Sign up to get the latest news and events straight to your inbox. That was the last great hurrah for the Habersham Speedway. He and Irvin oversaw the construction of the half-mile dirt track, which boasted a huge set of grandstands on the front stretch, as well as trackside parking in a manner not usually seen until the ‘60s or ‘70s at area short tracks. Georgia Hall of Fame member Roz Howard has the distinction of being the only driver to ever win at Hollywood, picking up feature wins on both weekends the track operated. © 2009-2020 Every Other Man Productions All Rights Reserved -- Copyright notice by Blog Copyright. *Editor's note: Part of the challenge of telling the stories of these early race tracks is a lack of photos and information. Clarkesville, Hollywood Speedway . The event is held at the Atlanta Motor Speedway from October 2-11, 2020, and will follow strict COVID guidelines listed on the website. The Hollywood Baptist Church was located less than a quarter mile from the track. The track did not race again until July 5 of 1948. Note the wooden guardrails lining the outside entry into the corner. Recibirás un email de confirmación y pasarás a formar parte del Club. HABERSHAM SPEEDWAY CORPORATION is an entity registered at Georgia with company number 0X04512. A greenhouse has been built along one straightaway. Can you help us find some? The company's registered agent is NONE, , GA Other Name for Speedway Gas & Convenience Store: Corporate Name of Speedway Gas & Convenience Store. Photo: Paul Trammell Collection, Jack Ethridge (91) and Olen Allen (17) race past the frontstretch grandstands with Red Byron (22) in tow at Habersham County Speedway on July 5, 1948. Thanks for subscribing!

Another fun option, Drive-In At The Speedway features a series of concerts with a tailgate friendly atmosphere. Today, a residence has been built in the infield. Though it says “Grand Opening”, this actually appears to be for the 1948 re-opening of the track.

This was actually for the first race of 1948, as the track opened in 1947. Dooley, who was friends with Georgia Racing Hall of Fame inductees Tommie Irvin and Swayne Pritchett, was an early racing mechanic, owning and operating his own garage out of Toccoa. “There wasn't enough banking or something,” said Whitmire. Email us! Two months earlier, local racing hero Swayne Pritchett lost his life after an accident in the car at the Jackson County Speedway in Jefferson, Georgia. Rufus Tribble, who had also constructed nearby Toccoa Speedway, graded and built the ¼-mile clay oval. The track was located near Dick’s Hill. Red Byron's car is hooked to the tow truck after a crash at the Habersham County Speedway on July 5, 1948. He tried to light a cigarette, triggering an explosion and fire that left Dooley dead. Almost ten years later, the sound of racing engines returned to the hills of Habersham County – but it was all too brief. It’s strongly advised to buy your tickets online to save time and to guarantee entry since capacity is limited this season and entry may sell out. This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame or the Georgia Auto Racing Hall of Fame Association, Inc. All content is the intellectual property of the individual authors.

Dissolved. Whitmire also said the speedway was one rarity of the day, as it had very little dust. | Contact Hubbiz Photo: Mike Bell Collection, A car races into the first turn at Habersham Speedway.

| Twitter It’s unclear who won the event. The Habersham Speedway was built around 1947. Habersham County. The property was said to be owned by the Irvin family. The track would sit abandoned for many years, with the stands, infield structures and other items disassembled and sold off for the lumber. He was introduced to the sport though Pritchett and Habersham County Speedway promoter Pee Wee Dooley. Photo: Mike Bell Collection, A newspaper ad for the "Grand Opening" of the Habersham Speedway. Hollywood Speedway If there was ever a Georgia racetrack that was an enigma, it’s the Hollywood Speedway. From out of Habersham it comes, stretching between the cracks and crevices of the North Georgia mountains like an uneven pane of mirrored glass, some twenty-six miles long and covering almost 47 miles of original riverbed, reflecting back the sky and hiding its precious secrets from all who try to pry. A car races past the grandstands on the frontstretch at the Habersham Speedway. | Privacy Policy This venue offers a Par 3, 9-hole executive golf course, Footgolf (great for families), a driving range, putting green and batting cages. Richard's Fitness 121 Clarkesville Plz .

