Atlanta Motor Speedway - 6:30pm ESPN2
Situated on 870 acres just 25 miles south of Atlanta in Hampton, Ga., the Atlanta Motor Speedway bears little resemblance to the structure that was planned in the late 1950s. Known then as the Atlanta International Raceway, the 1.5-mile oval-shaped track opened on July 31, 1960, eventually becoming the seventh superspeedway - a paved facility of one mile or more - to host a Cup race. Today, only three of those seven facilities remain: Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway (also known as Charlotte Motor Speedway).
But, financial challenges plagued the southern raceway in the 1960s and 1970s, as bankruptcy proceedings and numerous management changes made its future uncertain. Even the attention of then-gubernatorial nominee Jimmy Carter - who was a ticket vendor at the track in the 1960s and promised the racing community a barbeque dinner at the governor's mansion if he won - was not enough to bring the facility out of its financial troubles. Accommodations were not ideal as the facility included wooden bleachers. Even spectators had a difficult time viewing the track over a large retaining wall, and many viewed events from a dirt bank.
However, Oct. 23, 1990 marked a turnaround for the superspeedway. Then, the track was purchased by Bruton Smith, and was renamed to what it is known by today - the Atlanta Motor Speedway. By 1991, the seating capacity was increased by 25,000 with the addition of the East Turn Grandstand. Thirty suites also were added. As the facility was making its turnaround, it began hosting several well-known events, including the Busch Series and ARCA, as well as Drag racing and Indy car racing.
After the Earnhardt Grandstand was opened in 1995, the Champions Grandstand was completed in 1997, increasing the number of suites to 137. The start and finish line was moved from the west side of the track to the east side, and two doglegs were added to the frontstretch, forming a 1.54-mile quad-oval. Media facilities, garages and buildings for fans also were added. And, by October 2006, the Winners Grandstand was added with a spectacular view of the frontstretch and pit road.
Today, the Atlanta Motor Speedway is one of the country’s leading facilities for sports, corporate, family and entertainment events.
Distance: 1.54-mile quad-oval ~ Racing Surface: 55-60 feet wide
Turns: Approximately one-quarter mile, banked 24 degrees
Straightaways: Banked 5 degrees
Length of Frontstretch: 2,332 feet
Length of Backstretch: 1,800 feet
