ROAD ATLANTA

ROAD ATLANTA HISTORY The Road Atlanta Race was realized in 1969 from a patch of Hall Count clay and a desire to host world-class road racing in the middle of stock car country. Long story made short, there were floods, break-neck track improvements done on insane time schedules, various states of ownership, and the best drivers racing had to offer. A six month rush to excavate, flatten and grade a 12-turn, 2.5 mile racetrack took place. The first race was on September 3, 1970. 75 laps of the finest road racing Geogia had ever seen happened that year. 1970’s road racing interests exploded and flooded the area with more races and more drivers (including Paul Newman). This was Road Atlanta’s magic hour. The late 70’s saw a number of owners and the facilities steady decline into disrepair. Fortunately Dr. Don Panoz (you know, the guy who invented the nicotine patch and founder of nearby Chateau Elan Winery) took over the property, restored the facilities and made Road Atlanta even better than what it had been in the beginning. Today, Road Atlanta sits on 750 acres and has over 300,000 square feet of paved space. Quite a way to come from that small section of good old Hall County Georgia clay.