Atlanta Motorsports Park

 

 

What makes the small town of Dawsonville, Georgia noteworthy?………….more in “Details”.

 

 

Accepting the unwashed………….more in “Details”.

 

 

Access…..it’s like oxygen. ……….more in “Details”.

 

 

Waffle House – Doctor’s orders………more in “Attractions”.

 

 

Money out; Hopefully money in.…..details in “Race Review”.

 

 

Be an owner not a lender…..details in “Race Review”.

 

 

 

 

 

What brought me to Dawsonville?

Today I was re-visiting Dawsonville, Georgia. Anybody know what makes this little town a bit more than an hour northeast of Atlanta, noteworthy? Give up? Dawsonville is home to “Million Dollar Bill” (some refer to Dawsonville’s native son Bill Elliott as “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville”.

 

 

Bill Elliott won 44 NASCAR Sprint Cup events. He also won a Sprint Cup Championship, was named to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and was NASCAR’s most popular driver a record 16 times.

 

 

Bill put Dawsonville on the map. The Dawsonville Pool Hall and Bill Elliott Racing Museum (both of which I have visited) helped keep this little town (population: 619) there as Bill wrapped up a fantastic NASCAR Cup career. Now Bill’s son Chase is on the cusp of possibly having a NASCAR career as great as his dad’s.

 

By the way I’ve had the chance to meet Bill Elliott a couple of times over the years. The first meeting was in the mid-80s up at the Evergreen Speedway in Washington. Bill was racing with the NASCAR West group, a great series at the time.

 

Then just a few years ago with the help of Georgia racing expert Dale Terry, I met Bill and son Chase when Chase was racing legends cars at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Bill seems like a quiet and shy person who’s not all that comfortable with the high profile that NASCAR brought his way. Nevertheless, he has been well compensated for the inconvenience!

 

 

What would the brand new Atlanta Motorsports Park have in store for me.

However Bill Elliott would play just one small part in my coming to Dawsonville today. I was here to visit the Atlanta Motorsports Park a private “country club” type racing venue.

 

 

What’s a “country club” type racing venue? It’s similar to a private golf club. Members pay an initiation fee and monthly or annual dues to be part of the private club.

 

 

What’s so special about having some exclusivity?

What’s so special about being a private club member? There are lots of answers to that question. When we purchased our first house in a guard-gated community I asked the woman who was selling the house about the guard gate. What was the benefit of having one? She simply replied, “It keeps the riffraff out”. Carol and I still joke about that line. However, there is something to be said for keeping the riffraff out if those folks might disrupt your lifestyle in any way. The folks who disagree with that level of exclusivity might be the riffraff among us. I’m just sayin’.

 

 

Being a private member of any club normally allows you to use the club at your leisure without having to deal with the general public. Often times in golf and maybe even in racing the “public” might not be as passionate about the activity as members are.

 

 

Private golf clubs require specific dress codes. If I went to a public golf course I might find players wearing t-shirts, sporting their baseball hats on backwards and possibly not even knowing the rules of golf and/or golf etiquette. Do I want to be on the same golf course as those people? The short answer is “No, not if I can help it”. If I can pay a bit more for the private club atmosphere I’m going to do it.

 

 

Accepting the unwashed.

There is a big difference in being accepting OF the unwashed and accepting the unwashed. Most are accepting OF more so than ACCEPTING in reality. I’m just telling you how it really is.

 

 

However, even private clubs must accept the “unwashed” from time to time. It’s called economics. Members want their initiation fees and dues to be as low as possible. Sometimes a club can’t make a profit with member’s money only. What do they do then? They allow the “public” in to generate extra revenue. Normally, the member doesn’t like that happening but they understand that’s what is needed to keep their dues down and the club operating.

 

 

Access….it’s like oxygen.

One of the very best advantages of a private club is “access”. In golf a member can normally play any time the club is open. They don’t have to wait in line as they might at a public golf course. The same holds true for a private racing facility. The member has much greater access to the racetrack and amenities than your Saturday night racer at the local dirt track. Yes, being a member of just about anything is a great idea.

