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Address:

1500 Highways 19 & 41 South
Hampton, GA 30228

Mailing Address:

Atlanta Motor Speedway
PO Box 500
Hampton, GA 30228


Phone Numbers:

Ticket Office: (770) 946-4211


Email:

amspr@atlantarace.com

Website:

www.atlantamotorspeedway.com


Track Map


TRACK SPECS

Constructed: 1959-60; reconfiguration completed Nov. 1997
Location: 20 miles south of Atlanta on Highways 19 & 41

Property: 870 acres

Track: 1.54-mile quad-oval

Racing surface: 55-60 feet wide

Turns: Approximately one-quarter mile, banked 24 degrees

Straightaways: Banked 5 degrees

Length of frontstretch (including dogleg): 2,332 feet

Length of backstretch: 1,800 feet

Pit Road: 1320 feet

Infield: Approximately 120 acres

TRACK HISTORY

Courtesy of www.atlantamotorspeedway.com

Few who saw Atlanta Motor Speedway in its infancy would recognize the track today. A majestic structure situated on 870 acres in Hampton, Ga., just 25 miles south of Atlanta, today's Atlanta Motor Speedway is one of the country's top sports, corporate, family and entertainment facilities.

But it's a far cry from the structure planned in 1958 by Walker Jackson, Lloyd Smith, Garland Bagley, Ralph Sceiano and Ike Supporter. Before construction of the proposed superspeedway had been completed, insufficient funds forced four of the founders to abandon ship. Dr. Warren Gremmel, Bill Boyd, Jack Black and Art Lester joined Bagley in the venture and spent $1.8 million to get the facility ready.

Ready, in this case, was a relative term.

"The track wasn't ready to be used," recalled Furman Bisher, then sports editor of The Atlanta Journal and now The Atlanta Constitution's senior sports columnist. "Some of the lower seats were so low fans couldn't see over the retaining wall. The only bathroom facility in the infield was a three-hole outhouse. There was mud all over. You talk about Mudville. Casey would have been right at home."

When the 1.5-mile track, then called Atlanta International Raceway, finally made its debut on July 31, 1960, it became the seventh superspeedway,a paved facility of one mile or more, to play host to a Cup race. Only three of the original seven; Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and Lowe's (then Charlotte) Motor Speedway are still in operation.

But the Atlanta track's future was hazy in the 1960s and '70s, when it suffered several financial setbacks. The track was reorganized under Chapter Ten bankruptcy proceedings in the 1970s and went through several general managers before settling down with Walt Nix, who served as general manager for much of the next two decades except for a brief period when NASCAR president Mike Helton was in charge.

Even through the financial difficulties, Atlanta had attracted the attention of key local figures and celebrities. While running for governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter, an avid race fan and former ticket vendor at the track in the '60s, promised a barbecue dinner at the governor's mansion if he won. He kept that promise, then improved on it by inviting the racing community to another cookout in 1978; this time at the White House.

Despite the great racing and national attention, Atlanta International Raceway was still a meager facility struggling to get by.

"It was just the Weaver Grandstand and wooden bleachers on the backstretch," Former Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket manager Frances Goss recalled. "Fans would bring blankets and sit on the dirt bank." Bruton Smith changed all that when he purchased Atlanta International Raceway on October 23, 1990, and renamed the facility Atlanta Motor Speedway. A year later, the addition of the East Turn Grandstand expanded the seating capacity by 25,000, and the 30 suites that rimmed the top gave new meaning to the word "luxurious."

Under Smith's stewardship, Atlanta Motor Speedway not only has undergone massive expansion, but it has dramatically increased its menu, hosting everything from Busch Series, ARCA, Drag Racing and Indy car racing to dog shows, concerts and business conventions.

