Augusta International Raceway
Encyclopedia
The Augusta International Raceway is a multi-use motorsports facility located in Hephzibah, Georgia
, United States
(just south of Augusta
).
Grand National Series (now Sprint Cup Series) races from 1962 to 1969. During that time span they ran 12 races with 8 different winners.
On June 19, 1962 Joe Weatherly
started on the pole position
with a lap of 63.069 mi/h. Joe drove his Bud Moore
-owned Pontiac to a 1-lap victory over Ned Jarrett
. Augusta International Speedway back in 1962 was a .500 dirt
mile oval. The race was 200 laps and saw only 16 cars start the race.
Less than a month later Joe did a repeat by winning on July 17, 1962 over Richard Petty
. Fred Lorenzen
took home the win on September 13, 1962 over Petty.
In 1963 a crowd of 4,000 in attendance saw Ned Jarrett take his Burton Robinson #11 Ford to victory lane over Richard Petty on April 4, 1963.
The 1964 season saw major changes as the track was paved with asphalt. The largest crowd ever (14,000) saw the largest field ever (30) take the green flag on November 1, 1964. The race also received the title "Jaycee 300" as the race was increased to 300 laps over the previous 200. Darel Dieringer
went on to win the event.
On August 15, 1965 Dick Hutcherson
won the 200 lap event with a 2.75 second lead over David Pearson. On November 14, 1965 Richard Petty took home a victory in the "Georgia Cracker 300".
November 13, 1966 saw Richard Petty win at the half mile oval with an average speed of 84.112.
On May 3, 1968 Bobby Isaac
won the "Dixie 250" over Buddy Baker
in his K & K Insurance Dodge. Later that year on October 5, 1968 David Pearson won over Bobby Allison
in his Holman Moody
-owned Ford.
On March 16, 1969 David Pearson won the first of two events at the track during this last season of racing. He won over Richard Petty with Bobby Isaac finishing third after starting on the pole with a record lap of 86.901 mi/h. On October 19, 1969 a field of 29 cars took the green flag at the track for the very last time. The 4,500 that attended the race only saw two lead changes between Bobby Isaac and Richard Petty. The entire race went caution free. The race time was only 1:16:12 and the average speed was 78.74 mi/h. Bobby Isaac won for the second time at the track.
The "Augusta 510" was run on November 17, 1963 at the road circuit with a noon start time and a 5:00 PM end time. The race actually covered 417 miles (671.1 km) because of the time limit.
This event was the second race of the 1964 season for the Grand National Division of
NASCAR which was later to become the Winston Cup Division and then Nextel Cup. The preceding race was held at Concord Motor Speedway and the following race was held at Jacksonville, Florida
. Glenn "Fireball" Roberts
was the winner of the "Augusta 510" and he would die later that season as the result of burns suffered at Charlotte Motor Speedway
. He was driving a 1963 Ford and this would be his last win.
The pole sitter was Fred Lorenzen
with a speed of 89.545. He would only run 12 laps before engine failure forced him to retire. Lorenzen, Roberts and sports car star Dave MacDonald
were teammates for the Augusta 510 and MacDonald’s 2nd place finish gave Holman Moody
the top two spots. Weldon Adams would finish last after completing only 2 laps due to an atrocious tumble. Wendell Scott
would finish 18th. He would win the next event in Jacksonville becoming the only African American to win a major NASCAR race. His feat has not been duplicated in 43 years. 36 cars started the race and 16 cars finished. The event lasted for four hours and fifty minutes and the average speed was 86.32 mi/h. There were 10 lead changes during the event and Richard Petty led the most laps (56). The total purse for the event was $50,620. The expected turnout was to be 75,000 fans. Only 15,000 actually attended.
The "Augusta 510" was the second race of the 1964 season. Six of the top seven finishers: Glenn "Fireball" Roberts
, Dave MacDonald
, Joe Weatherly
, Billy Wade, Larry Thomas
, and Jimmy Pardue
would lose their lives before the next racing season. The seventh driver was Ned Jarrett
.