 

 

Please don’t mistake my comments regarding exclusivity to be the feelings of the Atlanta Motorsports Park or any other private business that caters to its members. Private clubs have to be a little more politically correct.

 

 

They can’t say it even if they might feel it. I can say it. Some “non-members” get very upset that there is any exclusivity whatsoever. Those are quite often the same people who feel they aren’t members of anything because of “the man”. Too bad. When I see folks who are members of something that I admire and where I’m not a member I have only three words to describe my feelings. “Good on them!” They have “figured it out” and now their reward is being a private member of whatever it is. Yes, “Good on them”. America was built on a certain level of exclusivity based upon one’s creativity, ingenuity and just “being on the ball”.

 

 

I would love to stay in the Pacific Time zone at all times.

My day began with what some might think of as a leisurely 9:15 a.m. wakeup call. However, there was more to it than that. First, I was in the Eastern Time zone. As you probably know the Eastern Time zone is three hours ahead of the Pacific Time zone where I live. Secondly, last night most folks in America moved their clocks ahead one hour for “Daylight Savings Time”. All of that meant than when it was 9:15 a.m. this morning it was 5:15 a.m. on my body clock having coming from the West Coast just two days ago. Whatever. When I come east I know there are going to be a few things I don’t care for and the time zone change is certainly one of them.

 

 

After the races……

 

 

Waffle House, basketball and a new state leader!

There was time for a Waffle House stop (see Attractions) and a nearly 3,000 mile ride home (see Quick Facts). I also had time to pay a visit to one of my sponsors. Which one? The Delta Airlines Sky Club. It’s a private club open to members who pay their dues. What’s the benefit? Free food. Free drink. Freedom from dealing with the unwashed. Don’t get me wrong. Often times I am one of the unwashed!

 

 

Next up is a basketball tournament and maybe a stop in a state that will give me the undisputed trackchasing lead. That would be grand.

 

 

 

ONE CANNOT LIVE WELL OR SLEEP WELL IF ONE HAS NOT DINED WELL

 

 

Steak n’ Shake

Steak n’ Shake was our hometown after church on Sunday eatery as a kid. We weren’t fancy folks. To this day I still love SnS despite them broadening their menu beyond the basics that I came to love.

 

 

This morning while in search of a gas station I came across a Steak n Shake. They aren’t noted for breakfast but it was still breakfast time. Not a problem at all. My specialty is getting systems to adapt to when I want to use them even though the owner’s of the system may have to make an exception. What did I have for breakfast? Chili-Mac! Next time you see a Steak n’ Shake you might like to try it.

 

 

Waffle House – Doctor’s orders

Last week as part of an overall physical checkup I took an “Echo” treadmill stress test. The doctor told me I was perfectly normal and with my other risk factors I had just a 1% chance of having a heart attack.

 

 

When he told me that what do you think I “heard”? It was the doctor saying, “Randy, keep eating at Waffle House if that’s what you like. For whatever reason your diet is not effecting your heart”. As they say perception is reality. I ate at a Waffle House twice on this trip.

 

 

 

Atlanta Motorsports Park – Dawsonville, Georgia

 

 

Randy, come on down.

Today was a beautiful weather day for seeing my 1,938^th lifetime track. There were blue skies, temps in the low 70s but with a brisk late winter/early spring wind.

 

 

I had called in advance to confirm I would be admitted to this private members only track. Yes, I could come I was told. Admission would be complimentary. All I had to do was sign a personal liability release. The young man at the gate reflected the hospitality of the south. That’s a good thing.

 

 

Today’s racing activity would consist of just two feature races. The first, for 20 minutes, would take the green flag at 12 noon. Then two hours later there would be another 20-minute race. I had time to stay for the first race.

 

 

Meeting the track owner added to my enjoyment at AMP.

The track has been open for about 20 months. I was fortunate to meet the track owner, Jeremy Porter. He was a friendly fellow who was impressed that I had seen racing at more than 1,900 tracks. Jeremy was most appreciative that I had come to AMP this afternoon.

