Fans can help soldiers at AMS: Fans shopping at the souvenir trailer at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend will have a chance to assist severely wounded and disabled soldiers. The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes has partnered with the track to sell "hero" wristbands at 45 souvenir rigs.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(10-27-2006)
Atlanta Motor Speedway Construction Complete: Construction is complete at Atlanta Motor Speedway, bringing a close to nearly $23 million in improvements and additions. Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman O. Bruton Smith with NEXTEL Cup Series drivers Mark Martin, Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte and Kasey Kahne all were at the Speedway today previewing the new Club One and unveiling the Bass Pro Shops 500 race winner's trophy called "Big Roar." Including the wooden base, "Big Roar," a bronze grizzly bear, stands more than 8 feet tall and weighs in at nearly 300 pounds. The unveiling took place in front of the Winners Gallery, which pays tribute to past Nextel Cup Series race winners at AMS. Labonte leads all active drivers with six victories at AMS, both Mark Martin and Carl Edwards have two wins at NASCAR's fastest track, while Kahne scored his first AMS victory in March, 2006. In addition to Club One, AMS's new luxury seating option, the Winners Grandstand located in Turn 1 is also complete. Of the 13,000 seats in the Winners Grandstand, approximately 7,700 are individual chair-back seats, complete with cup holders. In addition to the Winners Grandstand and Club One which sits atop it, speedway officials also created a new Trackside Terrace Luxury RV parking area. Located along the backstretch, the new RV parking area is a paved lot which offers water, electrical and sewer hook ups and an extraordinary view of the track.(AMS PR)(10-27-2006)
AMS Traffic Alert: Due to Friday's Georgia-Pacific Qualifying Night (7:10 p.m. start) the south side of Atlanta will experience heavier than normal traffic flow during the evening rush hour. A record crowd in excess of 50,000 is expected for this Friday night event. State officials are urging regular cummuters to use alternate routes to Hwys. 19/41 and Hwy. 20, as it will likely be full of race traffic during the evening rush hour. State officials are urging Race Traffic to use Hwys. 19/41 South and GA Hwy. 20. For up-to-the-minute traffic updates, please contact the traffic command center at (770) 946-9761.(AMS PR)(10-26-2006)
Mark Martin to Sell Tickets in AMS Ticket Office: #6-Mark Martin will be selling tickets in the AMS ticket office on Thursday, Oct. 26 from noon to 1 p.m. Fans who stop by the ticket office during these hours can purchase their tickets from Martin, who will not only be running in the Bass Pro Shops 500 NEXTEL Cup race on Sunday, but also the Craftsman Truck Series race on Saturday, Oct. 27.(AMS PR)(10-25-2006)
Limited Camping Options Still Available at Atlanta: Camping is the fastest growing element at Atlanta Motor Speedway and a very limited number of spaces in the new Trackside Terrace Luxury RV Parking area are still available, as well as a limited number of other options. Fans wishing to camp for the Bass Pro Shops 500 race weekend, Oct. 27-29, should act quickly to ensure a camping spot for the weekend. Fans interested in exploring camping options or purchasing tickets to the Bass Pro Shops 500 race weekend can call the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211 or (877) 9-AMS-TIX, by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com .(AMS PR)(10-25-2006)
Record Purse for Bass Pro Shops 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Drivers will be competing for their share of nearly $8.5 million dollars during Atlanta Motor Speedway's Oct. 27-29 Bass Pro Shops 500 race weekend. The awards for the Nextel Cup and Craftsman Truck Series races comprise a $6,559,125 purse announced for the two money-paying NASCAR events during the three days of racing at AMS. The weekend of racing will kick off Friday night, October 27 with Georgia-Pacific Qualifying, immediately followed by the Papa John's Pizza Shootout ASA Southern Modified Tour event as they battle on the Thunder Ring, AMS's frontstretch quarter-mile-oval. Racing action will heat up on Saturday, October 28 when the Crown Royal International Race of Champions season finale takes place, with an $880,000 purse up for grabs and a $1 million bonus going to the season champion. Following the Crown Royal IROC race, the Truck series will go door-to-door in the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200, where drivers will vie for a record $528,620 purse. On Sunday, the stars of the Nextel Cup series will take on the 1.54-mile quad-oval in the Bass Pro Shops 500, battling for a record purse of $6,030,505. This year's purse represents an increase of $842,159 over the 2005 edition of the Bass Pro Shops 500.(AMS PR)(10-20-2006)
One Month Left to Buy Oct 2006 Tix & March 2007 Cup Tickets on Sale Oct 2: Fans wanting to attend the largest
party in Georgia have just one month left to purchase tickets. The Bass Pro Shops 500 Nextel Cup race weekend will feature three days of racing at NASCAR's fastest track with Georgia-Pacific Qualifying slated for Friday, Oct. 27 under the lights. Saturday, Oct. 28 features the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 Craftsman Truck race and the Crown Royal IROC season finale. Sunday, Oct. 29, will give fans the opportunity to catch the stars of the Nextel Cup Series battle for 500 high-speed miles in the Bass Pro Shops 500. Three day ticket packages are available for fans wanting to catch all three days of racing, starting at just $88. Single day Bass Pro Shops 500 tickets start at just $60. AND March 2007 Tickets on Sale October 2: Tickets for the March 16-18 2007 Nextel Cup race weekend go on sale
October 2. Fans can purchase tickets by calling the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211, or (877) 9-AMS-TIX, by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com, or through an authorized Ticketmaster retail outlet.(AMS PR)(9-29-2006)
Atlanta Motor Speedway Construction on Schedule: Updates of work completed to date at Atlanta Motor Speedway that will be in place for the October 27-29 Bass Pro Shops 500:
Trackside Terrace RV Camping area:
* 60% of the sod along the Trackside Terrace berm is laid, with the remaining 40% to be complete soon.
* Approximately 35% of the retaining walls for the terraces on the berm are complete.
* Crews have finished grading and 50% of the water, sewage and electrical connections have been placed.
Winners Grandstand / Club One:
* Aluminum decking is being installed in the Winners grandstand and is 75% complete. The chairback seats have arrived and
installation will begin this week.
* The existing handicap camping area has been paved and several handicap parking spots have been added.
* 90% of the concrete slab on the Winners Grandstand concourse has been poured.(AMS PR)(9-16-2006)
Camping Options Still Available at Atlanta Atlanta Motor Speedway officials announced camping spaces are still available for the Oct. 27-29 Bass Pro Shops 500 race weekend. Camping, in limited quantities, is still available in several campgrounds. The East Turn, Legends and Ragu First Turn campgrounds are all adjacent to the speedway's main entrance and still have spaces available for recreational vehicles. The Mid-State tent and RV campgrounds also have a limited number of spaces remaining. 50 acres of unreserved camping will be available on the Bass Pro Shops 500 event weekend. Still available in a very limited quantity are trackside RV parking spots overlooking the backstretch of the 1.54-mile quad-oval. The Trackside Terrace RV parking area not only offers a paved premium parking spot, it also comes equipped with water, electric and sewer connections for RVs.
Operating hours for the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office have been extended to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays starting Sept. 9. Starting at just $88 and ranging to $109, fans can get a great seat for all three days of the Bass Pro Shops 500 race weekend. The AMS ticket office will open at 8 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. the entire week of Oct. 23 through Oct. 29 to handle the last minute rush of ticket buyers for the Bass Pro Shops 500 race weekend. Fan can purchase tickets by calling the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211, or (877) 9-AMS-TIX, by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com. Fans can also stop by the AMS ticket office, speak to a staff member about various camping and ticket options and purchase directly from the ticket office.(AMS PR)(9-14-2006)
Five Events for One Low Price at Atlanta: Atlanta Motor Speedway has three spectacular weekend ticket packages available for fans looking for a deal on a great seat for all three days of racing this October for the Bass Pro Shops 500 Nextel Cup race weekend. For just $88, $99, or $109, fans can purchase a weekend ticket package to all five events at AMS with a variety of seating options. In addition to the three weekend ticket packages, AMS is offering a 2-for-1 ticket special which benefits children 12 and younger on Saturday, Oct. 28. For each adult that purchases a $30 no-alcohol section Petty Grandstand ticket, a child age 12 or younger will be admitted free. For more information on these ticket specials and more, fans can contact the AMS ticket office at (877) 9-AMS-TIX, (770) 946-4211, at atlantamotorspeedway.com(AMS PR)(9-5-2006)
Scoring Tower Back Up at Atlanta Motor Speedway: When an F2 tornado ripped through Atlanta Motor Speedway one-year ago, it left what could have been mistaken for a high-speed jig-saw puzzle. This week, the final piece of the puzzle was locked into place when the giant scoring tower that sits in Turn One was re-erected after its collapse following the twister. Like its twin in Turn Four, the 100-foot behemoth has indicators for lap times and the number of laps completed, the top-20 cars in the running order and the ability to scroll through the entire fields running order. The towers were constructed as part of the track reconfiguration following the March race in 1997 and hold a place in NASCAR history. The pylons flashed Geoff Bodine's non-restrictor plate NASCAR qualifying
record of 197.478 mph on November 15, 1997.(AMS PR)(8-26-2006)
Fans can sponsor a lap at Atlanta: In one of the most limited ticket specials offered by Atlanta Motor Speedway, 325 lucky fans have a chance to call a lap their own in the October 29 Bass Pro Shops 500. With Atlanta Motor Speedway's lap sponsorship package, fans select a lap to sponsor in the October Nextel Cup race. Their name and lap number will be published in the race program if purchased before the printing deadline of Thursday, Sept. 28. In addition, lap sponsors will receive a commemorative certificate of their lap, as well as two tickets to October 27 Georgia-Pacific Qualifying followed by the Papa John's Shootout ASA Southern Modified race. Purchasers of the lap sponsorship package will also receive two tickets to the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck race and the Crown Royal International Race of Champions season finale. Finally, lap sponsors receive two coveted pre-race pit passes, allowing race fans ages 14 and over access to the sights and sounds of race
morning. The pits are open Friday through Sunday and close 45 minutes before race time. For just $300, the lap sponsorship package promises race fans memories of a lifetime, four great races and NEXTEL Cup qualifying and an up-close view of the weekend's pit action. Lap sponsorships and other great ticket packages for the Bass Pro Shops 500 weekend can be purchased by calling the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX or visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(8-18-2006)
Atlanta Motor Speedway Construction Continues: Atlanta Motor Speedway announced on March 1, 2006 major facility changes that will be in place for the October 27-29 Bass Pro Shops 500. Construction is well underway and on schedule for these changes and additions which replacing the Weaver Grandstands along the backstretch with an all-new Trackside Terrace RV camping area and the addition of a new Winners Grandstand and Club One overlooking Turn 1. Updates of work completed to date.
Trackside Terrace RV Camping area:
* 80% of the grading on the Trackside Terrace RV camping area is complete.
* Sewage, water and electricity are scheduled to be laid in three weeks.
* In two weeks, retaining walls will be erected for the observation decks on the Trackside Terrace berm. The observation decks
will serve as a place for fans with second row RV spots that don't face the track to view the racing action.
Winners Grandstand / Club One:
* 90% of the grading in Turn 1 is complete, resulting in a concourse level widened by 16'.
* 60% of the steel Winners Grandstand structure is erected.
* 25% of the concrete concourse flooring is poured in the Winners Grandstand structure.
* The nine elevators that will service the Winners Grandstand and Club One are being constructed.
* Two antique serving bars and 200 feet of antique paneling have been procured for Club One.
* Crews began pouring concrete for the base slope of the Winners Grandstand today.
Fans can purchase ticket for these three new areas by calling the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211, or (877)
9-AMS-TIX, and through atlantamotorspeedway.com.(Atlanta Motor Speedway PR)(8-5-2006)
Later start for Atlanta in Oct: NBC television officials are lobbying NASCAR for a mid-afternoon start for the Oct. 29 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Track spokesperson Marcy Scott confirmed this fall's Nextel Cup race at the 1.54-mile quad-oval is tentatively schedule to begin at 2:55pm/et. By contrast, the green flag for last October's 500-mile race at AMS waved shortly after 12:40pm/et. Late afternoon starts for Sunday events will likely become the norm in NASCAR's Cup Series. ABC and ESPN president George Bodenheimer, whose networks will cover the final 17 races of the season over the next eight years beginning in 2007, favors later starting times.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution), it can't be too late this year as NBC has Sunday Night NFL Football.(7-7-2006)
Construction at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Schedule: Atlanta Motor Speedway announced on March 1, 2006 major facility changes that will be in place for the October 27-29 Bass Pro Shops 500 race weekend. These changes include replacing the Weaver Grandstands along the backstretch with an all-new Trackside Terrace RV camping area, plus the addition of the new Winners Grandstand and Club One overlooking Turn 1. Below are updates of work completed to date:
Trackside Terrace RV Camping area:
* Concrete demolition of the Weaver Grandstands is complete.