Panola Mountain showcases much of Mother Nature’s playground for visitors who want to picnic, fish, rent a boat, hike, bike or practice archery. But the speedway ran into early trouble from local authorities. Whitmire had good memories of the track, remembering that it had larger payouts than others of the day. Discover great deals on designer labels and know that COVID enforcements are followed as listed on the website. Not to mention the hamlet of Demorest, home to Piedmont College. Dissolved and its File Number is 0X04512. It was owned by Bill Irvin, with Toccoa, Georgia native Pee Wee Dooley serving as the first promoter of the speedway. From a 1948 edition of The Northeast Georgian newspaper. Habersham Speedway Corporation is a Georgia Domestic Profit Corporation filed on November 27, 1946. The company's filing status is listed as Admin. The speedway ran at least one more event, in December of 1948 with drivers such as Samples, Sosebee, Ethridge, Skimp Hersey, Bill Blair and Bob Flock in competition, according to a program from the event. Fountain would run the track under the sanctioning of the Drivers Auto Racing Enterprise (DARE), which was operated by Tribble and Toccoa Speedway owner Garland Sheriff. *, http://accesswdun.com/article/2020/4/898606/habersham-county-is-home-to-two-lost-speedways, A pack of cars power into the first turn at the start of a race at the Habersham Speedway in 1947. Another fun option, Drive-In At The Speedway features a series of concerts with a tailgate friendly atmosphere. FAX: 1-844-205-7259. The track would only operate for two events before closing. Site of Looper Speedway The Racetrack still exists under the lake. © Copyright 2015 AccessNorthGa.com Panola Mountain State Park is a 100-acre granite outcrop much like Stone Mountain, only smaller and more pristine. Today, nothing remains on the property to suggest there was ever a track there. That July 5 event featured several NASCAR stars, including Red Byron, Bill Snowden, Gober Sosebee and the Flock Brothers. Fountain was a member of the church, and despite this, there was no reasoning with them. Doy mi consentimiento para que la entidad me oferte productos y servicios en los términos recogidos en la política de privacidad y protección de datos. Enjoy exciting attractions and shows along with live music, carnival rides and your favorite fair foods that will take your mind quickly to memories of yesteryear. Georgia Racing Hall of Fame inductee Roz Howard of Macon, Georgia scored the victory in the 100-lap DARE Sportsman feature, with a pair of Toccoa natives – Bill York and Tommy Sheriff – winning their respective heat races. PHONE: 1-844-NOW-NEWS (1-844-669-6397) EMAIL: news@nowhabersham.com FAX: 1-844-205-7259 Please do not repost images or text without permission. All rights reserved. North Georgis Sporting Goods 583 Grant St, Ste C2 .

Habersham County Central Communications CANNOT accept … “Had to go borrow money to pay the purse on both of the races,” said Gainesville, Georgia native Bobbie Whitmire, who competed in both events. P.O. A look from the pits at what appears to be the other end of the speedway. The Habersham Speedway and the Hollywood Speedway were separated by about 10 miles on the map and about six years on the timeline, but neither has faded form the memories of many long-time area race fans. It was located in northern Habersham County, Georgia, near the Habersham and Stephens County lines.

Photo: Mike Bell Collection, A capacity crowd watches as the field races past the green flag for a race at Habersham County Speedway on July 5, 1948. With Irvin having competed on the NASCAR circuit, he was able to draw in a number of notable drivers from the tour, including Red Byron, piloting the famed No. The track closed after the second event. A good look at the grandstands along the frontstretch. Jazzercise of Clarkesville 125 Washington St . Note the early trackside parking. The track closed down sometime after 1948. Email us! This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame or the Georgia Auto Racing Hall of Fame Association, Inc. All content is the intellectual property of the individual authors. Airy, Georgia, but the site actually sits closer to Toccoa on the Stephens County side. From the road, you could never tell it had once been a speedway. | Some data from Acxiom. Photo: Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. A family member apparently had planned to try to reopen it several years later, but was blocked by a local politician who owned land in the area.

Visit Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, take a self-guided tour or “Walk on the Wild Side” with a guided tour led by a volunteer for an incredible, unforgettable adventure allowing guests between the fences and including stories of each animal along the way. Some listings put the track in Mt. The Habersham Speedway was a built in 1947, near the county line with Stephens County. After those two events, Fountain had enough of track ownership. There’s the county seat of Clarkesville, with its classic hometown look. A private home now occupies the tract of land. Bring your own food and beverage to the show or partake in on-site concessions as you rock to the beat of concerts at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The population was 1,465 at the 2000 census.

Pritchett was from just down the road in Baldwin, Georgia. That event, notably, was run on a Monday afternoon as to not violate the county’s “Sunday law.”. He said the only issue the drivers had before racing began was a problem with the banking in turns one and two, which Fountain quickly rectified. It’s believed that this race was run in memory of Pee Wee Dooley. Tommie Irvin and Pritchett were among the early winners at the track. Now Habersham P.O. BREEZY AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING SERVICES, INCORPORATED, GEORGIA BOTANICAL LANDSCAPING & HARDSCAPES LLC, BIO GYMNASTICS AND ATHLETICS UNLIMITED LLC. With an estimated 2,000 people in attendance, Georgia Racing Hall of Famer Billy Carden scored the win, with Allen following in second. If so, please Email us! There’s the city of Cornelia, with its railroad museum and annual Big Red Apple Festival. He tried to light a cigarette, causing an explosion and fire. A 22-acre lake adds to the ambiance of the resort as does a slew of other amenities like a spacious lodge, hiking trails and lots of water toys. Area native Tom Fountain got the idea that his hometown, the small, unincorporated hamlet of Hollywood, Georgia, would be the perfect spot for a race track. The outline of the track can still be seen today. No photos are known to exist of the speedway. Curbside pick-up zones are available for shoppers wishing to utilize this touchless service. Only the lay of the land shows some of the grading for the banking. Despite the racing programs running well after church services – both events held qualifying at 2 p.m. with races starting at 3 p.m. – the church fathers objected to the races being run on a Sunday.