Gresham Motorsports Park

Gresham Motorsports Park

Jefco Speedway, circa 1967
Location Jefferson, Georgia, USA
Coordinates 34°10′0″N 83°33′9″W / 34.16667°N 83.55250°WCoordinates: 34°10′0″N 83°33′9″W / 34.16667°N 83.55250°W
Opened 1967
Major events World Crown 300
Surface Asphalt
Length .5 mi (.8 km)
Turns 4
Banking 12°

Gresham Motorsports Park (formerly Jefco Speedway, Georgia International Speedway and Peach State Speedway) is a half-mile (.8 km) paved oval auto racing track in Jefferson, Georgia. The track opened in 1967, named Jefco Speedway. Tom Pistone won the inaugural event, a NASCAR Late Model Sportsman race.[1] Two NASCAR Grand National races were held at the track in 1968 and 1969, won by Cale Yarborough and Bobby Isaac. Since 1983, the track has held the World Crown 300 for late model stock cars.[2] The track was renamed Peach State Speedway in the early 1990s. The circuit was renamed and extensively renovated in 2009.[3] NASCAR started running K&N Pro Series East races in 2010.

NASCAR results

NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup Series) races were held in 1968 and 1969. Busch Grand National Series (now Nationwide Series) races were held in 1986 and 1987.[4]

Grand National/Cup

Season Date Winning Driver Car Length Average Speed
1968 November 3 Cale Yarborough Mercury 100 miles (160 km) 77.737 mph (125.106 km/h)
1969 November 3 Bobby Isaac Dodge 100 miles (160 km) 85.106 mph (136.965 km/h)

Busch Series

Season Date Winning Driver Car Length Average Speed
1986 May 10 Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet 100 miles (160 km) 85.776 mph (138.043 km/h)
1987 July 5 Larry Pearson Chevrolet 100 miles (160 km) 75.869 mph (122.099 km/h)
August 30 Larry Pearson Chevrolet 100 miles (160 km) 74.969 mph (120.651 km/h)

Films

The track (then going by the name Georgia International Speedway) was used in filming some parts of the 1982 Six Pack comedy-drama film directed by Daniel Petrie and starring Kenny Rogers, Diane Lane, Erin Gray, Anthony Michael Hall, and Barry Corbin. Some local Jefferson teens were used as extras in the film.

References

  1. "History". Gresham Motorsports Park. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  2. Staff writer (November 12, 2009). "World Crown set for Gresham reopening". Main Street News Sports. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  3. Staff writer (June 19, 2009). "Track renovation continues at Gresham Motorsports Park". Main Street News Sports. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  4. "Gresham Motorsports Park". Racing-Reference.info. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2011.

External links