* More than 30 percent of grading is complete and the remainder will be completed in the next three weeks.
* After completion of the grading process, underground utilities will be put in place.
Winners Grandstand / Club One:
* More than 70 percent of the footers that will support the Winners Grandstand are currently poured.
* Both elevator shafts and stair towers are erected, and concrete landings and floors are currently being poured
* In the next several days, the elevator shafts will be enclosed in steel.
* Grading in Turn 1 is 60 percent complete and will result in a concourse level widened by 16'.
To see images or buy tickets, go to atlantamotorspeedway.com.(6-22-2006)
October Cup Race Tix on sale at Atlanta: Fans who want the best seats for the Bass Pro Shops 500 weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway can do so now, as tickets for all three days of racing action recently went on sale. This October will also be the first opportunity for fans to take advantage of new seating options at AMS. The all new Winners Grandstand overlooks the entrance of Turn One and has a great view of the start\finish line and the exit of pit road. Above the Winners Grandstand will be Club One, an exclusive new club that offers patrons a climate controlled theater style seat and access to a bar and premium menu. Also available is the new Trackside Terrace Camping section, along the backstretch, featuring more than 90 motorcoach parking spaces. All spaces in the Trackside Terrace Camping section will have full water, electricity and sewer hookups. For more info, go to atlantamotorspeedway.com.(6-4-2006)
Atlanta Construction Underway: Atlanta Motor Speedway announced on March 1, 2006 major facility changes that will be in place for the October 27-29 Bass Pro Shops 500. These changes include replacing the Weaver Grandstands along the backstretch with an all-new Trackside Terrace RV camping area plus the addition of the new Winners Grandstand and Club One overlooking Turn 1.
The updates of work completed to date:
Trackside Terrace RV Camping area:
* The aluminum grandstands were removed in their entirety last week, finding new homes across the United States. Sections were shipped to Bill Davis, owner of Bill Davis Racing, to be used in a cattle auction barn. Other sections were shipped to a Little League Baseball park in Hackett, Ark., Tri-State Speedway in Ft. Smith, Ark., Douglas Motorsports Park in Douglas, Ga. and sections were sent to Tanner High School in Athens, Ala.
* The demolition of the concrete under the aluminum bleachers was completed on May 23, and demolition of the steel Weaver suite structure began May 24 with a scheduled completion date of Friday, May 26.
* Following the removal of the steel Weaver structure, grading will begin resulting in an 85' wide concourse area for motor homes. The hill will also be lowered 10' and moved forward resulting in a better view for fans parked in the Trackside Terrace Camping section.
Winners Grandstand / Club One:
* More than half of the footers that will support the Winners Grandstand are currently poured.
* Steel has arrived and portions of the steel frame around the elevator shaft were erected today.
* Grading in Turn 1 is underway and will result in a concourse level widened by 16'.(AMS PR)(5-27-2006)
Atlanta Rainout could cost more than $1 million: The economic fallout from the rainout at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which pushed the Golden Corral 500 to a Monday start and cut the crowd to about a third of what track officials expected, began a week ago and will continue for months, maybe even years. AMS president Ed Clark said his extra costs for another day of clean-up and staffing runs into six figures, because the track typically employs 5,000 part-timers and 63 full-time employees. "We won't know exactly for a while, but it's substantial," Clark said, adding that lost revenue from concessions and souvenirs easily could top $1 million.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(3-21-2006)
Traffic Plans for Atlanta: Due to this weekend's Golden Corral 500 race events at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the south side of Atlanta will experience especially heavy traffic flow throughout the weekend. Traffic is expected to be heaviest during the Friday evening rush hour, as fans head to the track for Georgia Power Qualifying Night, and after 8 a.m. on Sunday (March 19) for the Golden Corral 500. Fans are encouraged to leave very early to avoid the rush of traffic expected to reach the race track around 8 a.m. All racetrack-bound roads, especially Hwys. 19/41 and Hwy. 20 (Bruton Smith Parkway). The plan of the Golden Corral 500 weekend has been altered from races in the past. Fans have a choice of which major route to take, either Hwy. 19/41 or Hwy. 20 from I-75. Please choose which route to take based on where you would like to park on property, because fans will be directed to a certain lot based on which way they enter the speedway. New trams, shuttle buses and sidewalks will allow fans to get to their seats easily regardless of where they park on property. ENTERING THE SPEEDWAY:
From Hwy. 19/41:
FROM THE NORTH: Those traveling in from the North (traveling southbound on Hwy. 19/41 through Jonesboro and traveling West from McDonough Road) Will be directed to parking lots on the north side of the property.
* Those traveling south on Hwy. 19/41 need to be in the right lane and will turn right at Speedway Boulevard and park in the parking
lots off of Speedway Blvd. Those with vehicle credentials need to stay in the left lane and enter the speedway at Entrance E (First entrance south of the main entrance on Hwy. 19/41.
FROM THE SOUTH: Those traveling in from the South (traveling northbound on Hwy. 19/41 from Griffin) will turn left onto Richard Petty Blvd. and will be directed to parking lots.
From Hwy. 20: Those traveling in on Hwy. 20 will be directed to parking lots on the south side of the property.
Note: For its fans, Atlanta Motor Speedway provides a free shuttle and tram service from all parking lots to each gate.
For those interested, GRTA will provide express bus service from the Clayton County Justice Center, located north of the speedway on
Hwy. 19/41 and from Avalon Park in McDonough, off I-75 exit 218. Turn right at exit 218, Turn left at the first stop light and Avalon park is
located on the left. This express bus service will begin at 7 in the morning and end two hours after the conclusion of the Golden Corral 500. EXITING THE SPEEDWAY: Fans will leave the same way they came in. If they entered from the North, they will be directed to northbound on Hwy. 19/41. From there, fans can proceed on Hwy. 19/41 through Jonesboro to I-75. Those who enter from the South will be directed out on the same roads.(AMS PR)(3-16-2006)
Georgia Motorsports Day Thursday: The 4th annual Georgia Motorsports Day at the Georgia State Capitol will be held on Thursday, March 16th outside the State Capitol on Mitchell Street in Atlanta at 10:100am/et. Scheduled to attend: Governor Sonny Perdue, Georgia House Representative Mike Barnes, Georgia State Senator John Douglas, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Chairman and CEO O. Bruton Smith, AMS President Ed Clark, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver - Reed Sorenson (Peachtree City, Ga. Native), NASCAR Busch Series driver - John Andretti (owner of Andretti Indoor Karting Center in Roswell, Ga.), NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers - Bill Lester (Atlanta, Ga. resident) and David Ragan (Unadilla, Ga. native). If it rains, the location will be inside the Capitol in the North Wing. This will be the fourth annual racing rally in Georgia; for the last three years, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue passed a resolution supporting the racing industry in Georgia.(AMS PR)(3-15-2006)
Xpress Offers Special Service, Shuttle for Atlanta race: Xpress - Metropolitan Atlanta's clean, comfortable and convenient commuter coach service - will offer public transportation services for the Golden Corral 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 19, 2006. Xpress will operate two separate shuttles from off-site parking and an internal loop shuttle within the Speedway parking areas. More information and scheduling at xpressga.com.(AMS PR)(3-15-2006)
Less Than 200 RV Spaces Remain at Atlanta: Fans wanting to secure a reserved RV parking space for the Golden Corral 500 race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway need to act fast. There are less than 200 reserved spaces remaining in the four lots that comprise the more than 3,416 camping spaces at AMS. RV spaces on the infield at AMS are sold out. Once the 200 spaces that remain in East Turn, Ragu, Legends and Mid-State reserved areas are sold, fans will still have the opportunity to camp in the 49 acres of unreserved campgrounds. To secure a reserved RV camping space or to purchase tickets to all three days of racing excitement, contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office by calling 877-9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), 770-946-4211 or by visiting atlantamotorspeedway.com.(3-4-2006)
Atlanta Announces Record Purse for Golden Corral Race Weekend: NASCAR drivers competing in the March 19
Golden Corral 500, the March 18 Nicorette 300 and the March 17 John Deere 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be battling for nearly $6.5 million in posted prize money. The awards for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, NASCAR Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series events are part of a $6,452,858 purse announced for the three days of racing that comprise the March 17-19 Golden Corral 500 race week schedule of events. On Sunday, the stars of the NEXTEL Cup series will take on the high banks at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Golden Corral 500, battling for a record purse of $4,843,713. This year's purse represents an increase of nearly $200,000 over the prize money posted in the March 2005 Golden Corral 500 NEXTEL Cup race just one year ago. The purse for the first race ever held at Atlanta Motor Speedway was $39,500, a far cry from just the winner's take home pay of $147,850 for this year's race. Great seats are still available for the Golden Corral 500 race weekend, March 17-19. Contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office by calling 877-9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), 770-946-4211 or by visiting atlantamotorspeedway.com.(3-4-2006)
Rob Schneider, David Spade and Jon Heder Grand Marshals at Atlanta: Hollywood movie stars Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder will serve as Grand Marshals for the upcoming NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Golden Corral 500 on March 19 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The trio are headlining the new comedy The Benchwarmers from Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions and Revolution Studios. The Benchwarmers will be released nationwide by Columbia Pictures on April 7 and tells the story of three underdogs (Rob Schneider, David Spade and Jon Heder) who form a three-man baseball team to challenge a full squad of elementary school baseball bullies. Their success leads to a high-stakes, winner-take-all game with the best kids in the state where, if they win, they will become an inspiration for every kid who has ever been a benchwarmer. Among their duties at the Golden Corral 500 (airing on FOX at 1:00pm/et),
the trio will give the command, "gentlemen, start your engines," to send 43 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series stars around the 1.54-mile quad-oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Spade, Schneider and Heder will also make an appearance at the driver's meeting Sunday morning, driver introductions on the frontstretch at AMS and take a garage tour prior to the green flag. To see the three big screen stars deliver the most famous words in auto racing, fans can purchase tickets to the Golden Corral 500 on March 19 by calling the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at 877-9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), 770-946-4211 or by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(3-3-2006)
Elaborate Changes Unveiled at Atlanta: Atlanta Motor Speedway announced three major facility additions that will be in place for the October 27-29 Bass Pro Shops 500 race weekend. More than 13,000 new grandstand seats will be added in the newly created Winners Grandstand, located at the Turn One end of the front straightaway. The new grandstand will feature more than 7,700 comfortable, individual style chair seats with drink holders and an additional 5,300 bench style seats. The chairback seats will be available for purchase annually for $495, including all six days both NEXTEL Cup race weekends and the bench seats will be available on an event by event basis. Also being added is a new luxury seating opportunity called "Club One." Members of Club One will enjoy an extraordinary, climate controlled view of the state-of-the-art facility and heart-pounding on-track action from comfortable theater-style seating. The premium 'Chef's Choice' menu and bar will add to the unique experience. Club One will offer a rooftop 'Sight and Sound' observation deck for members to bask in the sun while being enveloped in the race day spectacle. Approximately 1,000 Club One seats will be sold as an annual package for just $1,595 each. Fans will receive a parking pass in a designated Club One parking lot with four Club One tickets. Club One purchasers will also have the first option to purchase one of 30 new reserved motorcoach parking spaces below Club One.
