This week, we continue to remember Mr. Raymond Parks, who we lost last Sunday at the age of 96, over at Georgia Racing History.com .

Back in 2002, Eddie Samples did a marvelous story on Mr. Parks, which includes Mr. Parks telling portions of his own story in what is one of the few interviews we've found over the years with him. You'll learn some things about the man that you may not have known before, and get a look at some terrific pictures that we've not had on the site before.

You can read all about it over at Georgia Racing History.com .

Thanks again to the Parks family for allowing us to attend his services on Wednesday. If you were unable to attend, they were very respectful and a find send off for one of Georgia's finest.

Not to be lost in all of this is the fact that last week was a rough one for Georgia racing. We lost longtime Peach State racer Andy Buffington earlier this week. Andy was a winner at Lakewood, and was with us at last year's Lakewood reunion. He was also a competitor and winner at the Peach Bowl, Douglasville and Senoia. Visitation will be Saturday, June 26th from 7-9 and the funeral is Sunday at 2pm at Conner-Westbury Funeral Home in Griffin, Georgia. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Andy's family and friends.

While there have been bad things, there was also some good notes last week. Third generation throttle-stomper Jimmy Garmon of Hoschton held off one of the hardest chargers in the southeast, Senoia's Bubba Pollard, in a last lap duel to win the Super Late Model feature at Gresham Motorsports Park. Garmon is the son of former Peach Bowl and motorcycle racer Ronnie Garmon, and the step-grandson of pioneer racer Jap Brogdon, winner of the Lloyd Seay Memorial at Lakewood Speedway in November of 1941. I spoke with Jimmy today, and he's still excited about the victory. Congratulations to Jimmy Garmon from all of us at GRH.com!

Also, you can now purchase tickets to both the Lakewood Speedway Reunion and to the GRHOF banquet in October through the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame website! Just visit www.georgiaracinghof.com .

Happy Birthday wishes go out this week to Bobby Gill on June 25, to Clay Dale on June 26 and to Junior Johnson on June 28.

Thanks to all, and I hope everybody has a great weekend!

Brandon Reed
Georgia Racing History.com