In 1994, Tara Place, the nine-story building that houses 46 luxury condominiums, Tara Ballroom, the speedway office complex and more luxury suites opened, as did the adjacent Tara Clubhouse and its accompanying swimming pool and tennis courts. A year later, the Earnhardt Grandstand opened, and in 1997, the great transformation was completed. The Champions Grandstand was added, and the total of luxury suites was increased to 137. When the Champions Grandstand was built, the start/finish line was moved from the west to the east side of the track, and two doglegs were added to the frontstretch to form a 1.54-mile quad-oval, which replaced the original oval. New media facilities, garages and countless fan support buildings were added to what has become a modern motorsports palace.

In October, 2006 Atlanta Motor Speedway added another Grandstand, the Winners Grandstand, offering fans a great view of the frontstretch and pit road. A Trackside Terrace Luxury RV Camping area replaced the aged Weaver Grandstands as well.

Sitting atop the Winners Grandstand is a public suite called Club One. Limited to just 1,000 occupants, the exclusive club offers a climate controlled vue of the entire track as well as a rooftop sight and sound observation deck.

"Bruton told me before he ever bought the track, 'I'd like to see what could be done with this place,'" Goss recalled. "He's made it. I never would have believed Atlanta Motor Speedway would look like it does today."



SPRINT CUP ATLANTA WINNERS 1972-2008

Date   Race Name Pole Winner Race Winner Starting Pos. Make
10/26/08 Pep Boys Auto 500Rained OutCarl Edwards4Ford
3/09/08 Kobalt Tools 500Jeff GordonKyle Busch6Toyota
10/28/07 Pep Boys Auto 500Greg BiffleJimmie Johnson6Chevrolet
3/18/07 Kobalt Tools 500Ryan NewmanJimmie Johnson3Chevrolet
10/29/06 Bass Pro Shops 500Matt KensethTony Stewart11Chevrolet
03/20/06 Golden Corral 500Kasey KahneKasey Kahne1Dodge
10/30/05 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500Ryan NewmanCarl Edwards2Ford
3/20/05 Golden Corral 500Ryan NewmanCarl Edwards4Ford
10/31/04 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500Ryan NewmanJimmie Johnson8Chevrolet
3/14/04 Golden Corral 500Ryan NewmanDale Earnhardt Jr.7Chevrolet
10/27/03 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500Ryan NewmanJeff Gordon19Chevrolet
03/09/03 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 Ryan NewmanBobby Labonte4Chevrolet
10/27/02 NAPA 500Rained OutKurt Busch8Ford
03/10/02 MBNA America 500Bill ElliottTony Stewart9Pontiac
11/18/01 NAPA 500Dale Earnhardt Jr.Bobby Labonte39Pontiac
03/11/01 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500Dale JarrettKevin Harvick5Chevrolet
11/19/00 NAPA 500Jeff GordonJerry Nadeau2Chevrolet
03/12/00 Cracker Barrel 500Dale JarrettDale Earnhardt35Chevrolet
11/21/99 NAPA 500Kevin LepageBobby Labonte37Pontiac
03/14/99 Cracker Barrel 500Bobby LabonteJeff Gordon8Chevrolet
11/08/98 NAPA 500Kenny IrwinJeff Gordon21Chevrolet
03/09/98 PRIMESTAR 500John AndrettiBobby Labonte14Pontiac
11/16/97 NAPA 500Geoffrey BodineBobby Labonte21Pontiac
03/09/97 PRIMESTAR 500Robby GordonDale Jarrett9Ford