In a continued effort to meet the increased demands for trackside camping, track officials are adding a new upscale Trackside Terrace
Camping section, along the backstretch, featuring more than 90 motorcoach parking spaces. All spaces in the Trackside Terrace Camping section will have full water, electricity and sewer hookups. For more information about the new additions at Atlanta Motor Speedway or to purchase tickets or camping spaces, fans may call (877) 9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), (770) 946-4211, or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS Site/PR)(3-2-2006)
Atlanta suite tix offered: Atlanta Motor Speedway announced a limited time offer for fans who purchase a three-day public suite ticket. Fans that purchase the suite ticket will be entered into a drawing for five exciting once-in-a-lifetime race weekend experiences. However, the offer will end on Wednesday, March 1. One lucky fan will climb into the AMS flag tower and wave the green flag on Georgia Power Qualifying night. Another will ride in the pace car on Sunday morning just hours before their favorite driver takes the green flag on the same mile and half of asphalt. These are just two of the five exciting opportunities being offered. A fan will also be able to earn their rookie stripe with a 'Rookie Experience' from the Richard Petty Driving Experience. All drivers covet a trip to victory lane and two fans will join the victory lane celebration on Saturday and Sunday from inside the exclusive area that few people, outside sponsors, teams and media ever get to experience first hand. A three-day public suite ticket offers fans an opportunity to sit high above the action in one of the climate-controlled suites at Atlanta Motor Speedway. With a continental breakfast and lunch buffet offered along with four drink vouchers each day, fans can relax and enjoy the race day experience. Suite ticket holders also have the opportunity to wander the pit area until 45 minutes prior to the green flag, watching drivers and their crews as they prepare to take the green flag. Three-day ticket packages are $550 each while Sunday-only suite tickets are also available. These and other great offers for the Golden Corral 500 weekend can be purchased by calling the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at 877-9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), 770-946-4211 or by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(2-24-2006)
Legends as Grand Marshals for Atlanta Busch race: Six of the greatest drivers and legends of NASCAR - Richard Petty, David Pearson, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons, Buddy Baker, and Donnie Allison - will serve as Grand Marshals for the Nicorette 300, the Busch Series race on Saturday, March 18 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The six legends were selected by Nicorette nicotine gum to serve as Grand Marshals as a tribute to their racing careers and for their personal support of smoking cessation. The Nicorette 300 marks the first NASCAR race to ever be sponsored by a smoking cessation product and is just one activity in a season-long sponsorship designed to eradicate smoking from the sport of NASCAR. The six NASCAR legends will jointly give the command "Gentlemen, Start your Engines" to start the Nicorette 300 while making appearances throughout the day. Fans will have the opportunity to meet the six legends the morning of March 18 (time to be announced) at a question-and-answer session held at GSK's Winner's Circle Exhibit in the fan walk area. The Winner's Circle is an interactive, entertaining exhibit featuring information about the benefits and challenges of quitting smoking and how Nicorette nicotine gum, NicoDerm CQ nicotine patches and Commit nicotine lozenges can help lead to a smoke-free life. The Winner's Circle Exhibit also features free quit-smoking counseling with trained smoking cessation experts. The six legends combine for 405 NASCAR victories and 13 series championships. Petty had a record 200 wins and seven championships. Pearson ranks second with 105 all-time wins to go along with three championships. Jarrett, a two-time champion, is tied for 10th all-time with 50 career victories. Parsons won the series championship in 1973 and had 21 career wins. Baker won 19 times, including a Daytona 500, while Allison had 10 wins and 115 top-ten finishes. Tickets to the Nicorette 300 NASCAR Busch Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway are available. To order tickets, call (877) 9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849) or order on-line at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(2-24-2006)
Pit Passes at Atlanta: There is only three weeks left until the start of the Golden Corral 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In addition to the great racing that Atlanta Motor Speedway promises, fans attending the race in March can take the racing experience one step closer with a Pre-Race Pit Pass and a chance to meet their favorite driver for the upcoming Golden Corral race weekend. A Georgia Power Qualifying night Pre-Race Pit Pass is just $75. If being behind the scenes on Friday only isn't enough action, fans can be part of the pre-race action all weekend. The Friday-Sunday Pre-Race Pit Pass is just $125. Pre-Race Pit Passes are good for pit area and garage entrance until 30 minutes prior to the event. Fans must be at least 14 years old and have appropriate attire in accordance with NASCAR issued guidelines to enter the pit area. No shorts, skirts, sleeveless shirts or tank tops or open-toed shoes are permitted in the pit area at anytime. Pre-Race Pit Passes are not good for gate admittance and must be accompanied by a grandstand ticket. To purchase race tickets or Pre-Race Pit Passes to the Golden Corral 500 race weekend fans can call 877-9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), 770-946-4211 or by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(2-21-2006)
Atlanta Announces Addition of New Camping Spaces: Atlanta Motor Speedway officials announced the creation of 80 new Premium reserved camping spots in the Mid-State Family Campgrounds. Located north of the speedway's main entrance, the new
campground will provide water and electricity and is conveniently located next to the main camper shower facility. The 25'X 50' spaces will be the closest available camping to the Champions Grandstand main entrance and will lease for $800 per racing season, which includes both NEXTEL Cup weekends. The new camping spaces go on sale today and are available for purchase by calling 770-946-4211, 877-9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), or by visiting atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS)(2-14-2006)
Camping Options Still Available at Atlanta: Atlanta Motor Speedway officials announced a limited number of reserved camping spaces are still available for the March 17-19 Golden Corral 500 race weekend. The East Turn, Legends and Ragu First Turn campgrounds are all in close proximity to the speedway entrances and still have spaces available for recreational vehicles. In addition, there are a limited number of tent and R.V. spaces in the Mid-State Family Campground. Unreserved camping will also be available during the Golden Corral 500 event weekend. Numerous camping options as well as tickets to the Golden Corral 500
event weekend can be purchased by calling 770-946-4211, 877-9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), or by visiting atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS)(2-3-2006)
AMS Lap Sponsorhips Available: In one of the most limited ticket specials offered by Atlanta Motor Speedway, 325 lucky fans have a chance to call a lap their own in the March 19 Golden Corral 500. With Atlanta Motor Speedway's lap sponsorship packages, fans select a lap to sponsor in the March 19 race. Their name and lap number will be published in the race program if purchased before the printing deadline of February 17. In addition, lap sponsors will receive a commemorative certificate of their lap, as well as two tickets to March 17 Georgia Power qualifying night followed by the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 200, and the Nicorette 300 Busch Series race on March 18. Finally, lap sponsors also receive two coveted pre-race pit passes, allowing race fans ages 14 and over access to the sights and sounds of race morning. The pits are open at select times Friday through Sunday and close 45 minutes before race time. For just $300, the lap sponsorship promises race fans memories of a lifetime, two great races and an up-close view of the weekend's pit
action. Just about the only thing Atlanta's lap sponsorship package can't promise is that your favorite driver will visit victory lane after
the March 19 Golden Corral 500. Lap sponsorships and other great ticket packages for the Golden Corral 500 weekend can be purchased by calling the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX or visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(1-30-2006)
Extended Ticket Office Hours at Atlanta; Limited Camping spaces available: In preparation for the upcoming Golden Corral 500 weekend on March 17-19, Atlanta Motor Speedway's ticket office has extended their hours. The ticket office is always open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm, but has added Saturday (9:00am to 5:00pm) and Sunday (1:00 to 5:00pm) hours to accommodate fans. AND Atlanta Motor Speedway officials announced a limited number of infield camping spaces are still available for the March 17-19 Golden Corral 500 race weekend. The Flock Brothers Corral, which sits between turns one and two, and the High Speed Corral, which is situated between turns three and four on the infield of AMS, each have less than 30 spaces remaining. There are still plenty of Reserved and Unreserved outside camping spaces available. Because of the limited quantity available, fans interested in purchasing a Flock Brothers Corral or a High Speed Corral camping space are encouraged to act quickly. For $400 a year, fans can secure their spot in the Flock Brothers Corral for both NASCAR Nextel Cup race weekends. High Speed Corral spaces can be reserved for just $200 for both race weekends. Infield camping spaces as well as tickets to the Golden Corral 500 can be purchased by calling 770-946-4211, 877-9-AMS-TIX (1-877-926-7849), or by clicking here: Purchase Tickets Fans can also stop by the AMS ticket office, speak to a staff member about various camping options and purchase directly from the ticket office.(AMS)(1-21-2006)
Reconstruction Coming to a Close at Atlanta: As the final coats of paint are applied, Atlanta Motor Speedway once again looks like the world-class racing facility it was before an F2 tornado ravished it on July 6. In fact, it is a much improved facility. "Since day one, we have pledged to build Atlanta Motor Speedway back in time for the October 28-30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500," said Ed Clark, president and general manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway. "Not only are we going to meet that goal, we were able to take this
disaster and use it as an opportunity to make Atlanta Motor Speedway a more fan-friendly track." Getting the track to its current shape has been an enormous undertaking, requiring around-the-clock crews, hundreds of thousands of man-hours and countless contractors and sub-contractors. Below is a list of numbers compiled which represents just some of the reconstruction efforts:
* Over 8 miles of fencing
* 97 contractors and sub-contractors
* 129 New flag poles
* 639 plumbing fixtures
* 750 tons of air conditioning systems
* 10,000 tons of asphalt
* Over 12,000 square yards of carpet
* 20,250 cubic feet of concrete
* 272,000 square feet of sheetrock
* 350,000 man hours
"Over the next year and a half, you will see even more improvements as we continue the rebuilding of the facility," Clark said."We have a long history of continuous upgrades and improvements to bolster the overall fan experience we plan to continue after the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend."
Great seats for the entire Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend are still available and can be purchased by calling 770-946-4211
or 877-9AMSTIX. Fans can also order tickets 24 hours a day at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or www.ticketmaster.com.(AMS)(10-28-2005)
Record Purse for Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 NASCAR drivers competing in the Oct. 30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 and the Oct. 29 EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be battling for nearly $6.4 million in posted prize money. The awards for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Craftsman Truck Series events are part of a $7,610,966 purse announced for the three days of racing that comprise the October 28-30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race week schedule of events. The Papa John's Invitational Legends race will battle for over $15,000 in cash and prizes. On Saturday, October 29 the Crown Royal International Race of Champions season finale will take place, with a $200,000 purse up for grabs and $1 million bonus going to the season champion. Following the Crown Royal IROC race, the Truck series will go door-to-door in the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200, where drivers will try and win their share of the $506,529 purse.
On Sunday, the stars of the NEXTEL Cup series will be battling for a record purse of $5,889,437. This year's purse represents an increase of $1,197,036 over the prize money posted in the March 2005 Golden Corral 500 NEXTEL Cup race just seven months ago and $108,168 more than the 2004 edition of the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. The purse for the first race ever held at Atlanta Motor Speedway was $39,500, a far cry from just the winner's take home pay of $285,900 for this year's race.
