NASCAR’s fastest track, Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.54-mile quad-oval with 24-degree banking in the turns. From a driver’s standpoint, Atlanta is considered NASCAR’s scariest track to drive because it is basically flat-out the entire way around.

In 2004, an F2 tornado hit the track, causing millions in damage, but the track’s owners were able to repair most of the damage in time for the Nextel Cup race four months later. Few who saw Atlanta Motor Speedway in its infancy would recognize the track today.

Situated on 870 acres in Hampton, Ga., just 25 miles south of Atlanta, today's Atlanta Motor Speedway is one of NASCARýs most sought-after destinations.

But itýs far from the Walker Jackson, Lloyd Smith, Garland Bagley, Ralph Sceiano and Ike Supporter envisioned when they planned the speedway in 1958. Before construction of the proposed superspeedway had been completed, insufficient funds forced four of the founders to abandon ship. Dr. Warren Gremmel, Bill Boyd, Jack Black and Art Lester joined Bagley in the venture and spent $1.8 million to get the facility ready.

Ready, in this case, was a relative term. Some of the seats were so low fans couldnýt see over the retaining wall. The only bathroom facility in the infield was a three-hole outhouse. There was mud all over.

When the 1.5-mile track, then called Atlanta International Raceway, finally made its debut on July 31, 1960, it became the seventh superspeedway -- a paved facility of one mile or more -- to play host to a Cup race.

The trackýs future was hazy in the 1960s and ý70s, when it suffered several financial setbacks. The track was recognized under Chapter Ten bankruptcy proceedings in the 1970s and went through several general managers before settling down with Walt Nix, who served as general manager for much of the next two decades except for a brief period when current NASCAR president Mike Helton was in charge.

Despite the great racing and national attention, Atlanta International Raceway was still a meager facility struggling to get by.

Bruton Smith changed all that when he purchased Atlanta International Raceway on Oct. 23, 1990, and renamed the facility Atlanta Motor Speedway. A year later, the addition of the East Turn Grandstand expanded the seating capacity by 25,000, and the 30 suites that rimmed the top gave the track a high-class look.

Under Smithýs stewardship, Atlanta Motor Speedway has undergone massive expansion.

In 1994, Tara Place, the nine-story building that houses 46 luxury condominiums, Tara Ballroom, the speedway office complex and more luxury suites opened, as did the adjacent Tara Clubhouse. A year later, the North Turn Grandstand opened, and in 1997, the Champions Grandstand was added, and the total of luxury suites was increased to 137.

When the Champions Grandstand was built, the start/finish line was moved from the west to the east side of the track, and two doglegs were added to the frontstretch to form a 1.54-mile quad-oval, which replaced the original oval. The only reminders of the track that used to be are the suite tower and the Weaver Grandstand, which are now situated on the backstretch.

In 2004, an F2 tornado had blazed through the track, causing tens of millions of dollars in damage less than four months before that yearýs fall race. Miraculously, the track was more than ready for that October race, and it went off without a hitch.

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Where to stay:

Where to eat:

Sidetrips:

World of Coca Cola, 55 Martin Luther King Jr Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30312

Track Facts:

Banking/Turns: 24
Distance: 1.54 miles
Shape: Oval

Photos:

A Tornado Strikes Atlanta on July 7th 2005

Past Winners:

1972

• Bobby Allison swiped both races that year

1973

• David Pearson swiped both races that year

1974

• Cale Yarborough - Atlanta 500
• Richard Petty - Dixie 500

1975

• Richard Petty - Atlanta 500
• Buddy Barker - Dixie 500

1976

• David Pearson - Atlanta 500
• Dave Marcis - Dixie 500

1977

• Richard Petty - Atlanta 500
• Darrell Waltrip - Dixie 500

1978

• Bobby Allison - Atlanta 500
• Donnie Allison - Dixie 500

1979

• Buddy Barker - Atlanta 500
• Neil Bonnett - Dixie 500

1980

• Dale Earnhardt - Atlanta 500
• Cale Yarborough - Atl. Journal 500

1981

• Cale Yarborough - Coca-Cola 500
• Neil Bonnett - Atl. Journal 500

1982

• Darrell Waltrip - Coca-Cola 500
• Bobby Allison - Atl.Journal 500

1983

• Cale Yarborough - Coca-Cola 500
• Neil Bonnett - Atl.Journal 500

1984

• Benny Parsons - Coca-Cola 500
• Dale Earnhardt - Atl.Journal 500

1985

• Bill Elliott swiped both races that year

1986

• Morgan Shepard - Motorcraft 500
• Dale Eanrhardt - Atl.Journal 500

1987

• Ricky Rudd - Motorcraft 500
• Bill Elliott - Atl.Journal 500

1988

• Dale Earnhardt - Motorcraft 500
• Rusty Wallace - Atl.Journal 500

1989

• Darrell Waltrip-Motorcraft 500
• Dale Earnhardt - Atl.Journal 500

1990

• Dale Earnhardt - Motorcraft 500
• Morgan Shepard - Atl.Journal 500

1991

• Ken Schrader - Motorcraft 500
• Mark Martin - Hardee's 500

1992

• Bill Elliott swiped both races that year

1993

• Morgan Shepard - Motorcraft 500
• Rusty Wallace - Hooters 500

1994

• Erine Irwin - Purolator 500
• Mark Martin - Hooters 500

1995

• Jeff Gordon - Purolator 500
• Dale Eanhardt - NAPA 500

1996

• Dale Earnhardt - Purolator 500
• Bobby Labonte - NAPA 500

1997

• Dale Jarrett - PRIMESTAR 500
• Bobby Labonte - NAPA 500

1998

• Bobby Labonte - PRIMESTAR 500
• Jeff Gordon - NAPA 500

1999

• Jeff Gordon - Cracker Barrel 500
• Bobby Labonte - NAPA 500

2000

• Dale Earnhardt - Cracker Barrel 500
• Jerry Nadeau - NAPA 500

2001

• Kevin Harvick - Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500
• Bobby Labonte-NAPA 500

2002

• Tony Stewart - MBNA America 500
• Kurt Busch - NAPA 500

2003

• Bobby Labonte-Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500
• Jeff Gordon-Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500

2004

• Dale Earnhardt Jr - Golden Corral 500
• Jimmie Johnson - Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500

2005

• Carl Edwards swiped both races that year

2006

• Kasey Kahne - Golden Corral 500
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