With time ticking down to the annual running of the Daytona 500, we take a look at the roots of the Great American Race, which are burrowed deep in sand, over at Georgia Racing History.com .

Long before the opening of the Daytona International Speedway in 1959, racers from all over the country, including many Hall of Famers from Georgia, would travel to Daytona annually to race on the beach. Drivers like Roy Hall, Lloyd Seay, the Flock Brothers, Rex White, Red Byron, Bernard Long and more would do battle on the four mile road course that saw drivers go two miles up the beach, then turn and race two miles down A1A.

Over the years, several stories and legends emerged from those hard packed sands, and we take a look at a few of those this week over at Georgia Racing History.com .

Get well wishes go out this week to Georgia Racing Hall of Fame drag racer Hoyt Grimes, who had to undergo and emergency quadruple bypass recently. Hoyt is said to be at home, and, despite some discomfort, is doing very well and is expected to have a full recovery. All of us here at GRH.com want to send out well wishes for a speedy recovery to Hoyt, and we hope to see him very soon!

Don't forget, the 22nd annual Jack Jackson Peach Bowl Reunion is coming up on January 30th at the American Legion in Austell. If you're a former Peach Bowl competitor, official, fan or just a fan of racing, come on out and take part in this great annual gathering! Cost to attend is $15. For more information, contact Susan Morgan at 770-942-6380, 404-530-7385 or via email at smorgan5@comcast.net.

By the way, on January 31, Brittany Finley will be at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, Georgia, donating the pink hood she raced on her truck at Gresham Motorsports Park for cancer awareness. If you want to come out and say hi to Brittney and thank her for her work or to congratulate her on her history making championship victory, plan to be at the Hall around 9 a.m.

Happy Birthday wishes go out this week on Jan. 30 in memory of Roy Hall (1920-1991).

Thanks everybody, have a great weekend!

Brandon Reed
Georgia Racing History.com