Great seats are still available for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend, October 28-30. Contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway
ticket office at 770-946-4211 or via www.ticketmaster.com or .(AMS) or going to Premiere Sports Travel.(10-23-2005)
Reconstruction Coming to a Close at AMS: As the final coats of paint are applied, Atlanta Motor Speedway once again looks like the world-class racing facility it was before an F2 tornado ravished it on July 6. In fact, it is a much improved facility. "Since day one, we have pledged to build Atlanta Motor Speedway back in time for the October 28-30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500," said Ed Clark, president and general manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway. "Not only are we going to meet that goal, we were able to take this disaster and use it as an opportunity to make Atlanta Motor Speedway a more fan-friendly track." Getting the track to its current shape has been an enormous undertaking, requiring around-the-clock crews, hundreds of thousands of man-hours and countless contractors and sub-contractors. Below is a list of numbers compiled which represents just some of the reconstruction efforts:
* Over 8 miles of fencing
* 97 contractors and sub-contractors
* 129 New flag poles
* 639 plumbing fixtures
* 750 tons of air conditioning systems
* 10,000 tons of asphalt
* Over 12,000 square yards of carpet
* 20,250 cubic feet of concrete
* 272,000 square feet of sheetrock
* 350,000 man hours
"Over the next year and a half, you will see even more improvements as we continue the rebuilding of the facility," Clark said. "We have a long history of continuous upgrades and improvements to bolster the overall fan experience we plan to continue after the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend." Great seats for the entire Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend are still available and can be purchased by calling 770-946-4211 or 877-9AMSTIX. Fans can also order tickets 24 hours a day at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or www.ticketmaster.com.(AMS PR)(10-15-2005)
Bruton Smith Parkway Officially Opens: At 3:00pm/et on Monday, Oct 10th, the Bruton Smith Parkway (the newly realigned GA Hwy. 20) officially opened. Named after Atlanta Motor Speedway Chairman Bruton Smith, the four-lane parkway spans approximately ten miles and runs from exit 218 off I-75 directly to the speedway. Smith, Governor Sonny Perdue and DOT commissioner Harold
Linnenkohl participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony to open the highway to vehicular traffic. Smith knows the addition of the new four-lane Georgia Highway 20 is one of the most significant improvements in the history of Atlanta Motor Speedway. "This is a great day for me," said Smith. "The Bruton Smith Parkway is great for the county, the surrounding counties and the hundreds of thousands of race fans that come here. We have people that come to this speedway from every state in the United States and I think that once people find out they have another way in and out of here, we might get some people from some other countries as well." The new Georgia Highway 20 joins Georgia Highway 19/41, which runs south from I-75 Exit 235, as the two main event traffic routes to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Fans may access the speedway web site at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com for more specific information on event traffic patterns as well as general race weekend information and to purchase tickets.(AMS)(10-11-2005)
New Highway opens for Atlanta race weekend: The addition of the new four-lane Georgia Highway 20 will provide fans attending the Oct. 28-30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend one of the most positive improvements in the history of Atlanta Motor Speedway.. Spanning approximately eight miles from I-75 directly to the speedway, the new Bruton Smith Parkway, named for Speedway Chairman Bruton Smith, will give fans a second major traffic corridor to the track and should have a significant impact on race day traffic flow. The Bruton Smith Parkway will run from Exit 218 off I-75 to the speedway. It joins Georgia Highway 19/41 , which runs south from I-75 Exit 235, as the two main event traffic routes to Atlanta Motor Speedway. In preparation for the new Georgia Highway 20, Atlanta Motor Speedway officials have made many improvements to entrances and parking areas, including the addition of shuttle vehicle loops around the speedway and to on-property camping areas. Fans attending the upcoming race weekend are encouraged to follow the direction of speedway parking crews to parking areas and either ride the Nationwide shuttle vehicles or walk to their seating areas via new sidewalks surrounding the speedway. Fans may access the speedway web site at atlantamotorspeedway.com for more specific information on event traffic patterns as well as general race weekend information.(AMS PR)(10-7-2005)
Open House at Atlanta on Sat.: If fans have any doubts about whether Atlanta Motor Speedway will be ready for the Oct. 30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, they can check things out for themselves on Saturday. The speedway is holding an open house and offering fans a chance to drive their personal cars around the speedway, which was hit hard by a tornado in early July. The open house runs from 3-7 p.m. and will feature ticket and autographed merchandise giveaways, infield and garage access, a display of show cars and a two-lap, 5K foot race. To make two laps behind the pace car, fans must purchase race tickets at the open house, or if they've already purchased tickets, a $30 donation to Speedway Children's Charities will give them a green flag.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(9-23-2005)
Atlanta makes Numerous Improvements to Facility; Reconstruction On-Track: In the wake of the F-2 tornado that passed through Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 6, speedway officials have taken the opportunity to make numerous improvements as part of
the extensive rebuilding process. Sidewalks have been installed around the speedway's perimeter, to give fans a walking area out of the roadways, which will ease the traffic flow around the speedway. Shuttle stops have also been added around the perimeter of the
speedway. Trams and buses have been added to transport fans from camping and parking areas to their grandstands. In addition, a new Gate One ticket booth has also been added to expedite fans entry into the main grandstand area of the speedway and several other gates have been widened and made more accessible. Over 49 acres of unreserved camping has been added to the speedway's inventory for the October race weekend. The new spaces have been graded with campers needs in mind and offer a tree-lined backdrop. The largest difference fans will notice is the addition of the Georgia Highway 20 extension, a four-lane divided highway that runs from the speedway to I-75, scheduled to open in early October. To coincide with the Highway 20 addition, parking areas around the speedway have been improved with better access, drainage and spectator and vehicular flow. With just over one month remaining until the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend, the list of items that still need attention is growing shorter by the day. The suite level of the Champions and Earnhardt grandstands is on schedule and the remaining glass in the Earnhardt suites will be replaced this week. The roof is complete and all of the roof top air conditioning units are in place. The interiors of the suites will be the main focus in the closing weeks. The East Turn suites sustained minimal water damage and the roof was partially damaged. The roof has been repaired and carpet is being installed. The East Turn suite level will be completed by September 16. Over 9,000 seats in the Weaver grandstand were damaged and approximately 6,500 will be repaired in time for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. The major buildings in the infield will be ready for the September 17-18 NOPI Nationals Motorsports Supershow. All other buildings will be repaired prior to the October NASCAR race weekend. Interesting facts:
* As many as 460 workers have been on property in a single day.
* Construction crews are working 18-hour days to complete projects.
* Over 25,000 meals have been served to construction workers on property since the storm.
* 47 days until race weekend.
Great seats are still available for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend and are available by calling 770-946-4211 or 877-9AMSTIX. Fans can also visit the AMS ticket office to place their orders and get a sneak peek at the reconstruction efforts. In addition to working with an AMS ticket agent, fans can also order tickets 24 hours a day at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(9-7-2005)
Atlanta Motor Speedway Offers Family Entertainment at an Affordable Price: The cars and stars of NASCAR will come to Atlanta Motor Speedway to take on the fastest track on the circuit, the weekend of October 28-30, for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend. Family ticket specials are in place, offering high-speed entertainment at an affordable price in a family atmosphere. For just $30, fans can purchase two Saturday tickets in the alcohol-free Petty Grandstand for the price of one. To further the family atmosphere, adults entering the family area of the grandstand must be accompanied by at least one child, 12-years-old or younger, who will be admitted free. Saturday has a full day of racing slated, starting with Truck series qualifying at 11:30 a.m. Immediately following the qualifying drama, the lightning fast Crown Royal International Race of Champions Series (IROC), featuring championship drivers like Mark Martin, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr. and more, will take to the high banks for what could be one of the best races of the weekend, in a 67-lap, 100-mile shootout. Following the IROC race, the toughest trucks on the planet will battle for 200-miles in the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200.
Tickets can be purchased by calling 770-946-4211 or 877-9AMSTIX. Fans can also visit the AMS ticket office to place their orders and get a sneak peek at the reconstruction efforts. In addition to working with an AMS ticket agent, fans can also order tickets 24 hours a day at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or www.ticketmaster.com.(AMS PR)(9-2-2005)
Atlanta Improvements to be Unveiled: on Tuesday, September 6th, Ed Clark, Atlanta Motor Speedway president, will hold a press conference to discuss construction progress of rebuild from the tornado damage. Clark will also unveil new improvements made to the facility for the upcoming Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend.(AMS)(8-30-2005)
Atlanta adds Camping Spaces: Atlanta Motor Speedway has added 49 acres of unreserved camping for the October 28-30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend. The addition brings over 2,000 camping spaces to the speedway's inventory. The new spaces have been graded with tent and pop-up campers needs in mind and offers a tree-lined backdrop. Accompanying the upgraded scenery, a new tram service is in place to shuttle fans from the campgrounds to their seats, and back. In addition to the 2,000 unreserved spaces, approximately 50 RV camping spots have been added in the Ragu campground. These new spots have been custom built to house larger motor coaches. Fans wishing to tent camp or bring a pop-up camper have the option of a reserved spot in the Mid-State campground or an unreserved camping spot adjacent to the lake in front of the ticket office. Fans with motor coaches can choose from four reserved areas:
the Legends RV campgrounds, East Turn RV campgrounds, Mid-State RV family campgrounds and the Ragu reserved RV campgrounds. Camping is still available in limited quantities and is available by calling 1-877-9-AMS-TIX (1-877-926-7849).(AMS)(8-30-2005)
Atlanta's $69 Three-Day Super Save Tickets Available: Atlanta Motor Speedway's three-day Super Saver $69 ticket gives
fans access to the entire Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend, which will pack five events into three days on October 28-30. The weekend will start off with Georgia-Pacific Qualifying Night, followed by the inaugural Atlanta Invitational, an invitation only, all-star Legends race, where local champions and feature winners across the southeast will vie for the prestigious win on the speedway's quarter-mile Thunder Ring. The weekend continues on Saturday with an action-packed double-header. At 1:45 p.m., the Crown Royal International Race of Champions (IROC) series finale and is capped off at 3:15 p.m. with the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 Truck Series race. The weekend culminates on Sunday with the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race, a critical race in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. Real race fans will want to catch all three days of action at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and for $69, there's no reason they can't. The $69 three-day Super Saver ticket offer will include:
* One reserved Weaver grandstand ticket (rows 14-24) for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500
* One unreserved East Turn grandstand ticket for the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
race and the Crown Royal IROC race.
* One unreserved Champions grandstand (frontstretch) ticket for Georgia-Pacific Qualifying Night and The Atlanta Invitational Legends race.
The three-day Super Saver ticket will be available while supplies last and can be purchased by calling the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket
office at (770) 946-4211 or visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(PR)(8-25-2005)
NASCAR Prez Visits Atlanta Motor Speedway: Mike Helton, president of NASCAR, visited Atlanta Motor Speedway today to survey the damage the track sustained when a tornado struck the facility three weeks ago. Atlanta Motor Speedway president and general manager Ed Clark took Helton for a tour around the 870-acre facility to view the areas the tornado affected. Following the tour of the property, Clark and Helton addressed the media from AMS's Infield Media Center. "We have a schedule set up and some areas of reconstruction are ahead of schedule," said Clark. "The cleanup is complete and the insurance company is estimating values. The suites are currently being built back and almost all of the suite demolition is complete. One thing that we haven't shared yet is we have targeted October 14 as our completion date, our biggest challenge right now is coordination of scheduling. This way, we are giving ourselves a buffer in case any project runs over.
Helton, prior to working for NASCAR worked for various racetracks, including the former Atlanta International Raceway where he
once served as general manager. After having an opportunity to survey the damage he stated, "There is nothing I've seen here today that will stop us (NASCAR) from being here in October. Atlanta Motor Speedway has everything that NASCAR needs to run a race here." Great seats are still available for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend. Tickets can be obtained by calling (770) 946-4211 or online at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(7-28-2005)
Atlanta Recontruction Update - Week 2: It has only been two weeks since the tornado hit Atlanta Motor Speedway and track officials are pleased with the progress of the reconstruction. "Power has been restored to almost 100 percent of the property," said president and general manager of AMS, Ed Clark. "Our telephone lines, email, Internet and ticket office are back in business which is essential to our day-to-day operations. We have completed the cleanup of the grounds including the removal of
all downed trees and broken limbs off trees, the suite level demolition is almost complete and we should have all the material
removed by the end of the week. The decking is going on both suite levels this week. The building exterior penetrations have been sealed and all replacement glass and steel orders have been placed, some of the perimeter fencing has been replaced and we have contractors working on finishing that project."
Contractors have been hired and assigned to specific areas as part of the rebuild process. Choate Construction has been hired to complete work on the Tara condominium and administration building, Rentenbach Constructors Inc. is tackling the Earhardt and Champions grandstands and suites, while J.A. Street & Associates Inc. is repairing the East Turn grandstands and suites.
"The organizations we have contracted to work on specific projects have been wonderful to work with," said Clark. "They are committed to completing our projects on the timetable that has been set, so we can provide the fans the amenities they are accustomed to when they arrive for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend this fall."
Great seats are still available for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend. Tickets can be obtained by calling (770) 946-4211 or online at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(7-23-2005)
Atlanta add's suites: Atlanta Motor Speedway officials announced today the addition of twelve 16-person suites to their frontstretch suite level. Currently, AMS offers 30-person and 64-person suites, but with the recent tornado damage the track sustained, track officials chose to reconfigure the suite level area, adding a third option for their customers. "We have had a lot of requests from companies in the Atlanta market for suites on a smaller scale," said Ed Clark, president and general manager
of Atlanta Motor Speedway. "This option is perfect for an organization with fewer employees or wants to entertain their customers on a more intimate level. With the recent tornado damage the speedway received, we are excited to take this opportunity to make positive changes to our already fantastic facility. Our goal is to provide our customers an awesome experience each time they visit Atlanta Motor Speedway and this only enhances what we can offer our patrons."
Companies interested in leasing Atlanta Motor Speedway's newly renovated suites for the upcoming Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend may contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway sales office at 770-946-3918.(AMS PR)(7-21-2005)
Update on Atlanta Motor Speedway: Only one week after suffering damage from an F2 tornado, Atlanta Motor Speedway is officially back in business. On Thursday, Performance Friction Brakes used the 1.54-mile oval to test their brake upgrade kit for BMW M3's by performing repeated stops. The test was scheduled prior to last week's storm and is one track rental among many that use the speedway facility approximately 265 days per year.
