Full Throttle

Normally my Speedway Mortuary category is reserved for those sad times when one of America’s short tracks has seen the bitter end of a Caterpillar D9 Bulldozer.

On rare occasions, and they are rare indeed, I can report on the resurrection of a speedway that was previously given up for dead. Today is one of those days with the reopening of Stockton 99 Speedway (Stockton, CA.) and construction progress at Gresham Motorsports Park (Jefferson, GA.) on the site of the former Peach State Speedway.

After two years, Stockton 99 Speedway roared back to life this past weekend following the efforts of new management and numerous volunteers during the winter.

“This reopening has generated enthusiasm in the community that words cannot express,” said Carol Noceti, who took over management of the facility with her husband, Tony, last year. “My husband and I feel blessed that we are able to be the ones that make it happen. It’s a privilege and an honor.”

On Sunday, the new era began with the opening round of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series featuring Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Street Stocks and Bombers.

Stockton 99 Speedway originally opened in 1947 and became a NASCAR-sanctioned track in 1955.

The quarter-mile asphalt oval became the longest-running NASCAR-member track in the West until it closed in September 2006 to make way for redevelopment.

The parcel was part of a large subdivision slated for the Highway 99 corridor, but the contract with the developer expired last March with the track still standing.

Stockton 99 is rich in NASCAR history. Among the list of famed drivers from the track is Salinas native and former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Ernie Irvan. He began his racing career in Stockton during high school in 1975.

Following the opener, Stockton 99 will host night racing on Saturdays.

NOTE: The local newspaper provides this excellent video of Saturday’s racing events and reactions of some of the over 4000 fans in attendance. Also, here is an image of Jack “ole #7″ McCoy’s Dodge Daytona he campaigned in the early seventies.

Gresham Motorsports Park (GMP)

The construction process at Gresham Motorsports Park (GMP) heated up this week with the razing of the press box and concession stand on the site of the former Peach State Speedway.

“We had the Harrisburg Volunteer Fire Department come out and burn the buildings down as a training exercise,” said GMP General Manager Dan Elliott. “In addition to the press box at the half-mile track, they also burned down the press and concessions facility at the old go kart track. The whole process took about four hours.”

The controlled burn was just one of many renovation projects scheduled for the historic Georgia racetrack. By the time the facility re-opens in November 2009 with the running of the 26th-Annual World Crown 300, Gresham Motorsports Park will have undergone a major transformation featuring a new racing surface, fencing and retaining walls for the half-mile oval.

Additional scheduled improvements will also include a fresh aluminum grandstand, a lowered infield for better sight lines, a quarter-mile Legends track on infield of the half-mile oval, renovated restrooms, new concession areas and trackside parking.

The track, which opened in 1967 with a NASCAR Late Model Sportsman event, will be open full-time in 2010 featuring a schedule of top auto racing action as well as several regional and community events.

“Allowing the Fire Department to do a controlled burn was a great way for them to get some training and practice,” said Elliott. “The buildings would have had to been torn down anyway, so it also helped us because it reduced the amount of debris we would have had to send to the recycling center. Some of the firemen who helped with the burn actually have worked at the track in the past as part of our Fire, Rescue and Safety Teams, so it was great to have them back here helping us out again.”

Once completed, the 40-year-old racetrack will hardly resemble the historic, but timeworn, former Peach State oval. According to Elliott, the new track will have a multitude of renovations including a new racing surface, fencing and retaining walls for the half-mile oval with the start/finish line flipped to the old back straight, a fresh aluminum grandstand a lowered infield for better sight lines, a quarter-mile Legends track on infield, renovated restrooms and new concession areas and trackside parking.

About Gresham Motorsports Park

Opened as Jefco Speedway with a NASCAR Late Model Sportsman (now Nationwide) race in 1967 and two Winston Cup (Now Sprint Cup) events in 1969-69. (Won by Cale Yarborough and Bobby Issac.) Over the years, the name has changed. In 1979 it was called Georgia International Speedway and in the early ‘90s was christened Peach State Speedway.

Gresham Motorsports Park, known as “Georgia’s fastest half-mile oval track,” has served the auto racing community for more than 40 years. The half-mile asphalt oval, located just outside Jefferson, GA, is currently under a total facility renovation and is expected to reopen with the 26th-Annual World Crown 300 November 12-15, 2009. The multi-purpose facility is currently formulating plans to host a wide range of events in 2010 including multiple divisions of auto racing, local and regional Craft Shows, Farmer’s and Flea Markets, Car Shows, Concerts and other community events.

World Crown 300 notes:

The World Crown event has a rich history of winnersand has come to be regarded as one of the top season-ending short-track events. The first race held in 1983 was a who’s who of stock car racing as Jody Ridley, Mark Martin, Freddy Fryar, two-time winner Darrell Waltrip, Alan Kulwicki, Rusty Wallace, Mike Alexander, Bobby, Donnie and Davey Allison, and Neil Bonnett all took the green flag.

Wisconsin short-track legend Dick Trickle came home first in the inaugural World Crown event and since then, Waltrip, Rich Bickle, Rick Crawford, Freddy Query, Bobby Gill, Ronnie Sanders and Paul Kelley are just a few of the drivers to have captured the title of ‘King of the Short Tracks.’

In addition to the video of the 2008 World Crown 300 above here is an image gallery of the three days of action that included Modifieds, Late Models and Trucks.