On March 1, 1964 the United States Road Racing Championship
(USRRC) held two 150 mile events on the road course. Dave MacDonald
won the first race in a King Cobra, Jim Hall was second in a Chaparral 2A and Bob Holbert was third in another King Cobra. Ken Miles
and Dave MacDonald
finished 1-2 in Cobra Roadsters in the afternoon race. Dave would lose his life a few weeks later at the Indy 500
.
The track elevation change is 120 feet (36.6 m) with the highest point being at pit exit and the lowest point on the "backstretch" where the spring fed infield lakes drain into Spirit Creek just outside the track. Joe Weatherly called this part of the track "Alligator Hollow".
The track had a 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) garage area (50' x 300') with two restrooms and showers.
There were seven main grandstands located along the pit lane.
The control tower was located between the fourth and fifth grandstand.
The former 3 miles (4.8 km) road circuit (known as the Raceway) at the eight track complex is the only remaining track and it is being developed into the 300 acres (1.2 km²) Diamond Lakes Regional Park. The world's largest public Motorsports Memorial Project is underway in the Children's Outdoor Learning Area at the former track next to the current Diamond Lakes Community Center/Library Complex.
Hephzibah, Georgia
Hephzibah is a city in south Richmond County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Augusta – Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,880 at the 2000 census....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(just south of Augusta
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
).
Half mile oval
The 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) oval hosted NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Grand National Series (now Sprint Cup Series) races from 1962 to 1969. During that time span they ran 12 races with 8 different winners.
On June 19, 1962 Joe Weatherly
Joe Weatherly
Joseph "Joe" Weatherly was a two-time NASCAR championship driver. Weatherly was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2009 after winning NASCAR's Grand National championships in 1962 and 1963, three A.M.A...
started on the pole position
Pole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
with a lap of 63.069 mi/h. Joe drove his Bud Moore
Bud Moore (NASCAR owner)
Walter M. "Bud" Moore is a retired NASCAR car owner. He was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. A decorated veteran of World War II, he described himself as "an old country mechanic who loved to make 'em run fast". His cars were number 15 and usually painted red and white and sponsored by...
-owned Pontiac to a 1-lap victory over Ned Jarrett
Ned Jarrett
Ned Jarrett is a retired race car driver and two-time NASCAR champion.Jarrett was best known for his calm demeanor, and he became known as "Gentleman Ned Jarrett", yet he was an intense competitor when he put his two hands on the steering wheel of a NASCAR Grand National stock car...
. Augusta International Speedway back in 1962 was a .500 dirt
Dirt track racing
Dirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks. It began in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 30s. Two different types of racecars predominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South...
mile oval. The race was 200 laps and saw only 16 cars start the race.
Less than a month later Joe did a repeat by winning on July 17, 1962 over Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
. Fred Lorenzen
Fred Lorenzen
Fred Lorenzen , nicknamed The Golden Boy, Fast Freddie, The Elmhurst Express and Flyin Freddy, is a former NASCAR driver active between 1958 and 1972. He won the 1965 Daytona 500. Lorenzen was born in Elmurst, Illinois.-Early career:Lorenzen first caught the car bug young, and had built his first...
took home the win on September 13, 1962 over Petty.
In 1963 a crowd of 4,000 in attendance saw Ned Jarrett take his Burton Robinson #11 Ford to victory lane over Richard Petty on April 4, 1963.
The 1964 season saw major changes as the track was paved with asphalt. The largest crowd ever (14,000) saw the largest field ever (30) take the green flag on November 1, 1964. The race also received the title "Jaycee 300" as the race was increased to 300 laps over the previous 200. Darel Dieringer
Darel Dieringer
Darel Dieringer was a NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver.-Summary:...
went on to win the event.
On August 15, 1965 Dick Hutcherson
Dick Hutcherson
Dick Hutcherson was an American businessman and a former stock car racer. A native of Keokuk, Iowa, Hutcherson drove in NASCAR competition from 1964 to 1967. In 1965 he finished second in the overall NASCAR Drivers Championship and had nine wins...
won the 200 lap event with a 2.75 second lead over David Pearson. On November 14, 1965 Richard Petty took home a victory in the "Georgia Cracker 300".
November 13, 1966 saw Richard Petty win at the half mile oval with an average speed of 84.112.
