Local and Southeast Regional News Archives

8th Annual Sons of AmVets Bike Show: August 15, 2009
Well, another year has come and gone for the Sons of AmVets Bike Show. This year there was a tremendous turnout of bikes, bikers, bike-lovers and fine folks in general for a good cause. All proceeds benefit helping our Veterans and local charities in Douglas County. The band, Glory Hounds, kept the crowd entertained with great music all afternoon. The Ladies Auxillary put on a wonderful spread of food and there were smiles and laughter all around. See ya'll next year!

Take a look at some of the pix MSA's Fred Hanyon took...

Paving, Control Tower Construction Continues at Gresham Motorsports Park
When completed, the silky smooth racing surface at Gresham Motorsports Park will produce lightening quick lap times. Those times, however, probably won’t be a quick as the work going on to lay down the ribbon of asphalt that will be the new half- and quarter-mile ovals at the Jefferson, GA track. The first layer of pavement was laid down last week, August 3, by Sunbelt Asphalt Services, Inc., and the Auburn, GA company has been in high gear ever since. The track surface – the heart of the multi-million dollar total renovation of the former Peach State Speedway oval – is expected to be completed later this week. Meanwhile, a host of other construction projects – including the building of the superstructure (right) to hold GMP’s Control Tower behind the main grandstand – are well underway. See Gresham MP website for more photos.

Silly Boys, Racing is for Girls
by Timmy Hutson
BRASELTON, Ga. -- While the rain was pounding the 3/8th's mile asphalt last Saturday evening, August 8th, the event was decided to be ran on the following weekends race, in which local favorite Kristen Wallace was a favorite to run well with the crews and fans alike at Lanier National Speedway. Wallace scored her first career victory at LNS competing in the Super Truck division.

Photo: Tom Francisco/Speedpics.net

Atlanta Motor Speedway's Thursday Thunder Championship Night Results
by Matthew Simmons
HAMPTON, Ga. -- Championship Night at Atlanta Motor Speedway's Thursday Thunder, August 6th, concluded the 2009 season and featured the awarding of championships in eight classes, while the 'Thunder Ring' also witnessed the return of Beau Slocumb after a battle with cancer. Slocumb, a fan favorite with five-career Thursday Thunder wins, returned to Atlanta Motor Speedway after recently completing treating for Synovial Sarcoma cancer at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. In a remarkable moment, Slocumb won the Thunder Roadster heat race to claim the pole position in Ed Clark's vehicle.

National Auto Sport Association (NASA) at Road Atlanta, 8/7-9/09

HOTLANTA Challenge event, Friday-Saturday, August 7-9, 2009. NASA's three day event included High Performance Driving Events (HPDE) and Teen Driving Courses.Last major event until November. Next up is the NASA Nationals at Miller, UT in September. For NASA here in the Southeast, coming in November is the Carolina Turkey Trot the 6th through the 8th.  See NASA's website for further information: www.nasa-southeast.com

Bonus Photos from the August 2009 issue:
See ALL the photos we couldn't print!
To view, click on the photo of your choice.

Atlanta Motor Speedway: Thursday Thunder	Grand Am Road Racing at Barber
WERA @ Road Atlanta	Atlanta Dragway: Night of Fire

Photos by Leon McVay

National Vintage Racing Association

NVRA held their August 1st event at Senioa Raceway. Many of the vintage racecars are restored originals that were raced on tracks in the southeast in the '50s, '60s and '70s, while others are replicas of racecars from that era. Five divisions of vintage stockcars compete in the Vintage Thunder racing series.  Flathead and 6-cylinder powered cars from 1930 to 1957 comprise the Limited Sportsman division; the Modified Sportsman division is made up of year model cars from 1930 to 1954 and run OHV V-8 engines; the Late Model division is divided into two classes, Sportsman & Modified, both classes are made up of car models from 1949 to 1968. 

650 Index Winner - Matt Bates

Atlanta Dragway:
Saturday Insanity
By: Amy Glover 
(Commerce, GA - August 1, 2009) Saturday Insanity brought out more numbers than ever to Atlanta Dragway. Despite spots of rain throughout the week, the track had perfect weather conditions for the race.   Last week's 6.50 Index semi-finalist, Matt Ward (Fair Play, SC), made it to the final this time in his '69 Camaro, to race against the most recent 6.50 Index winner, Matt Bates (Loganville, GA), in a '70 Datsun.

Big Green Egg Named Official Smoker and Grill of Atlanta Motor Speedway
Labor Day weekend and top-notch grilling go hand-in-hand. And that's why the Big Green Egg is the official smoker and grill of Atlanta Motor Speedway for the track's first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series night race on Labor Day weekend, the Pep Boys Auto 500 on Sept. 6. Partnering with Atlanta Motor Speedway to celebrate Labor Day weekend night racing in Atlanta, race fans and grilling enthusiasts alike will find Big Green Egg grilling demonstrations in the Family Campground on Sunday, Sept. 6 at noon and an exhibit in the Display Lot on race weekend. Order tickets now >>>