 

 

I told you that Bill Elliott had some “involvement” in the development of the Atlanta Motorsports Park. Any guesses as to what that involvement might be? No, he was not a celebrity endorser.

 

 

Jeremy bought more than 150 acres of the 500 acres that make up AMP from Bill Elliott and his brother. I found that interesting.

 

 

The racing and the racetrack.

There were about 10 racers in today’s race. Most of them were driving Mazda Miatas. That’s a very popular racecar for the amateur road racer on a budget.

 

 

The full track at AMP is 2-miles long and features 16 turns. It was designed by a noted race track designer and Formula 1 race track architect Hermann Tilke. The place is still being developed. They do have a long series of garages in place for their member’s use. Having a private garage, so you don’t have to bring your stuff to the track every time you race, is one of the benefits of membership.

 

 

The first official race at AMP was a “Chump Car” event in November, 2013. I was seeing a race here just a few months later. A permanent American road course doesn’t stay on my radar screen long before I darken their door. I’ve seen all but a handful of the permanent road courses in the country. How many is that? More than two hundred.

 

 

According to Wikipedia, “To accommodate all driver skill levels, the circuit can be configured in several different ways and can host up to three simultaneous events. Two famous corners have also been incorporated into the track: Spa-Francorchamp’s corner of Eau Rouge and the famous Carousel corner from Germany’s Nurburgring track.”

 

 

What does that mean? With more than one track “configuration” I might be back to see racing at AMP sometime in the future. Today I saw racing on the main track where lap times were in the 82-second range.

 

 

AMP doesn’t just provide racing opportunities for it’s members. Just like a golf club that might have tennis courts and a swimming pool the American Motorsports Park offers “In addition to the track, the AMP membership provides members with other activities including horseback riding, children’s play area, tennis court, fitness center, pool, club house, and hiking/mountain biking trails. Members also are allowed access to the private showers, kitchen, and private lounge areas.”

 

 

The benefits of membership.

Again, according to Wikipedia, the track has four different types of memberships. They are described thusly.

 

AMP requires a membership to use the facility. AMP offers four types of memberships:

 

 

Kart / Mini-Moto / Autocross Membership: Kart / Mini-Moto / Autocross allows access to the kart circuit for up to 120 days.

 

 

Tungsten Membership: Tungsten Membership gives member’s access to AMP for up to 60 days annually. The membership includes private showers, membership deck, Starbucks, and personal parties in membership lounge.

 

 

Platinum Membership: Platinum Membership gives member’s access to AMP for 120 days annually. This membership also comes with a PING AMP Golf Shirt and an AMP Hats. It also includes a personal locker in the member’s locker room, early entry into events, access to private showers, membership deck, Starbucks, and personal parties in membership lounge.

 

 

Diamond Membership: Diamond Membership gives member’s access to AMP for up to 180 days annually. This membership gives comes with a PING AMP Golf Shirt and an AMP Hats. It also includes a personal locker in the member’s locker room, early entry into events, access to private showers, membership deck, Starbucks, and personal parties in membership lounge.

 

 

Road racing is not well-suited for the spectator.

I could see the cars for some 40-50% of the time they were racing today. There were some viewing areas where I might have been able to see more albeit from a long distance away. It looks like road racing is a real blast for the drivers. With a 141-foot elevation change at AMP the drivers must get a real thrill racing about here. However, and this is not a specific comment about AMP, it’s not all that entertaining for the spectator. I wouldn’t go to a basketball game where I could see the play at just one end of the court. I feel the same way about road racing.

 

 

The benefits of road racing as a spectator.

However, there are great spectator benefits when I attend a road-racing event. First, and very importantly, I can roam around to my heart’s content. I don’t need to purchase a “pit pass” like I would at most oval tracks.

 

 

“Roaming around” allows me to peek into garages, walk the entire paddock area (great for pictures) and then walk all around the race course itself. I truly like that aspect of road racing.

