History
The half-mile track opened in 1966 with a Richard Petty victory and hosted nine NASCAR Grand National races through November 1971, including the 1968 season opener. In July 1970 a field next to the track held the Atlanta International Pop Festival, featuring Jimi Hendrix and the Allman Brothers Band.
ARCA and local racing continued into the 1980s; Davey Allison won an ARCA event there in 1984, and the track closed around 1986. Efforts to revive it failed, and plans to develop the land were put on hold, though it was used for film and commercial shoots.
Why it matters: A NASCAR stop of the late 1960s and the site of one of the largest rock festivals of its era.
Timeline
- 1966Opening NASCAR race[1]
Richard Petty won the first Grand National race.
- July 1970Atlanta International Pop Festival[1]
An estimated crowd of up to 400,000 attended the festival in a field beside the track.
- November 7, 1971
Bobby Allison won from the pole.
- October 1984ARCA race[2]
Davey Allison won a 200-lap ARCA race, the last major event.
- March 12, 2011Reunion[2]
Volunteers prepared the dormant track for a racers' reunion.
The site today
| Physical status | Standing, unused |
|---|---|
| Surviving remnants | A Georgia Historical Society marker for the 1970 Atlanta International Pop Festival was placed near the site in 2012. |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
We have not verified what occupies the site today. Know? Tell us, with a source.
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Venue facts
| Other names | Middle Georgia Speedway |
|---|---|
| Location | 4015 US-41, Byron, Byron, Georgia[1] |
| Venue type | Speedway |
| Sports | Motorsports |
| Level | NASCAR, ARCA |
| Opened | 1966[1] |
| Last used for sports | c. 1986[1,2] |
| Physical status | Standing, unused |
| Construction cost | $500,000[1] |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Closure | Declining racing activity in the 1980s; revival attempts failed. |
Documented details
Sources
- Middle Georgia Raceway, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, construction cost, coordinates, events, opened
- Racers and fans remember Middle Georgia Raceway, Georgia Racing History (Brandon Reed). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, events
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.