In addition, Ed Clark, president and general manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway addressed the media with a construction progress update. The track property encompasses 870 acres and the following list of projects will be completed before the Bass Pro Shops MBNA race weekend held October 28-30: Fencing: Approximately 15 to 20 miles of ornamental and chain link fencing will need to be replaced. The track lost approximately 85% of their chain link fencing. East Turn Grandstands: The grandstands are in good condition with limited seat damage. Approximately 12 to 14 suites sustained roof damage and are in need of an interior remodeling. Frontstrech area: This area encompasses the Champion, Earnhardt and Petty Grandstands. The entire suite level will need to be remodeled but the grandstands are in good condition with limited seat damage. The entrance gates will need to be rebuilt. Weaver Grandstands: The Weaver Grandstand is located on the backstretch. The area is still being evaluated. The suites will be taken down as well as much of the concession area will be demolitioned. A significant amount of seat damage exists. Condominium and administrative office building: The building was surveyed by structural engineers and deemed sound. The building suffered considerable damage to the roof and many glass windows. The AMS staff was able to return to work in the building starting today, however, they have been moved into temporary offices on the third floor. A number of condominium units sustained damage and the building exterior will require major repair. Souvenir Warehouse: The souvenir warehouse located outside turn two will need to be rebuilt as it suffered structural damage. Ticket office and gift shop: This area will require roof and gutter repairs. Ticket booths: All ticket booths will need to be rebuilt. Catch fence: This is the fencing that separates the track surface from the grandstand areas. Almost half of the outside portion of the catch fence was damaged. Lighting: Many of the light poles, both to light the property and the racetrack, were downed and will need to be replaced. In addition, the majority of interior MUSCO reflector lights from turn one to the backstretch will be replaced. SAFER barrier: Installed one year ago, the SAFER barrier system is made up of steel tubes and pads of hard foam, which are affixed to the speedway's concrete walls to absorb some of the energy that is transferred during a crash. Several areas will need to be repaired. Garage area: The competitor garage areas received minor roof damage and several garage doors will need to be replaced. Media center and NASCAR sign-in building: Located in the infield, these two buildings will require roof and interior repair. Competitor infield camping: All the electrical outlets need to be replaced. Scoring towers: The turn one scoring tower will be rebuilt before race weekend. The backstretch scoring tower will be taken down. The turn four tower sustained minor damage. Pedestrian and vehicle tunnels: Both tunnels were surveyed by structural engineers and deemed sound. Grounds: The property lost many trees and will have to be replanted over the next coming year.
The projects are being assessed for how long each project will take to complete and the construction projects are being scheduled based on priority. Great seats are still available for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend. Tickets can be obtained by calling (770) 946-4211.(AMS Site/PR)(7-15-2005)
Oct Atlanta Race to move due to damage? DENIED - help out Cars on the Track..Thurs: Speculation continues in the NASCAR garage that damage from last week's tornado might force NASCAR officials to move the Oct. 30 race from Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Las Vegas, also owned by Bruton Smith, is still the buzz. But NASCAR president Mike Helton said he has had no such talks with Smith.(Winston Salem Journal) DENIED folks from Atlanta Motor Speedway tell me they will make repairs and hold the Oct 30th Nextel Cup race as scheduled and that fans can help by buying tickets for the race and supporting the track. Goto atlantamotorspeedway.com.(7-11-2005) UPDATE: on Thursday, July 14, 11:00am/et at the Atlanta Motor Speedway Infield Media Center, Ed Clark, AMS president, will discuss construction progress of rebuild from the tornado damage. AND Performance Friction will be testing their
street upgrade kit for the BMW M3 class on Atlanta Motor Speedway's 1.54-mile track. Thursday Thunder racing was cancelled last week and on Thursday, July 14. An overall assessment of the track and grandstand areas will be conducted before a decision regarding the remainder of the 2005 Thursday Thunder racing season can be made.(AMS PR)(7-12-2005)
Damage at Atlanta Motor Speedway from July 6, 2005 storm
Damage at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy moved through metro Atlanta on Wednesday evening, overturning small planes, flooding highways, displacing residents and causing at least two deaths. The Hampton area in Henry County was hit particularly hard. Four planes were overturned and two hangars were damaged at Tara Field, fire officials said. A building at the start/finish line at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, housing several condominiums on the top floors and administrative offices on the bottom floor, suffered "severe" damage, speedway President Ed Clark said. "The condo building and the whole track area got hit pretty hard," Clark said. "It's pretty extreme." Clark said no one was injured, but windows were blown out and vehicles were blown around by strong winds he suspects were part of a tornado. "It had to be when you look at the damage over here," Clark said.
Tonight's race has been canceled, but officials say they will have the track ready before the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500O on Oct. 30. "We'll pull together and make it happen," Clark said. Strong winds downed two of the three scoring towers and left the Weaver grandstand torn in pieces. In the Richard Petty tribute garden, flagpoles and lamp posts were uprooted and a large oak tree was blown over in the road. In the middle of it all, a statue of Petty signing an autograph for a little girl remained undamaged. The building at the start/finish line at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, housing several condominiums on the top floors and administrative offices on the bottom floor, suffered severe damage. Matresses were blown through some units and hung from balconies from some of the condos. Items from other units lay strewn on the ground more than a quarter mile away. The speedway offices were not as badly damaged as the condos, but officials worried about water damage. "We pulled Richard Petty's pictures off the wall and put tarps over the trophies," Clark said. Clark suspects the culprit was a tornado. "It had to be when you look at the damage over here," he said.
Thursday morning, Clark estimated damage to the complex at $25 to 40 million. Henry County fire officials said they spotted one, possibly two, tornadoes that didn't touch ground in the area. Other tornadoes were reported in Fayette, Harris and Meriwether counties, but the National Weather Service said none had been confirmed.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution other links: 11alive.com)(7-7-2005)
Nicorette to sponsor 2006 Busch race at Atlanta: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare announced plans for Nicorette to sponsor next year's NASCAR Busch Series race on March 18, 2006 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The event would be renamed the Nicorette 300. This announcement was made today at Infineon Raceway in California prior to the Dodge/Save Mart 350 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series event. Earlier this year GSK Consumer Healthcare became the first smoking cessation sponsor in NASCAR with an associate sponsorship on Chip Ganassi Racing Team's #41 Dodge Charger. The company is reaching out to NASCAR fans and their families, raising awareness for its clinically proven smoking cessation therapies and providing quit smoking counseling, with a special Winner's Circle exhibit at 23 NASCAR NEXTEL cup series races this year.(AMS PR)(6-29-2005)
Fall Atlanta Tix on sale Today: Tickets for the Oct. 28-30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend will go on sale to the general public Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Tickets for all grandstands except Weaver (backstretch) will be available when the AMS ticket office opens at 8:30 a.m. The Weaver Grandstand tickets can be waitlisted but will not be available for purchase until April 15. The ticket office will be open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday for fans to purchase their tickets. Call (877) 9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849) for more information, or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS)(4-1-2005)
New Driector of Advertising at Atlanta: Dave Mullison has been promoted to Director of Advertising and Promotion, Atlanta Motor Speedway President and General Manager Ed Clark announced today. Mullison, an employee at Atlanta Motor Speedway since 1999, has served as Marketing Communication Manager for the past six years. He will continue primarily in that role, managing all aspects of advertising and event promotions, as well as the AMS website. A native of Frederick, Md., Mullison will work closely with the new Director of Marketing, Marcy Scott, who begins April 11.(AMS)(4-1-2005)
New Director of Marketing and Promotion at Atlanta: Ed Clark, president and general manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway, announced today the addition of Marcy Scott as Director of Marketing and Promotion for the facility. Scott has been a member of the NASCAR industry since 1998 and has worked in various capacities from public relations to account management for both sponsors and race teams. Past race teams and sponsors she has worked with include: Trex Decking and Railing, PPI Motorsports, Bill Davis Racing, Nestlé USA, Kellogg's and M&M Mars. A native of Atlanta, Scott graduated in 1994 from the University of Georgia. She is also a graduate of Parkview High School, located in Gwinnett County. Her duties will encompass media and community relations, event promotion, marketing and management of the AMS website. She will start her new role on April 11. Scott will replace Angela Revell, who is moving to Nashville with her husband.(AMS)(3-31-2005)
Singer of National Anthem at Atlanta Apologizes: John Michael Montgomery has apologized to anyone offended by his
performance of the national anthem prior to Sunday's Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and blamed a medical condition called acoustic neuroma. "Please accept my sincerest apologies for offending anyone; it was certainly not my intention," said Montgomery in a statement on his Web site. "I will continue to see the doctors as we try to determine the best course of action to remedy the acoustic neuroma condition." Montgomery said the condition leaves the sufferer with a lack of balance.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(3-24-2005)
Man Found Dead in RV at AMS: A man was found dead of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning Monday morning inside an RV at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Henry County police said today. Police Lt. Jason Bolton said the RV's generator leaked, causing the deadly fumes to accumulate and kill B. Christopher Thompson, 37, of Ball Ground, GA. Thompson's wife, Lori Thompson, 34, was airlifted to Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta. The hospital refused to give information on her condition Monday afternoon. Bolton said the couple spent the weekend in the 1996 Dolphin 535 mobile home while attending the Golden Corral 500 at the racetrack in Hampton. Friends staying in another mobile home found the couple about 10:30am/et Monday. The group had decided to return home Monday rather than fight the traffic Sunday night, Bolton said. Foul play is not suspected and an autopsy will be performed Tuesday.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(3-22-2005)
3rd Annual Atlanta Motor Speedway Day: on Wednesday, March 16, at the Georgia State Capitol. Fans are invited and encouraged to attend and show their support for Atlanta's racing industry. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup legend Bill Elliott and NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series drivers Bill Lester and Terry Cook will be on hand for the day's festivities, which will include a fan zone of
showcars, simulators and displays on the south perimeter of the Capitol. The public is invited to attend this midway of activity at
the Capitol. Due to time constraints, there will not be any autograph sessions with the drivers. Gov. Perdue will host a news conference at 10 a.m. on the north steps inside the State Capitol building downtown. In addition to the NASCAR drivers, Mark Lazarus (President of Turner Entertainment Group) and Blake Davidson (NASCAR Managing Director for Licensed Products) will also speak at the news conference about the possibility of bringing the NASCAR Hall of Fame to downtown Atlanta. Atlanta Motor Speedway's two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race weekends contribute $455 million annually to the Atlanta economy - more than the combined total of all other sporting events in the city. Atlanta's races also attract fans from all 50 states and as many as a dozen nations, while another 10 million fans tune in worldwide.(AMS PR)(3-16-2005)
National Anthem at Atlanta; Military Theme/Demo; B-1 Bomber flyover; Multi-platinum country recording artist John Michael Montgomery will sing the national anthem for the March 20 Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, capping off a heart-swelling military demonstration scheduled for pre-race by the U.S. Special Operations Command. The U.S. Special Operations Command is back for the second straight year with participants from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Leading the special operations demonstration will be Lt. Gen. Philip R. Kensinger Jr., commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Race fans will be treated to a demonstration by special operations forces that will be capped off with the scheduled arrival of the race's official pace car inside an MH-47 Chinook helicopter from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). In addition to the Chinook helicopter, other aircraft scheduled to be included in the demonstration include the MH-60 Black Hawk and MH-6 Little Bird helicopters and an MC-130 Combat Talon aircraft. Following this dramatic pre-race demonstration, Montgomery will take the stage for the singing of our national anthem. Montgomery's performance will be capped off by a flyover from the B-1 Bomber. Don't miss a second of this exciting pre-race show. Great seats are still available for the Golden Corral 500 starting at just $30. For more information call the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (877) 9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849) or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS)(3-15-2005)
Atlanta Races Safe: On Sunday, SMI's Bruton Smith began beating the drums for a second Nextel Cup race here, but not at the expense of Atlanta. Smith, who owns tracks from Las Vegas to Charlotte [Sonoma, Bristol, Atlanta, Texas], said the two race dates at Atlanta Motor Speedway "are very secure. That was a nasty, dirty rumor." He was referring to the rumor of two weeks ago that said Atlanta would be losing one of its dates to Las Vegas. That rumor persisted in the Cup garage here this weekend. But Smith and Humpy Wheeler, the general manager at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, said it wouldn't make economic sense to move a race out of Atlanta despite its occasional inability to sell out. "Simply because it's just a traditional market, it's been there a long time," Wheeler said. "Atlanta draws more people than both [Rockingham and Darlington, tracks that have lost dates because of empty seats]. We've had some full houses in Atlanta, and I think we'll see them again. We've got to get into a better weather situation; that's what you've got to dance around in Atlanta." Wheeler disagreed with a reporter's assertion that two races at Las Vegas and one at Atlanta would be more profitable than two races at Atlanta and one in Vegas. "Possibly and possibly not. I think you'd get more money for [race] sponsorship in Atlanta than you would at Vegas, because of the market," Wheeler said. That's what sells sponsorships. That's why New York could possibly work, if you've got somebody [who would pay a lot] to get a huge amount of exposure. That's something we've got to look at from Atlanta's standpoint." But the Speedway Motorsports Inc. moguls really were at the track to generate some enthusiasm for a second Vegas race date. The track's public address announcer told the crowd at the UAW-Chrysler Daimler 400 to write NASCAR asking for another race.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(3-14-2005)
Atlanta has a new toll-free number: Atlanta Motor Speedway has a new toll-free ticket number for fans to call to order tickets for upcoming events, including the March 18-20 Golden Corral 500. To make it easier for fans calling from outside the metro Atlanta area, AMS officials have acquired this new toll free line: (877) 9-AMS-TIX, or (877) 926-7849. The local ticket office number, (770) 946-4211, will still be in use for all local customers. Not only can fans purchase tickets on this new toll-free line, but they can also obtain information regarding upcoming events, camping spaces, pre-race pit access and much more.(AMS PR)(3-10-2005)
More on the Atlanta-Vegas rumored race swap: Don't believe everything you read on the Internet [gasp]. A popular auto racing Web site created a stir in Atlanta and Las Vegas this week when it posted a rumor that one of Atlanta Motor Speedway's two NASCAR Nextel Cup races would be moved to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2006 or 2007. The report also said that LVMS "supposedly has plans to add ... possibly 50,000 more seats." The rumor prompted amusement from LVMS general manager Chris Powell and an angry response from his counterpart in Atlanta, Ed Clark. Both tracks are owned by Bruton Smith's Speedway Motorsports Inc. "I'm just trying to figure out where we're going to put 50,000 seats," Powell said, dismissing the rumor with a chuckle.
