remember ever seeing any decals and only letters on the back of the jackets. It was some great racing up until the accident.

 

I hate to hear that Huston passed away. I am also on the hunt for any kind of information I can dig up about Yellow River Drag Strip. I'm writing a book about abandoned drag strips, and Yellow River played a big part in shutting other tracks down because of the increased regulations, mandated by the state law makers. I'm interested in finding any kind of pictures from Yellow River (already scoped out GeorgiaDragRacing.com) so if anyone knows of ANY pictures from there, please contact me. Thanks.

Tommy Lee Byrd

 

I was at Yellow River also, standing right across the track. The discriptions given here are pretty much what I remember except for the spectators being at the end of the track, they were very near the starting line. The car veared out of control just past the end of the guard rail and went up and alone a bank with cars parked on it. The man getting caught in the chute is pretty much what I told the Atlanta paper reporter when he wrote a follow up story again in the '80s or '90 (cant remember when).

THUMPER, did you race at Yellow River? There was a '66 396 Chevelle with Lil' Thumper on it that ran up in Silva, NC some back in those days.

 

I have a trophy from yellow river Dragstrip if anyone
Is interested

Thanks

 

Here you go brothers.......does this bring back some memories?

 

That jacket is awesome!

 

Nope......that wasn't me. My brother used to race his 60 Pontiac there every now and then and always drug me along. I did race at Atlanta Speed Shop in 71 & 72 with a 55 Chevy and a 57 Chevy wagon...even ran at Dallas once.

 

Thank you to all the people that have helped me on here after careful thought I have listed the yellow river dragstrip jacket on ebay Thanks to everyone on here

 

I was there for that race, too! Also there was Phil Bonner and A Chevy, I think....Beswick won, he was the only one with a blower and I recall they shortened the track to 1000 feet for that "match race".....

 

After doing some investigating work. I have found the location
Of the old yellow river drag strip and I will go to the old location
To see it for myself. To touch the asphalt and see the Turn off
of the drag strip will be a honor. I will take my own pics and post them.

To some it might sound weird. But its a dream and honor......a peace
Of history and I wanna experience it for myself.

Robert

 

I was there for that ill fated race as were alot of others on here. I was at yellow river on friday nights, and sundays, every chance I got. AS it sits now, its a mobil home park, unless you knew it was once a drag strip, you would never know it.I go by it several times a week. good luck on your journey Robert.

 

Here's a recent pic from the staging area.


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