Modern day lay around the former Augusta International Raceway three mile road circuit where the second longest scheduled race in NASCAR history took place.
@jim-seay15 years ago
Often, usually with my dad, we traveled from Columbia to the old half-mile track for weekly shows and Grand Nationals. I remember Lee Roy Yarbourgh going over the third turn fence driving a Mercury and once when Chief Steward and flgagman Pete Keller avoided a maddened crowd when he exited the flag stand and had his striped shirt off before he hit the ground and sprinted to his car, clearing the grounds in quick order. I can't recall what the controversy was.The '63 road course "510" for me was highlighted not so much by Fireball's final win but my trying to chase down the helicopter so I could get out of the infield and across the track without confronting a field of racers. That came about when I heard my name being paged on the P.A. system.When I finally caught up witht he guy, I was charged $5 and went to the p.r. office to get the message and made the call back to Columbia.I waited for quite a while before the 'copter came back across the course and I could get back to the infield to get back together with my dad and uncle.It turned out to be a call from a friend in Columbia who wanted me to play a gag on a couple of friends that night by doing a vocal imitation of Pres. Kennedy on their intercom system while they played cards. It turned out to be a funny routine leading up to a suprise birthday party for one of the guests.Ironically, five days later was Nov. 22, 1963. You should know the significance of that date.
Often, usually with my dad, we traveled from Columbia to the old half-mile track for weekly shows and Grand Nationals. I remember Lee Roy Yarbourgh going over the third turn fence driving a Mercury and once when Chief Steward and flgagman Pete Keller avoided a maddened crowd when he exited the flag stand and had his striped shirt off before he hit the ground and sprinted to his car, clearing the grounds in quick order. I can't recall what the controversy was.The '63 road course "510" for me was highlighted not so much by Fireball's final win but my trying to chase down the helicopter so I could get out of the infield and across the track without confronting a field of racers. That came about when I heard my name being paged on the P.A. system.When I finally caught up witht he guy, I was charged $5 and went to the p.r. office to get the message and made the call back to Columbia.I waited for quite a while before the 'copter came back across the course and I could get back to the infield to get back together with my dad and uncle.It turned out to be a call from a friend in Columbia who wanted me to play a gag on a couple of friends that night by doing a vocal imitation of Pres. Kennedy on their intercom system while they played cards. It turned out to be a funny routine leading up to a suprise birthday party for one of the guests.Ironically, five days later was Nov. 22, 1963. You should know the significance of that date.