 

 

Money out; Hopefully money in.

Private “membership” racing tracks are popping up all over the country. Some take a while to build because there is a significant upfront development cost before revenue starts being generated.

 

 

Be an owner not a lender.

The other day one of the business programs I listen too mentioned that “10% of the people own 80% of the stock” in the stock market. What does that say? Lot of things.

 

 

You will rarely get rich working for a wage. You need to be an owner. If you aren’t going to own your own company then you had better own the shares of a company. They appreciate and pay dividends. You get rich being an owner. What happens then? You don’t begrudge other rich people!

 

 

New members the lifeblood of the private club.

Today I also had the chance to talk to a brand new member. He was from New York and joined just last month. He didn’t have a racecar yet but was looking forward to getting one soon. He was bringing his wife for her first ever tour of the track. As wives tend to be she seemed a bit skeptical. Why is that? I don’t know why that is it just is.

 

 

This new member was impressed with my trackchasing background. He also went on to tell me that as a younger man he had raced with the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) amateur racing group. Then when racing got too expensive he dropped out and pursued his business career. Now at the age of about 60 he had the money to get back in. Good on him!

 

 

I wasn’t from around here.

I noticed that every driver racing today was from Georgia except one. The only out of state driver was from South Carolina. I suspect (O.K. I know) that every one of those drivers will be home hours before I hit the driveway in front of our modest ocean-view cottage. If everything goes just right I will pull in at about 4 a.m. Eastern time on Monday morning. Can you imagine one of those “Dreaded East Coast Trackchasers” attempting such a thing? No, I can’t either.

 

 

Photos. Videos. Don’t miss ‘em.

By the way, don’t miss the photos and videos of my visit to the Atlanta Motorsports Park. You’ll get a great view of this brand new upscale facility.

 

 

 

 

 

STATE COMPARISONS

 

State

 

The Peach State

This afternoon I saw my 30th lifetime track in the Peach state, yes the Peach state. Georgia is one of the few states where I have a handful or so of regular weekly scheduled oval tracks remaining to see.

 

 

I still need to visit Turner Field for an Atlanta Braves games this year. That should insure another track or two from Georgia.

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

World’s #1 Trackchaser

Peoria Old Timers Racing Club (P.O.R.C.) Hall of Fame Member

Georgia sayings: Without Atlanta we’re Alabama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

QUICK FACTS

 

 

AIRPLANE

Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – Portland, OR (PDX) – 834 miles

Portland, OR (PDX) – Atlanta, GA (ATL) – 2,172 miles

 

 

RENTAL CAR #1

Hartsfield- Jackson (Atlanta) International Airport – trip begins

Kodak, TN

Whitesburg, GA

Dawsonville, GA

Hartsfield- Jackson (Atlanta) International Airport – trip ends – 690 miles

 

 

AIRPLANE

Atlanta, GA (ATL) – Portland, OR (PDX) – 2,172 miles

Portland, OR (PDX) – Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – 834 miles

 

 

Total air miles – 6,012 (4 flights)

Total rental car miles – 690 (1 car)

 

 

Total miles traveled on this trip – 6,702 miles 

 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMISSION PRICES:

Dumpling Valley Raceway – No charge

West Georgia Speedway – No charge

Atlanta Motorsports Park – No charge

 

 

Total racetrack admissions – Zero!

 

 

 

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER COMPARISONS 

The three most important trackchasing comparisons to me are:

 

Total lifetime tracks seen

Total “trackchasing countries” seen

Lifetime National Geographic Diversity results

 

 

 

Total Lifetime Tracks

There are no trackchasers currently within 375 tracks of my lifetime total. Don’t blame me.

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,938

 

 

 

Total Trackchasing Countries

There are no trackchasers currently within 10 countries of my lifetime total.

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 68

 

 

 

Current lifetime National Geographic Diversity results

 

1. Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 4.96

 

 

 

That’s all folks! Official end of the RLR – Randy Lewis Racing Trackchaser Report