11/10/96 NAPA 500Bobby LabonteBobby Labonte1Chevrolet
03/10/96 Purolator 500Johnny BensonDale Earnhardt18Chevrolet
11/12/95 NAPA 500Darrell WaltripDale Earnhardt11Chevrolet
03/12/95 Purolator 500Dale EarnhardtJeff Gordon3Chevrolet
11/13/94 Hooters 500Greg SacksMark Martin5Ford
03/13/94 Purolator 500Loy Allen, JrErnie Irvan7Ford
11/14/93 Hooters 500Harry GantRusty Wallace20Pontiac
03/20/93 Motorcraft 500Rusty WallaceMorgan Shepherd7Ford
11/15/92 Hooters 500Rick MastBill Elliott11Ford
03/15/92 Motorcraft 500Mark MartinBill Elliott4Ford
11/17/91 Hardee's 500Bill ElliottMark Martin4Ford
03/18/91 Motorcraft 500Alan KulwickiKen Schrader5Chevrolet
11/18/90 Atl. Journal 500Rusty WallaceMorgan Shepherd20Ford
03/18/90 Motorcraft 500Rained OutDale Earnhardt1Chevrolet
11/19/89 Atl. Journal 500Alan KulwickiDale Earnhardt3Chevrolet
03/19/89 Motorcraft 500Alan KulwickiDarrell Waltrip4Chevrolet
11/20/88 Atl. Journal 500Rusty WallaceRusty Wallace1Pontiac
03/20/88 Motorcraft 500Geoffrey BodineDale Earnhardt2Chevrolet
11/22/87 Atl. Journal 500Bill ElliottBill Elliott1Ford
03/15/87 Motorcraft 500Dale EarnhardtRicky Rudd6Ford
11/02/86 Atl. Journal 500Bill ElliottDale Earnhardt4Chevrolet
03/16/86 Motorcraft 500Dale EarnhardtMorgan Shepherd3Buick
11/03/85 Atl. Journal 500Harry GantBill Elliott3Ford
03/17/85 Coca-Cola 500Neil BonnettBill Elliott3Ford
11/11/84 Atl. Journal 500Bill ElliottDale Earnhardt10Chevrolet
03/18/84 Coca-Cola 500Buddy BakerBenny Parsons8Chevrolet
11/06/83 Atl. Journal 500Tim RichmondNeil Bonnett15Chevrolet
03/27/83 Coca-Cola 500Geoffrey BodineCale Yarborough22Chevrolet
11/07/82 Atl. Journal 500Morgan ShepherdBobby Allison9Buick
03/21/82 Coca-Cola 500Dale EarnhardtDarrell Waltrip14Buick
11/08/81 Atl. Journal 500Harry GantNeil Bonnett5Ford
03/15/81 Coca-Cola 500Terry LabonteCale Yarborough17Buick
11/02/80 Atl. Journal 500Bobby AllisonCale Yarborough12Chevrolet
03/16/80 Atlanta 500Buddy BakerDale Earnhardt31Chevrolet
11/04/79 Dixie 500Buddy BakerNeil Bonnett4Mercury
03/18/79 Atlanta 500Buddy BakerBuddy Baker1Oldsmobile
11/05/78 Dixie 500Cale YarboroughDonnie Allison13Chevrolet
03/19/78 Atlanta 500Cale YarboroughBobby Allison4Ford
11/06/77 Dixie 500Sam SommersDarrell Waltrip8Chevrolet
03/20/77 Atlanta 500Richard PettyRichard Petty1Dodge
11/07/76 Dixie 500Buddy BakerDave Marcis2Dodge
03/21/76 Atlanta 500Dave MarcisDavid Pearson2Mercury
11/09/75 Dixie 500Dave MarcisBuddy Baker3Ford
03/23/75 Atlanta 500Richard PettyRichard Petty1Dodge
07/28/74 Dixie 500Cale YarboroughRichard Petty2Dodge
03/24/74 Atlanta 500David PearsonCale Yarborough9Chevrolet
07/22/73 Dixie 500Richard PettyDavid Pearson5Mercury
04/01/73 Atlanta 500Rained OutDavid Pearson9Mercury
07/23/72 Dixie 500David PearsonBobby Allison3Chevrolet
03/26/72 Atlanta 500Bobby AllisonBobby Allison1Chevrolet

TRACK RECORDS

Sprint Cup Race Record
Bobby Labonte 159.904 11|16|97

Nationwide Race Record
Mark Martin 151.751 03|08|97



Sprint Cup Qualifying Record
Geoffrey Bodine 197.478 1997

Nationwide Qualifying Record
Greg Biffle 192.2997 2003


2008 Kobalt Tools 500 Winner
Kyle Busch		 2008 Pep Boys Auto 500 Winner
Carl Edwards

17 Feb 2004
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