THE THUNDER YOU HEAR MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU ARE REALLY HEARING

Johnny Mallonee
@johnny-mallonee
8 years ago
3,259 posts

After turning onto Windsor Springs Road off Tobacco Road way in the distance I thought I heard a noise from the past. Now mind you I'm not superstitious but I could have swore I heard an old big block Ford fire off in the distance and then right afterwards another old but distinct sound followed,almost like a big block Pontiac but I said in my mind we arent close enough to a track to hear this stuff.
As you start down the hill on Windsor Springs the old half mile is on the right,most say its not there but I can go and walk the track almost perfectly, I took Tim there last year and had trouble getting him back to earth. Free Pennington went also and he had an eerie look about him when walking the leftovers of the old gal. That same day you could turn your head and hear in the those same engine sounds from a distance.
But as I drove closer to where the big track pits were I heard the noises more distinct.
As I pulled in to park there in front of me set "Tiny"--well I could see him at least in my mind,propped up against the #55 parked at the monument. He was waving towards another car being parked and low and behold there Fireball stuck his head out of the car and waved back, then it seemed as though Fireball gave Harold Fountain some directions as to where to put the ramps so he could pull up and park against the monument and park as Tiny had done.
Now I stood and watched as about 4 older guys scurried around this car with vigor they dont usually have. I cant put names to all but their faces were familiar from past and some present.
Also up on the hill were part of the Ga. gang looking down on the proceedings.
Afterwards when motors were hushed and people moved away I walked around both cars and felt the past with me again. No I didnt conjure up any spirits and surely didnt drink any either. But if you are a real race fan then you know the feeling I'm describing here, if you arent ,well close your eyes and remember the photos you saw of Tiny and Fireball maybe on Racers Reunion.
Any way you look at it the past will come back,like when I walker inside the auditorium there sat Rex White,along with H.G. Rosier. Then you let your eyes wander around the arena and you see more old faces beaming at people wanting autographs and photos.
You got to stop here now and say to yourself, was this worth the trip here?
Now you are reading this ,some from curiosity,some from wanting another perspective and others just trying to soak in more of the event.
Surely Patty Lilly could express this in a more defining form but I am only telling it from how I felt,what I heard,and mostly what I saw. I tried to catch things there as best as I could on film to remember it by. So after reading this and if you made it to the show did you hear or see anything that caught eye or ear? I still have a ton of thoughts on what I saw and heard Saturday but just havent put it to words yet, plus a few more photos and videos to share.------------------------memories

Augusta Ga A I R P S 2010


updated by @johnny-mallonee: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Tim Leeming
@tim-leeming
8 years ago
3,119 posts

Johnny, it was the same this year with the exception that there is nothing left of the half mile. There are a couple of houses on a cul-de-sac where once was the half mile. Even so, when you turn in to go back to the Diamond Lakes part, you see the banking to your left of what was the turn leading to the main straight. There is still some asphalt from the main straight leading to the pits. And, yes, I walk over to that embankment, slightly into the woods, and I can see that lavender Ford heading at me, being chased by the 28 pearl white Ford with that Black and Red Pontiac of Joe Weatherly not far behind. Then Tiny pops into view and I step back as the rush past me into the glory that once was the 3.2 miles banked road course on which the Grand Nationals raced only once.

Johnny, you and I both have very active imaginations which allow us to remember these things because we saw them happen. We were a part of the excitement. We were, and are, the every day fan who can remember our heroes doing extraordinary things on tracks that have disappeared. At least the footprint of the road course remains for our imaginations to run that race again.

Thanks for writing such an excellent piece.




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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.