Clark was not as amused. "The report was completely unfounded and false," Clark said in a statement. "It's very disappointing that Internet sites spread this kind of mistruth. Rumors like this, published without any attempt at verification, create confusion and they hurt our fans, our competitors and our sport. There have been absolutely no discussions in our company about moving a NASCAR date from Atlanta. We will continue to host two NASCAR races well into the future." Powell, who has been lobbying NASCAR for several years to get a second annual Nextel Cup Series race at his track, also said he has heard no talk about Smith moving a race to Las Vegas from any of his tracks -- or adding 50,000 additional seats. Smith's Speedway Motorsports Inc. also owns Bristol Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway and Infineon Raceway.(Las Vegas Sun)(2-27-2005)
An Atlanta race to Las Vegas? UPDATE 4 denied and 'slammed': hearing that in 2006 or 2007, one of Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) Nextel Cup races could be moved to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which supposedly has plans to add more grandstands.....possibly 50,000 more seats.(2-23-2005) UPDATE: been told by folks at AMS that this is completely false. UPDATE 2: Contrary to an internet report posted Wednesday, Speedway Motorsports Inc. has no plans to move a NASCAR race date from Atlanta Motor Speedway to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "The report was completely unfounded and false," Clark said. "It's very disappointing that internet sites [hmm..always blame the Internet sites] spread this kind of mistruth. Rumors like this, published without any attempt at verification, create confusion, and they hurt our fans, our competitors and our sport." Atlanta Motor Speedway hosts two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race weekends - each March and October - which are the two largest sporting events annually in Georgia. "There have been absolutely no discussions in our company about moving a NASCAR date from Atlanta," Clark said. "We will continue to host two NASCAR races well into the future, giving fans the 'Real Racing. Real Fast.' that they expect when visiting NASCAR's fastest track."(Atlanta Motor Speedway PR)(2-23-2005) UPDATE 3: Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark said there's no substance to a report on a popular racing Web site claiming that AMS will lose a Nextel Cup race to its sister track, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in 2006 or 2007. Jayski.com posted the report on Wednesday. "That's totally unfounded, uncalled for and irresponsible to report," Clark said. "It's hurtful to our track and our fans." Jay Adamczyk, who hosts the jayski.com site, declined to comment other than to say, "I stand by what I posted and heard."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-24-2005) UPDATE 4: A report this week on a popular and highly respected motorsports Internet site said within two years one of two Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be moved to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, giving the local track two annual races. Both facilities are owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc. I [Jeff Wolf] called Bruton Smith, chairman of SMI, to ask if there was merit to the Jayski.com report. Smith responded with a word [what Dale Jr. got penalized for?] that describes what I try to avoid stepping in when walking behind bulls at the rodeo. He added that he had no plans to shift one of Atlanta's races to Las Vegas.(Las Vegas Review Journal)(2-25-2005)
AMS the Drivers Favorite: Atlanta Motor Speedway is the best track in NASCAR. Just ask the drivers. Sports Illustrated did just that, anonymously polling 36 NASCAR drivers. Results published in the Feb. 21 issue put Atlanta Motor Speedway at the top of the chart for favorite track, with 27% of the vote. Daytona (20%) and Bristol (17%) followed. “Drivers love Atlanta for one reason: speed,” Sports Illustrated writes. “The 1.54-mile oval is the fastest track on the circuit, and its long, wide straightaways create plenty of side-by-side racing. … Add it all up, and Atlanta usually produces heart-pounding, outrageously fast races, which is why most drivers (and fans) relish a trip to the Capital of the South.” None of this is any surprise to Ed Clark, President and General Manager at AMS since 1995. He’s seen the photo finishes, the four-wide racing, the ultra-fast speeds. In fact, the only thing that surprises Clark is that Atlanta this honor wasn’t bestowed long ago.
“Our fans know that there isn’t a bad seat in the house here, and that when they come, they are going to see some of the fastest and most competitive racing of the whole year,” Clark said. “The great thing is, what makes a great show for the fans also makes a great race for the drivers. They like going fast – they’re race car drivers. They like running side-by-side at 200 mph. And the fans love to watch it.”
Atlanta Motor Speedway has held the distinction of being the fastest track in NASCAR since its reconfiguration during the summer of 1997. During the first qualifying event following reconstruction, Geoffrey Bodine blazed a lap around the smooth, wide lanes of Atlanta’s new quad-oval raceway in just 28.074 seconds, or 197.478 mph. Since then, speeds have slowed down slightly – in the low 190-mph range – but are still faster than other 1.5-mile NASCAR tracks. Great seats are still available for the March 18-20 Golden Corral 500 and start at $30. For more information contact Ticketmaster or the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211 or www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(2-23-2005)
Tire Testing at Atlanta Jan 11-12th UPDATE: A Goodyear Tire test is scheduled for January 11-12 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 2004 Rookie of the Year#9-Kasey Kahne and #48-Jimmie Johnson will test the brand new Goodyear compound at NASCAR's fastest track next week as they prepare for the March 18-20 Golden Corral 500 weekend. The test session will be closed to both the media and the public. The test will be the first with the new Atlanta Goodyear tire, which is a different compound than any for any other speedway. Mark Keto, lead engineer for Goodyear's stock car tire development group, said the session will be used to gauge how well the new compound works with the 2005 NASCAR rule changes, such as the reduced spoiler height. NASCAR officials are expected to be on hand to analyze the results. Additional NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series teams are scheduled to test throughout February and March for the spring race weekend. For more information on the Golden Corral 500 weekend, contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211 or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(1-9-2005) UPDATE: Atlanta Motor Speedway's 2005 racing season officially started Tuesday at 10:45am/et, as Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne sprinted around the 1.54-mile quad-oval at near-qualifying speeds during a two-day Goodyear Tire test. Rookie of the Year Kasey Kahne and recent AMS Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 winner Jimmie Johnson will continue to test the new Goodyear compounds Wednesday as they prepare for the March 18-20 Golden Corral 500 weekend. Mark Keto, lead engineer for Goodyear's stock car tire development group, said this week's test will help Goodyear establish which tire compound is best for the lightning-fast Atlanta track, the fastest in NASCAR, with the new spoiler rules. "We're going through different tire compounds, but we really just want to know what the driver thinks," Keto said, "And also if the tires which run well on the shorter runs will run well on the longer runs." As the day progressed, Johnson and Kahne made short runs and relayed pertinent information to Goodyear engineers. "Going through the different tires, we're finding the cars are more on the loose side. It's the tires with softer grip that the drivers seem to like and also perform well," Keto said. "We have several that we're carrying over to tomorrow's long-run test." Kahne said he also used Tuesday to think about not only tires, but also the redesigned body of his Dodge Charger. "It's great for us to get this track time with the new design," Kahne said. "Hopefully this will put us ahead of the game to have an even more consistent season."(AMS PR)(1-12-2005)
World Financial Group to sponsor spring craftsman truck race AT AMS: Atlanta Motor Speedway officials announced that World Financial Group will sponsor the new Friday night, March 18 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. The event, which will follow Georgia Power Qualifying Night for the NEXTEL Cup Series race, will be called the World Financial Group 200. The World Financial Group 200 will be part of the new spring weekend format that will include NASCAR's three premier racing series: Craftsman Truck, Busch and NEXTEL Cup. World Financial Group began its foray into NASCAR racing this fall, sponsoring the American Speed Association race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in October, as well as Carl Edwards' #99 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup car for several races. Tickets are on sale now for all three days of racing excitement during the March 18-20 Golden Corral 500 weekend at Atlanta Motor
Speedway. The weekend kicks off with Georgia Power Qualifying Night and the new World Financial Group 200 on Friday, March 18. The action heats up on Saturday, March 19, for the Aaron's 312, showcasing top racing veterans and some of the hottest up-and-coming drivers in the country. The weekend will culminate on Sunday, March 20, with the running of the Golden Corral 500. For tickets to the Golden Corral 500 weekend call Ticketmaster, or call the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211.(AMS PR)(12-15-2004)
Holiday Sobriety Challenge at Atlanta: Local celebrities and dignitaries including platinum-certified rapper Da Brat, Georgia state Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, WSB-AM traffic guru Capt. Herb Emory, Star 94's Jonathan Hyla and Hot 107.9's DJ Nabs will participate in a controlled experiment designed to illustrate the dangers of drinking and driving at any level at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, Dec 10th. Participants will be well under the legal limit of .08 blood alcohol content when they get behind of the wheel of a Chevrolet sedan for a closed-course driving test (along with instructors from Xtreme Measures Teen Driving School). The Georgia State Patrol will monitor the participants' alcohol level and conduct field sobriety tests, then release their results. Results will be revealed during a lunch press conference. MADD Georgia and Team Georgia will provide "fatal vision goggles" and "picture this" accident footage for visual accompaniments for stand-ups or photos. The holidays are the deadliest time of year on America's highways, with more than 40 percent of all traffic fatalities occurring between November and January.(AMS PR)(12-9-2004)
Atlanta's 2005 Schedule not effected by new rule; Atlanta Motor Speedway will not be one of the tracks affected by NASCAR's new altered race weekend schedules, speedway officials confirmed Tuesday. Both of Atlanta Motor Speedway's NASCAR race weekend qualifying rounds are sponsored - in the spring by Georgia Power, in the fall by Georgia-Pacific - and have strong crowd draws. The 2004 qualifying day crowds have been the largest in speedway history. "I applaud NASCAR for what they're trying to do, and I appreciate them taking into consideration that this type of format doesn't suit all tracks," said Ed Clark, president and general manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway. "We have commitments to our sponsors and our fans for three full days of great racing, and that's what we'll deliver." The March 18-20 Golden Corral 500 weekend will kick off with Georgia Power Qualifying Night, which will be held under the lights for the first time during the spring race weekend. Qualifying will be followed by the NASCAR Craftsman Truck race. For more information, call Ticketmaster or the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211.(AMS PR)(11-17-2004)