On May 3, 1968 Bobby Isaac
Bobby Isaac
Bobby Isaac is a former NASCAR Grand National champion.-Early life:Isaac grew up on a farm near Catawba, North Carolina, the second youngest of nine children...
won the "Dixie 250" over Buddy Baker
Buddy Baker
Elzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
in his K & K Insurance Dodge. Later that year on October 5, 1968 David Pearson won over Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison
Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
in his Holman Moody
Holman Moody
Holman Moody was an auto racing team, racecar manufacturer, and marine engine manufacturer. The team built virtually all of the factory Ford racecars of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. It owned racecars that competed in NASCAR, drag racing, ocean boat racing, rallys, and sports car racing. The team...
-owned Ford.
On March 16, 1969 David Pearson won the first of two events at the track during this last season of racing. He won over Richard Petty with Bobby Isaac finishing third after starting on the pole with a record lap of 86.901 mi/h. On October 19, 1969 a field of 29 cars took the green flag at the track for the very last time. The 4,500 that attended the race only saw two lead changes between Bobby Isaac and Richard Petty. The entire race went caution free. The race time was only 1:16:12 and the average speed was 78.74 mi/h. Bobby Isaac won for the second time at the track.
Road circuit
Located next to the 1/2 Mile Oval was the Augusta International Raceway 3 Mile road circuit. This former track is currently being developed into the 300 acres (1.2 km²) Diamond Lakes Regional Park.The "Augusta 510" was run on November 17, 1963 at the road circuit with a noon start time and a 5:00 PM end time. The race actually covered 417 miles (671.1 km) because of the time limit.
This event was the second race of the 1964 season for the Grand National Division of
NASCAR which was later to become the Winston Cup Division and then Nextel Cup. The preceding race was held at Concord Motor Speedway and the following race was held at Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. Glenn "Fireball" Roberts
Fireball Roberts
Edward Glenn Roberts, Jr. , nicknamed "Fireball", was one of the pioneering race car drivers of NASCAR.-Background:...
was the winner of the "Augusta 510" and he would die later that season as the result of burns suffered at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
. He was driving a 1963 Ford and this would be his last win.
The pole sitter was Fred Lorenzen
Fred Lorenzen
Fred Lorenzen , nicknamed The Golden Boy, Fast Freddie, The Elmhurst Express and Flyin Freddy, is a former NASCAR driver active between 1958 and 1972. He won the 1965 Daytona 500. Lorenzen was born in Elmurst, Illinois.-Early career:Lorenzen first caught the car bug young, and had built his first...
with a speed of 89.545. He would only run 12 laps before engine failure forced him to retire. Lorenzen, Roberts and sports car star Dave MacDonald
Dave MacDonald
David George MacDonald was an American road racing champion noted for his successes driving Corvettes and Shelby Cobras in the early 1960s. His promising career ended abruptly after a crash in the 1964 Indianapolis 500 in which he was one of two drivers killed in a fiery inferno that directly led...
were teammates for the Augusta 510 and MacDonald’s 2nd place finish gave Holman Moody
Holman Moody
Holman Moody was an auto racing team, racecar manufacturer, and marine engine manufacturer. The team built virtually all of the factory Ford racecars of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. It owned racecars that competed in NASCAR, drag racing, ocean boat racing, rallys, and sports car racing. The team...
the top two spots. Weldon Adams would finish last after completing only 2 laps due to an atrocious tumble. Wendell Scott
Wendell Scott
Wendell Oliver Scott was an American stock car racing driver from Danville, Virginia. He is the only black driver to win a race in what is now the Sprint Cup Series. According to a 2008 biography of Scott, he broke the color barrier in Southern stock car racing on May 23, 1952, at the Danville...
would finish 18th. He would win the next event in Jacksonville becoming the only African American to win a major NASCAR race. His feat has not been duplicated in 43 years. 36 cars started the race and 16 cars finished. The event lasted for four hours and fifty minutes and the average speed was 86.32 mi/h. There were 10 lead changes during the event and Richard Petty led the most laps (56). The total purse for the event was $50,620. The expected turnout was to be 75,000 fans. Only 15,000 actually attended.
The "Augusta 510" was the second race of the 1964 season. Six of the top seven finishers: Glenn "Fireball" Roberts
Fireball Roberts
Edward Glenn Roberts, Jr. , nicknamed "Fireball", was one of the pioneering race car drivers of NASCAR.-Background:...
