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Atlanta Motor Speedway
Located just miles south of Atlanta, Georgia, the Atlanta Motor Speedway is far different than first imagined by it's original designers. The original structure was planned in 1958 but, before construction was finished, insufficient funds forced four of the five supporters out of the project. It wasn't long before new partners came in to replace them by contributing $1.8 million to complete the facility.
After it's original construction was complete, the track still wasn't quite ready for use. Several repairs needed to be made in the way of seats being too low, more restroom facilities needed to be added and there was a lot of general clean up that needed to be complete before the facility could officially open to the public.
In July 1960, Atlanta International Raceway, as it was then known, opened as a 1.5 mile superspeedway. Following it's debut, several financial setbacks occurred, which caused the business aspect to suffer. The facility was forced to file for Chapter 10 bankruptcy during the 1970's, which is when it underwent several managerial changes. Finally, Walt Nix was chosen to serve as general manager and did so for the majority of the next 20 years. The only exception was a brief period during which NASCAR president, Mike Helton, was in charge. Even during it's financial hardships, the track grabbed the attention of local celebrities and politicians. During his run for the governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter promised a barbeque dinner at the governor's mansion if he were to win the election. Carter, a race fan himself, was a ticket vendor at the track during the 1960's. When he accepted the position of governor, Carter kept his promise and even invited the racing community to another cookout in 1978. This time, however, the cookout would be at the White House. Despite the large publicity gained for the track, Atlanta International Raceway still struggled.
In October 1990, Bruton Smith stepped in and changed everything for the Atlanta racing community as he purchased the raceway and renamed it Atlanta Motor Speedway. One short year later, an additional 25,000 seats were added due to the creation of the East Turn Grandstand. A total of 30 luxury suites were also added. Under Smith's guidance, AMS has dramatically expanded in more ways than one. It's cosmetic changes are undeniable, but the financial changes have improved due to an increase in event hostings.
Today, the Atlanta Motor Speedway resides on 870 beautiful acres in Hampton, Georgia. A short drive from downtown Atlanta will bring fans right into the heart of NASCAR racing. Atlanta Motor Speedway is currently one of the nation's top facilities, which is known to host sports, corporate, entertainment and family events each year.
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