Seven Zebras Stolen Sunday from Atlanta Motor Speedway UPDATE: In a case that has left speedway officials baffled, seven custom-made zebras were stolen during the night Sunday from the grassy area above turns 1 and 3 of Atlanta Motor Speedway. Six of the zebras were approximately 8 feet tall and 15 feet long. Of those six, three were grazing and three were upright. The seventh zebra was approximately 8 feet tall and 4 feet long. Approximate value for the zebras is $11,200. All seven zebras were placed in the grassy areas overlooking turns 1 and 3 at Atlanta Motor Speedway prior to the start of the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend. They were created for Warner Brothers Films and Alcon Entertainment to use in promotional events for the upcoming release of the movie Racing Stripes. Following Sunday's Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, all seven zebras were stolen. Tony Loiacono, president and CEO of The Next Box, a marketing company for Warner Brothers, reported the incident on Monday morning. "We had planned to use these zebras at all of our upcoming Racing Stripes events to help support the film, and we had also had a request to send one of the zebras to the Victory Junction Gang Camp when we were finished with them," Loiacono said. "We're really hoping to find them, because we don't have enough time to create a whole new herd." Atlanta Motor Speedway is asking for the cooperation of its fans for the safe return of these seven zebras. AMS President Ed Clark has offered a reward of two tickets to the March 20 Golden Corral 500 for anyone leading to the safe return of these valuable zebras. "We know that race fans are decent and honest people, and they'll bring these back once they realize how important they are to the folks at Racing Stripes and the Victory Junction Gang," Clark said. Anyone with any information is asked to call Loiacono at (760) 533-4434.(AMS PR)(11-1-2004) UPDATE: Not wishing to be identified, a caller named "Larry" helped point Atlanta Motor Speedway and Warner Bros. Pictures officials to two of the seven zebras stolen after Sunday's Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, where a promotion took place for the upcoming film Racing Stripes. Larry said the zebras might have been accidentally taken by a few of the youths in his party at Sunday's race. After hearing news of the stolen zebras on Monday, Larry called Warner Bros. officials and offered to return the zebras. Larry said the two zebras - 8 feet tall by 15 feet long - are doing fine and will be returned to Tony Loiacono, president and CEO of The Next Box, a marketing company hired by Warner Bros. for the event. Larry refused the reward of two tickets to the March 20 Golden Corral 500, saying he was ashamed to have been involved in the removal of the zebras from speedway property. Atlanta Motor Speedway officials also located a third zebra in the Shedd's Spread Country Campground RV lot on Monday morning, thanks to a call from alert race fan Ray Macolly. The other four zebras are still on the loose. All seven zebras were placed in the grassy areas overlooking turns 1 and 3 at Atlanta Motor Speedway prior to the start of the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend. They were created for Warner Bros. Pictures and Alcon Entertainment to use in promotional events for the upcoming release of the movie Racing Stripes.(AMS PR)(11-5-2004)
AMS Honor's Victims: There will be a moment of silence for the victims before both the Busch and Nextel Cup races on Saturday and Sunday, AMS communications manager Angela Revell said. Also, a black ribbon adorned with 10 stars has been painted on the infield grass, and the flags at the speedway are at half-staff.(Macon Telegraph)(10-29-2004)
National Anthem, Concert at Atlanta, Fly Over; Tickets: Grammy-winning rock band Third Day will star in a special pre-race concert and sing the national anthem and "Georgia on My Mind" for the Oct. 31 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. All five members of the Atlanta-based band attended last year's Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 as guests of Chevrolet and have quickly become fans of NASCAR. And although the group's members - David Carr, Mark Lee, Brad Avery, Tai Anderson and Mac Powell - won't name one favorite driver, it's fair to say they favor the Chevy guys. The performance will be the first time Third Day has performed for a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race audience. Third Day recently released its seventh album, Wire, which debuted on Billboard's Top 200 album chart at number 12. For updated Third Day information, please visit www.ThirdDay.com. Third Day's race morning concert will begin at 11:10 a.m. and is
expected to last 45 minutes. Immediately following the Third Day concert, the Red Baron Squadron will put on a two-minute pre-race
show. Third Day will then return to the pre-race stage to perform "Georgia On My Mind" and the National Anthem, which will be punctuated by a B-1 Bomber flying over the speedway. Great seats are still available for the entire Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend. Three-day packages start at $69; for more information call the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211 or visit
www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(10-27-2004)
Mad Man at the Races: MAD Magazine spokescharacter, Alfred E. Neuman, will be at Atlanta Motor Speedway during the upcoming race weekend with the speedway's Aaron's 312 Busch race sponsor, Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership. Neuman will be at the Aaron's product display, located in the display lot in the Earnhardt parking area, on Friday, Oct. 29. He will be hosting a special "Alfred E. Neuman look-alike contest", which will be judged by the Aaron's Dream Girls and MAD Magazine editor John Ficarra. Look-alikes should be at the Aaron's product display at 5 p.m. for the special judging. The winner will receive an Aaron's/MAD Magazine racing goodie bag, which will be awarded onstage during the Aaron's 312 pre-race ceremonies on Saturday, Oct. 30. For more information, visit www.shopaarons.com or visit any Aaron's store.(AMS PR)(10-12-2004)
Protest at Atlanta: A little-known group of minority race fans plans to protest a NASCAR event at the Atlanta Motor Speedway Oct. 31. Hampton Police Chief Bud Smith said representatives from the National Association for Minority Race Fans are seeking a protest permit for that day's race. However, the city ordinance does not address such a request. "We do not have an ordinance that requires them to get a permit," he said. "But we will require them to register at city hall. We will also discuss this issue at the Oct. 5 pre-race meeting." Little is known about the group, which has a Web site at www.namrf.com. The site displays a countdown to when the site will be open to the public, midnight Oct. 1. Until then, only members can log onto the site. Phillip W. Offill Jr., an attorney with Dallas law firm Godwin Gruber, said he represents the group. "This will be a fairly substantial protest," he said. "They are loud and proud and have a problem with what is going on with NASCAR." Specifically, Offill said the group pinpoints racism and the safety of minorities and women at race events but declined to elaborate. "Some more will come out closer to the release of the documentary," he said. "But a lot of folks, because of the color of their skin or gender, don't feel safe at race events."
NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Wednesday that he is not familiar with the protest group. He said NASCAR is proud of the strides made within the organization to attract everyone as fans. "NASCAR respects the right of all people to express their opinions and NASCAR is committed to making the sport off and on the track even more like America," he said. "No issue is more important for NASCAR to succeed and grow."
Smith said the group specifically wants to protest the Oct. 31 race, the Bass Pro Ships MBNA 500, but Offill alluded to Talladega as another possible target but would not elaborate. The EA Sports 500 is slated at Alabama's Talladega Superspeedway Oct. 3. Talladega officials said Wednesday they have not had contact with the group, which they had not heard of. Offill said the Web site is available only to members because they don't want to let "personalities" get out in front of the issues and concerns of the group.
Smith said the group seeks a peaceful demonstration but the request itself is unusual. "They say they are very peaceful and not aggressive," he said, "but I have not known of a race protest and I've been here since 1972. As long as they are peaceful, we'll work with them." The group, accompanied by a film crew, first approached the Henry Superior Court clerk's office for a permit. However, Clerk Judy Lewis sent them to Hampton since the track is inside the city limits. Getting permission to protest and actually having a place in which to do so are two different things. AMS spokeswoman Angela Revell said she is not familiar with the group and has had no contact with any of its representatives. She also expressed surprise that minorities have a beef with NASCAR. "I guess they haven't heard of Magic Johnson's minority initiatives," said Revell. Earlier this year, sports legend Johnson announced plans to boost minority involvement in NASCAR. He told reporters in June his dad, a "big fan," took him to the track when he was a child. The event made a lasting impression. NASCAR is also making other efforts to diversify the fan base including developing a program called "Drive for Diversity," [www.drivefordiversity.com] aimed at generating well-trained minority and female drivers and crew members. Last year, NASCAR clashed with Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition when board member Bill Shack called car racing organizations "the last bastion of white supremacy." NASCAR Chief Operating Officer George Pyne responded that his organization is "vigorously" reaching out to minorities, citing mandated sensitivity training for all employees and the formation of a diversity council, intern programs and college tours.(News-Daily), past news on the diverstiy issue on my Racing Schools/Jobs page.(9-23-2004) AND More at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.(9-24-2004)
Open House at Atlanta on Sept 25th: It happens only once a year, and this year's day for race fans to drive their own cars around the high banks of Atlanta Motor Speedway is Saturday, Sept. 25. But there will be much more than just the opportunity to drive your car around the track on Sept. 25, which will be Atlanta Motor Speedway's annual open house. The open house will run from 3-7 p.m. and will feature ticket and autographed NASCAR merchandise giveaways, infield and garage access and plenty of show cars to see. Also, new this year will be the Pacemaker 5000, a 5K foot race presented by Henry Medical Center. The race will be held at 5 p.m. and will include two laps around the speedway. Runners will be able to register at pacemaker5k.org for $15 prior to September 20. On-site registration will be available for $20. All runners will receive a complimentary race T-shirt.
Track rides will begin at 6 p.m., with each car getting a chance to make two laps behind the official Atlanta Motor Speedway pace car. Fans interested in driving the track should purchase their Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend tickets at the open house to receive their laps free. For those who have already purchased tickets for all three days of the Oct. 29-31 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend, a $30 donation can be made to the Speedway Children's Charities for two laps around the speedway.
Fans also gain unprecedented access to the garage and infield areas of Atlanta Motor Speedway during the open house, giving them a chance to see the areas where their favorite drivers will set up to run the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. The garage area will be lined with showcars, games, food and other activities for fans to enjoy. The open house will also give fans a chance to scope out their
seats for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, as well as win pit passes and NASCAR merchandise. Hundreds of souvenirs will be sold at the lowest prices of the year, and fans can even take photographs in Victory Lane with the pace car. For more information on the Sept. 25 Atlanta Motor Speedway Open House, call (770) 946-4211 or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.(AMS PR)(9-22-2004)
Atlanta SAFER underway: The most extensive SAFER barrier installation at any NASCAR-sanctioned speedway is under way at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Work crews will demonstrate the installation process and officials will be available to answer questions about the project. Approximately 7,450 linear feet of the steel and foam energy-reducing barrier will be in place for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race events. Who: Ed Clark -- Atlanta Motor Speedway, President and General Manager Randy Wray -- Speedway Motorsports, Inc., Project Manager When: Wednesday, Sept. 15, 3 p.m. Where: Atlanta Motor Speedway Turn 1 Details: Media members should sign in at the main tunnel and proceed toward turn 1 once through the tunnel. Enter the track at end of pit road and proceed toward Turn 1, and park on the flat apron of the track. B-roll and photo opportunities will take place on the frontstretch. Info: For information, contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway public relations department at (770) 946-3950.(AMS PR)(9-11-2004)
Hurricane Francis Stuff: Lowe's is also helping consumers stock up on information before the storm [Hurricane Francis - see www.storm2004.com or www.weather.com]. Homeowners can dial 1-877-3PREPARE (1-877-377-3727) toll-free for hurricane preparedness and safety tips in both English and Spanish. Informational flyers are available in stores, and the Lowe's Severe Weather Guide is in stores and at Lowes.com/hurricane. AND Atlanta Motor Speedway will open its campgrounds this weekend to evacuees of Hurricane Frances. The speedway, which is equipped to handles thousands of campers during its two annual NASCAR race weekends, will open its two largest gravel campgrounds to evacuees free of charge. AMS will also open its camper shower facilities, allowing evacuees free access to hot showers and restroom facilities. "It's just the thing to do," Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark said. "These are our neighbors, and they're in need. It's just the right thing to do." Already a million people in Florida have been ordered to leave their homes, and states of emergency have been declared in both Georgia and Florida. With Hurricane Frances' path projected to continue up the eastern seaboard, more evacuations are expected. With Atlanta area hotels already filling up, and state officials wondering where to put all of the hurricane evacuees, opening up the AMS campgrounds just seemed a natural, Clark said.