, Dave MacDonald
Dave MacDonald
David George MacDonald was an American road racing champion noted for his successes driving Corvettes and Shelby Cobras in the early 1960s. His promising career ended abruptly after a crash in the 1964 Indianapolis 500 in which he was one of two drivers killed in a fiery inferno that directly led...
, Joe Weatherly
Joe Weatherly
Joseph "Joe" Weatherly was a two-time NASCAR championship driver. Weatherly was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2009 after winning NASCAR's Grand National championships in 1962 and 1963, three A.M.A...
, Billy Wade, Larry Thomas
Larry Thomas (NASCAR driver)
Larry Thomas was a NASCAR Grand National driver from Thomasville, NC. Thomas died in a non-racing related car crash during the start of the 1965 NASCAR season.-Driving career:...
, and Jimmy Pardue
Jimmy Pardue
Jimmy Pardue is a former race car driver who lived in North Wilkesboro, North America, USA.-Summary:He made his debut in 1955 at Martinsville, where he finished 28th after suffering hub problems in his Chevrolet Bel Air vehicle. He made his first full-time attempt in 1960 where he had eleven top-tens...
would lose their lives before the next racing season. The seventh driver was Ned Jarrett
Ned Jarrett
Ned Jarrett is a retired race car driver and two-time NASCAR champion.Jarrett was best known for his calm demeanor, and he became known as "Gentleman Ned Jarrett", yet he was an intense competitor when he put his two hands on the steering wheel of a NASCAR Grand National stock car...
.
On March 1, 1964 the United States Road Racing Championship
United States Road Racing Championship
The United States Road Racing Championship was created by the Sports Car Club of America in 1962. It was the first SCCA series for professional racing drivers. SCCA Executive Director John Bishop helped to create the series to recover races that had been taken by rival USAC Road Racing...
(USRRC) held two 150 mile events on the road course. Dave MacDonald
Dave MacDonald
David George MacDonald was an American road racing champion noted for his successes driving Corvettes and Shelby Cobras in the early 1960s. His promising career ended abruptly after a crash in the 1964 Indianapolis 500 in which he was one of two drivers killed in a fiery inferno that directly led...
won the first race in a King Cobra, Jim Hall was second in a Chaparral 2A and Bob Holbert was third in another King Cobra. Ken Miles
Ken Miles
Ken Miles was a sports car racing engineer and driver best known for his career in the USA and with American teams on the international scene.-Background:Miles raced motorcycles before he served as a tank sergeant in the British Army in World War...
and Dave MacDonald
Dave MacDonald
David George MacDonald was an American road racing champion noted for his successes driving Corvettes and Shelby Cobras in the early 1960s. His promising career ended abruptly after a crash in the 1964 Indianapolis 500 in which he was one of two drivers killed in a fiery inferno that directly led...
finished 1-2 in Cobra Roadsters in the afternoon race. Dave would lose his life a few weeks later at the Indy 500
1964 Indianapolis 500
The 1964 Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1964. It was won by A.J. Foyt, but is best known for a fiery seven-car, second-lap accident that resulted in the deaths of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald...
.
Track description
The track itself is a 3 miles (4.8 km) long banked road course with 21 total turns. The width of the track is 45 feet (13.7 m).The track elevation change is 120 feet (36.6 m) with the highest point being at pit exit and the lowest point on the "backstretch" where the spring fed infield lakes drain into Spirit Creek just outside the track. Joe Weatherly called this part of the track "Alligator Hollow".
The track had a 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) garage area (50' x 300') with two restrooms and showers.
There were seven main grandstands located along the pit lane.
The control tower was located between the fourth and fifth grandstand.
Since the closure
In 2003 a non-profit group was formed to document the former Augusta International Speedway complex and work with local officials as they develop the former 3 miles (4.8 km) road circuit into Diamond Lakes Regional Park.The former 3 miles (4.8 km) road circuit (known as the Raceway) at the eight track complex is the only remaining track and it is being developed into the 300 acres (1.2 km²) Diamond Lakes Regional Park. The world's largest public Motorsports Memorial Project is underway in the Children's Outdoor Learning Area at the former track next to the current Diamond Lakes Community Center/Library Complex.