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Central City Speedway documentation

Started by HistoricMustang , Jan 23 2007 01:27

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10 replies to this topic

#1 HistoricMustang

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Posted 23 January 2007 - 01:27

Began life as a horse track and developed into a one mile and one half mile dirt oval. Still intact and current location of Central City Park in Macon, Georgia.

http://racing-refere...o/tracks?id=037

Photographs here:
http://historicmusta...read=1169437227

Henry

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#2 HistoricMustang

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 21:53

#22 - Red Byron, #24 Buddy Shuman

Any help identifying drivers and/or cars in last photograph appreciated.

The first photograph indicates a third track present at some point. Can only assume this is perhaps the original horse racing circuit.

Photos courtesy Joe Cawley

Henry

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#3 Lotus23

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Posted 12 November 2007 - 23:44

Henry, according to Allan E. Brown's The History of America's Speedways Past & Present, Central City Park Speedway (aka Macon Speedway aka Macon Fairgrounds Speedway) ran as a 1-mile dirt oval from the 1920s to 27 Nov 38, when it first ran stock cars.

It ran as a 0.5 mile dirt oval from July 47 to around 6 May 56.

The fairgrounds themselves were established in 1851.

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#4 HistoricMustang

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Posted 14 November 2007 - 10:11

Joel, as of last weekend the large domed building seen in the period photographs is still in place.

Henry

Modern day photographs from November 3rd event at the former speedway honoring former drivers and fans of Central City Speedway in Macon, Georgia and Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron, Georgia just a few miles south.

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#5 MPea3

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Posted 14 November 2007 - 14:46

Wonderful photographs, both new and old. I used to enjoy taking the kids to the minor league Braves games in the ballpark seen in the first photo, it's such a shame they moved. The whole park has such a wonderful and nostalgic feel to it as you drive in. It's as if you're instantly going back a few decades the moment you leave the downtown area and enter the park. I'd been there a few times before I even realized the track was there.

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#6 HistoricMustang

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Posted 14 November 2007 - 21:55

Originally posted by MPea3
Wonderful photographs, both new and old. I used to enjoy taking the kids to the minor league Braves games in the ballpark seen in the first photo, it's such a shame they moved. The whole park has such a wonderful and nostalgic feel to it as you drive in. It's as if you're instantly going back a few decades the moment you leave the downtown area and enter the park. I'd been there a few times before I even realized the track was there.

Will send information on the NVRA awards banquet in January.

Held at the Warner Robbins Air Force Museum just down the road from Central City Speedway. You will enjoy and are welcomed to join the AIRPS group at our table.

Central City Speedway does have the "feel" you describe!

Henry

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#7 Terry Walker

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Posted 15 November 2007 - 00:28

Recent space shot from Google Maps shows how intact it still is. Also, as I zoomed in I could see why they called it Central City - it's almost in the downtown district.

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#8 HistoricMustang

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Posted 15 November 2007 - 10:07

The photos listed show what was the one mile track. The half mile track used a portion of turns 1 and 2 of the mile track and took up part of the park where one of the baseball fields now sits.

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Looking down the frontstretch toward turn 1

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From the frontstretch looking back toward turn 4

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Entering turn 1

Posted Image

Exiting turn 2

Posted Image

From the backstretch looking back toward turn 2.

Posted Image

Looking down the backstretch toward turn 3

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#9 MPea3

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Posted 15 November 2007 - 14:37

Originally posted by HistoricMustang

Will send information on the NVRA awards banquet in January.

Held at the Warner Robbins Air Force Museum just down the road from Central City Speedway. You will enjoy and are welcomed to join the AIRPS group at our table.

Central City Speedway does have the "feel" you describe!

Henry

Please do! Weather permitting, we'll hop on the bikes and make the quick 90 minute blast down there. I've been to the museum before and it's a great place.

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#10 HistoricMustang

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Posted 04 April 2008 - 22:59

1966 photograph plainly indicating two tracks shown above. Perhaps the 1 mile was in competition with Lakewood Speedway just about 60 miles north?

Henry

Same deal 1958!

Damn, again in 1938! :eek:

The crop dusters thought they were taking photographs of corn and here we are 70 years later documenting tracks. There is another layout present.................perhaps for horses?