"We had all of this space, and it was going to go unused this weekend," Clark said. "It's the least we can do to open it up for someone who really needs it." Atlanta Motor Speedway is located approximately 25 miles south of Atlanta on Hwy 19/41 and approximately eight miles west of I-75. For more information, call the Atlanta Motor Speedway offices at (770) 707-7904 or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com. Those interested in camping at Atlanta Motor Speedway should enter the speedway grounds at Entrance E off Hwy 19/41 or Entrance G off Richard Petty Boulevard and park in the large gravel lot located adjacent to these entrances. For on-site assistance or directions, visit the ticket office/gift store building.(AMS PR)(9-3-2004)
SAFER at Atlanta: The installation of the new Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier walls at Atlanta Motor Speedway is expected to begin on Tuesday, Sept. 7, in time for testing for the speedway's fall race weekend, the Oct. 29-31 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. The project, which is being headed by SMI's contruction manager, Randy Wray, will be completed at night to accommodate the daytime track activities already scheduled. Working with the same crew that has already installed the SAFER walls at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Wray estimated that the project would take 2½ to 3 weeks to complete. Atlanta Motor Speedway will install approximately 7,450 linear feet of the SAFER barrier, which will cover approximately 75 percent of the speedway's outer walls. The SAFER barrier system will be placed outside of all four turns, as well as inside turn 2. The SAFER barrier system is made up of steel tubes and pads of hard foam, which are affixed to a speedway's concrete walls to absorb some of the energy that is transferred during a crash. Wray said the wall has already been completely fabricated, and it is being galvanized. It will start arriving at the track either later this week or early next week in about 25 truckloads.(AMS PR)(8-17-2004)
Atlanta to Create New Mid-State RV Center Family Campground: Atlanta Motor Speedway officials announced today the creation of a new family camping area designed especially with the needs of families in mind. The Mid-State RV Center Family Campground presented by Coachmen and Sports Coach will be located north of the front entrance of the speedway, adjacent to Hwy 19/41 and next to the spacious new bathroom/shower facility. There will be separate camping areas for both RV and tent/pop-up camping, and spaces will being pre-selling immediately for the Oct. 29-31 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. There are 380 RV spaces, which will sell for $125 per race, and 180 tent pop-up spaces, which will be $100 per race. Campers in the family-designated area will be surrounded
by sturdy fencing and will be able to depend on round-the-clock security. The new Mid-State RV Family Campground will also have strictly enforced quiet time from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. The family campground is sponsored by Mid-State RV Center in Byron, Ga., a longtime sponsor of AMS and supporter of Speedway Children's Charities. Mid-State RV Center is one of the top sellers of all ranges of RVs, from luxurious Coachmen motorhomes to economical travel trailers and pop-ups. For more information or to purchase spaces in the Mid-State RV Family Campground, call the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office now at (770) 946-4211.(AMS PR)(6-23-2004)
Limited Number of Pre-Race Pit Passes Available at Atlanta: Atlanta Motor Speedway will again offer a limited number of $125 pre-race pit passes that fans can purchase for the Oct. 29-31 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 NEXTEL Cup race. For just $125, fans will have the chance to be inside the highly coveted pit area, in the heart of the racing activity for the entire weekend. Weekend pre-race pit passes are good Friday through Saturday morning until 1 hour prior to the Aaron's 312 Busch race, and again on Sunday morning until 1 hour prior to the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. Friday-only pit passes will also be available for just $75, allowing fans into the pit area for all of the day's action, including practice and qualifying for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series, and final practices for the ASA and IROC series. Fans must be at least 14 years old and wear appropriate attire to be admitted into the pit area. Pre-race pit passes are not good for gate admittance and must be accompanied by a grandstand ticket for each day. Tickets for all three days of racing excitement during the Oct. 29-31 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway are on sale now. For more information about tickets or pre-race pit passes, call the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211.(AMS PR)(5-4-2004)
$69 Three-Day Thriller Ticket Package Returns at Atlanta: The three-day thriller ticket package will return for the Oct. 29-31 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, with packages starting at just $69. The three-day thriller ticket will allow race fans to attend the chock-full Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 race weekend, which will feature four different races in four different racing series, as well as practice and qualifying. The $69 three-day thriller ticket offer will include:
- One reserved Weaver grandstand ticket (rows 14-24) for the Oct. 31 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500
- One unreserved East Turn grandstand ticket for Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 Busch Series race and the IROC season finale
- One unreserved Champions grandstand (frontstretch) ticket for Friday’s Georgia-Pacific Qualifying Night and ASA 150.(more info at the AMS site)(4-9-2004)
IROC Testing at Atlanta: The International Race of Champions (IROC) series will
test Tuesday and Wednesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway as they prepare for their Oct. 30 season finale at the fast, high-banked track. Jim and Jay Sauter and Dave Marcis are expected to test the IROC cars on Tuesday, while IROC officials are expecting World of Outlaws
drivers Steve Kinser and Danny "The Dude" Lasoski in to test on Wednesday. Lasoski is fresh off a "dream win"after pulling off a stunning victory last Friday in the Crown Royal IROC event at Texas Motor Speedway. In the Crown Royal IROC point standings, which will pay $1 million to the season champion, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman are tied for first with 33 points while Lasoski and Jimmie Johnson are tied for second with 32 points. The two-day test session is closed to the public.(AMS PR)(4-6-2004)
Atlanta to install SAFER: Atlanta Motor Speedway will install the new Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier walls prior to the Oct. 29-31 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, AMS President and General Manager Ed Clark announced today. The speedway's parent company, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. has placed Wes Harris, SMI vice president of development, in charge of the project for all SMI tracks. Exact dates for the installation have yet to be determined, but construction on the steel-and-foam walls is not
expected to begin until late summer. The project is expected to take approximately two weeks to complete. Based on measurements by these engineers, Atlanta Motor Speedway will install approximately 8,000 linear feet of the SAFER barrier, which will cover approximately 75 percent of the speedway's outer walls. The SAFER barrier system will be placed outside of all four turns, as well as inside turn 2.(AMS PR) for past news on SAFER/Softwalls, see my SAFER/Softwall page.(4-1-2004)
SAFER at Atlanta and Lowe's in the Fall UPDATE Lowe's in May?: SMI's Humpy Wheeler and Dean Sicking, who created the SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barrier, said there's not enough time for Lowe's Motor Speedway to have the safety devices before the May 22 all-star race and the May 30 Coca-Cola 600. Wheeler said he expects Atlanta, which had a top qualifying speed of 194.295 mph last year, and Lowe's Motor Speedway will have the barriers for their October races. Wheeler said he questions whether the barriers are needed at Bristol, a high-banked, half-mile track. Kyle Petty suffered rib injuries when his car spun and hit driver-side into the wall at Bristol a year ago, and he missed one start.(Roanoke Times), more info on SAFER on my SAFER/Softwalls page.(3-14-2004) UPDATE: Humpy Wheeler says he's accelerated the soft walls installation program "and I hope to have them in before the 600" at his Charlotte track in May, "but that will be pretty tough right now, because we've got six or seven tracks in front of us. We will definitely have them in for the 500 in October, and I'm sure we'll have them in here in October unless they run into a shortage of materials. This all puts a burden on the people putting the walls up because this will only be done one time and they're really the only game in town. We'd looked at doing it ourselves and trying to find something better, but we've just run out of time. It's not rocket science to install, but if you haven't done it before, it will take you a while. And it will take 14 to 21 days to install. When you add in rain, you have to consider shutting things down for a month. So we're going to try to do it at night. We're going to get there, it's just going to take a while. We really didn't think we'd do all this until 2005, but it's the thing to do now. I don't know whether we'll do it at Bristol or not."(in part from the Winston Salem Journal)(3-15-2004)
Dale Jr. Best Man: Vinny Zeuli and Michelle Menendez of Orlando, Fla., have known each other for 10 years. But the two decided earlier this week it was finally time to tie the knot. While celebrating their engagement this past Monday at a popular Orlando nightclub, Zeuli and Menendez happened to bump into Dale Earnhardt Jr. The driver of the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet quickly befriended the couple and suggested they exchange their vows in victory lane today at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he would serve as best man. "I just asked her to marry me Monday night," Zeuli said. "We saw Dale Jr. that night and he thought this would be a great idea." With a handful of relatives and a sea of photographers on hand, Atlanta Motor Speedway chaplain Bill Brannon united the two in holy matrimony on a sun-drenched afternoon in the center of victory lane as Earnhardt, decked out in jeans, a Budweiser cap and shirt, and sunglasses, stood beside the groom. "We just met him Monday night," Menendez said. "So, we haven't really known him for very long, but he's so wonderful." When asked if she was a NASCAR fan, Menendez replied,"Well...I'm a fan of Junior."(AMS Pit Notes)(3-13-2004)
Lots of stuff at the Atlanta Pre-Race Show UPDATE: The Air Force Pre-Race show at the March 14 Golden Corral 500 will feature a Hootie, a Delta Boeing 767 flyover, a chorus of uniformed Army soldiers and a couple of lightning-fast Air Force jets. And don’t forget about Arnie. Darius Rucker, the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish, will perform Georgia On My Mind during the Air Force pre-race festivities. During Rucker’s vocal performance, a Delta 767 jet will buzz the crowd, announcing its recently announced status as the official airline of Atlanta Motor Speedway. Following Georgia On My Mind, the 82nd Airborne Division’s All-American Chorus will stoke up the crowd with their stirring rendition of the national anthem. The 82nd Airborne Division’s “All-American” Chorus, a non-profit organization, performs throughout the continental United States. Their primary mission is to serve the soldiers of the U.S. Army and Fort
Bragg, but their off-post performances continue to increase, so much in fact that they have become one of the Army’s greatest recruiting
tools. During the performance of the national anthem, the Air Force will showcase its impressive jets with a flyover of four A-10s. Once all the pomp and circumstance of the Air Force pre-race festivities have ended, golfing legend Arnold Palmer will give the famous command for drivers to start their engines, leading off the Golden Corral 500. Waving the green flag for the field of 43 will be James Maynard, the co-founder and chairman of Golden Corral Corporation. Pre-race activities will begin by 9 a.m., so fans are reminded to get to their seats early.(AMS PR)(3-11-2004) UPDATE: As part of the festivities leading up to the Golden Corral 500, several United States special operations warriors from the Army, Navy and Air Force will be honored for their service. These warriors are all veterans of the global war on terrorism and have
recently served in Iraq or Afghanistan. "We are pleased to have the special operations warriors with us for pre-race festivities for the Golden Corral 500," said Bob McDevitt, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Golden Corral. "At Golden Corral, we recognize the importance of our armed forces veterans, and we celebrate their service, patriotism and love of country each year by serving free dinners at all 470 of our restaurants nationwide." Golden Corral, America's leading buffet restaurant, celebrates the military each year by providing free meals to all veterans and retired and active duty members of the U.S. Military on the Monday following Veteran's Day. On Military Appreciation Night last year, an estimated 252,000 veterans and retired or active duty military enjoyed free dinners at Golden Corral restaurants nationwide. These meals translated into a nearly $2.5-million thank you from Golden Corral. The military theme of the pre-race activities will continue during a modified aviation demonstration that will include an MH-47 Chinook Helicopter, an MH-60 Black Hawk, several MH-6 Little Bird helicopters and an MC-130E Combat Talon aircraft. The demonstration team is comprised of personnel from Army, Navy and Air Force special operations forces. Units represented include the 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, the 16th Special Operations Wing, and Navy Special Warfare Command.(AMS PR)(3-14-2004)
Atlanta Racing Rally UPDATE: Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue and Senator Mike Crotts will host an Atlanta racing rally on Thursday at the Georgia State Capitol, and fans are invited and encouraged to attend and show their support for the sport. Gov. Perdue will host a news conference at 11 a.m. on the north side of the State Capitol building downtown. Fans interested in attending should be at the Capitol by 10:30 a.m. NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Terry Cook, Carl Edwards, Tina Gordon, Bill Lester, Chase Montgomery and Kelly Sutton, as well as Speedway Motorsports Inc. CEO Bruton Smith and Atlanta Motor Speedway President and General Manager Ed Clark are all expected to attend the news conference. A variety of showcars and simulators will line the street next to the Capitol, including the No. 97 Rubbermaid/Sharpie car of Kurt Busch, two Newell Rubbermaid Hummers, the No. 88 UPS car of Dale Jarrett, the No. 10 Power Stroke Diesel truck simulator, the NEXTEL mini-experience, the No. 24 Bang! Racing truck, the AMS pace car and a pair of Richard Petty Driving Experience cars.(AMS PR)(3-11-2004) UPDATE: Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue drove a Richard Petty Experience race car around the Capitol building in Atlanta today as part of the state's second annual NASCAR Day observance, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The story says Atlanta Motor Speedway's two Nextel Cup race weekends are estimated to bring in $455 million a year to the Atlanta economy, more than the combined total of all other sporting events in the city. NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Terry Cook, Carl Edwards, Tina Gordon, Bill Lester, Chase Montgomery and Kelly Sutton were scheduled to be on hand, along with Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman Bruton Smith and Atlanta Motor Speedway President and General Manager Ed Clark. AND Georgia State Sen. Carol Jackson has announced the formation of a motorsports caucus for members of the state General Assembly, Atlanta Motor Speedway reports. The caucus is designed to promote the state's racing industry. "Motorsports has a multibillion-dollar economic impact in Georgia," Jackson said.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(3-11-2004)
Lots of stuff at the Atlanta Pre-Race Show: The Air Force Pre-Race show at the March 14 Golden Corral 500 will feature a Hootie, a Delta Boeing 767 flyover, a chorus of uniformed Army soldiers and a couple of lightning-fast Air Force jets. And don’t forget about Arnie. Darius Rucker, the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish, will perform Georgia On My Mind during the Air Force pre-race festivities. During Rucker’s vocal performance, a Delta 767 jet will buzz the crowd, announcing its recently announced status as the official airline of Atlanta Motor Speedway. Following Georgia On My Mind, the 82nd Airborne Division’s All-American Chorus will stoke up the crowd with their stirring rendition of the national anthem. The
