Back in the day when cars were flat towed or towed by their driver some were kinda superstitious and watched their travel for any help they could get ... one was a special road that was hunted to travel on for luck... Any one know anything about this special road???????
Highway 9 through Dahlonega and Dawsonville? Had a gold streak there at one time.
I heard that pre-race bit from Ned, too. That was interesting.
TMC...was that for the 'shine hauled over it or for what Bill Elliott did for the # 9 ????Maybe bothadded a "gold streak" to it.
Seems to me I read somewhere in Ga there is a Square in the middle of town that you had to negotiate going north or south that put you on display to the good folks of that town,this was before interstate, and I think it was 129 that drag cars along with circle cars would travel. there was a mystery of what or why this court house square seemed to bless our sport so much. ANY one know the Origin of this tale??
After "extensive" research (i.e. this is a wild guess) , I shall choose Newnan, Georgia and the Courthouse Square on U.S. Highway 29 . That was always a lucky road for me. I went to school in Charlottesville, Va. and Highway 29 split the "Grounds." I later lived in Greensboro, NC near Highway 29.
U.S. 29 runs from the racing hotbed of Pensacola, Florida and continues "nawth" through such historic auto racing communities as Charlotte, North Carolina and Danville, Virginia before ending at Mt. Hebron, Maryland. Seems as good a guess as any, lol.
Neunan, Georgia Courthouse Square on U.S. Highway 29
If I tell you all the answers then you would have nothing to ponder over. Remember when your teacher would give you tid bits of info and you would relish those thoughts and your mind wound wander all through life looking for the correct or sometimes what you thought was the correct answer???
Great photo of an era thats slowly losing its battle to remain a part of our rich history
NOW you are saying I dont know what Im talking about HUH????
Could it be YOU dont know what Im talking about???
Taking into the equation that U.S. Highway 129 is considered a "subservient" family member highway to U.S. 29, I made my wild guess taking into consideration ole Johnny's memory might be fuzzy!
"Unlike its parent within the Peach State, U.S. 129 strays away from Interstates for the most part. The U.S. Highway crosses the entire length of the state from the Florida state line southeast of Valdosta northward to the Tennessee state line in the north Georgia Mountains. U.S. 129 does not remain rural in focus throughout Georgia as it visits the cities of Warner Robins (famous for professional wrestling's Brad Armstrong!), Macon, Athens (home to the University of Georgia), and Gainesville on the 300+ mile journey."
Are we ready now for Johnny to turn into Paul Harvey or do we have to tune in tomorrow?
Dave, If you only knew how many readers follow this proverbial list of editorial awareness that is placed in the hands of many that didnt know the outcome of certain quests in days gone by read here the most knowledgeable information of those happenings. You sir along with our lady of wit keep most if not all on the edge of our seats waiting for the next installment of THE RENDITION of the way it was back WHEN???
How'd you say that without coming up for air?!
Took lessons from you and PKL
Johnny just might be speaking of Hawkinsville, Ga. home to my first race track that I raced on in Ga.
------- Highway 129 runs from bottom to top of Ga and wrangles through some old and scenic areas. Along those ways the interstate system took the travelers off the roads leaving some all but ghost towns. I could go on for hours on what has been left behind in history on Ga's roads B U T im not.
The answer to the original inset is Hartford Ga. A small lazy town just south of Hawkinsville Ga.
I can remember my dad and the guys that raced in that era of the 50's telling the tale of an old gentleman who sat out in front of what I can remember as a courthouse on the bench along side the circle. All cars,trucks and wagons,the kind cotton was hauled on, had to navigate the square. Tale is that this older gent of color would nod or either place a or cast a spell on you as you circumvent this area. Some were blessed and they were rewarded with good finishes on those weekends.
After the interstates were put in we started going over and down 75 to Valdosta and FLa tracks.. Call it an old wives tale or what you wish but I know back then certain contributions were made on that square to get the nod of success. Now someone may,or may not pick this up and continue it, But there are getting fewer and fewer minds of those days gone by left to validate the wonderful days of------ Growing up a Racers Son in Georgia--------------------------------- that to me is M E M O R I E S
A good story, Johnny.
Some may say its a story and some may pass it off as a tale---but whatever I lived the ride and remember the sights and smelled the unique smells of different towns. But I too can remember those times well well when we did certain things,not one car but several. You see the 3 cars that were so closely manicured by Bob Brown always left Together on mast occasions unless there were multiple tracks to go to in an area. Then there were decisions that Bob.JW and dad made as to who went where.. --------------------------memories
When this was the way to go I think you were indeed thought of as a Northerner, didnt use that other word
Yep, PK, you'd have been right at home watching our late Virginia driver Bubba Tatum.
As posted on the RR Tribute page to Bubba.
http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/group/rememberingbubbatatum
Johnny. I never heard of that track. I thought that it may have been the old horse track at Hawkinsville. I guess that i was close. Huh????
its not a track,its a town you go through
Still haven't heard of it.
Do we need Jeff Gilder's assistance in asking a clear question? haha
http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/forum/topics/how-many-drivers-competed-in-winston-cup
Wahoo wa...
But that time began in 1966, when it was an ALL male school, except for the graduate school of nursing. That's why we made "road trips" to all the girls' colleges around the state.
There was also a male University President and a male Chairman of the Board of Visitors. Not a female Chairwoman or President like the one who was fired week before last and reinstated last week.
I'm afraid Mr. Jefferson's University has become pretty Mickey Mouse.
Yeah I know PKL. He is an OK guy though. I told him once that he was around when the Dead Sea was just sick.He got a kick out of that. But like I said he is alright.
IF and only if you look you will see that 129 and alt129 intersect in Hartford but if you were to have looked a little closer you would have seen that familiar number that you say Ned Jarrett talked about.
Yes Hawkinsville is the county seat of Pulaski county and there is a courthouse there but in the old town of Hartford where all those roads intersected US 129--US 129 alt and highway 11 there was a square that traffic went around,kinda like it was an auction area for cotton and what else I dont know, but it IS a small cozy town thats quiet and laid back.
Im not no historian but only conveying what was told to me or what I saw growing up. My dad and myself were tight,as in I went where he went,except when I was deposited at school, and yes I did miss a few days of school to attend the ongoings of a race proceeding .
Look at what you have learned over this, I was telling you what I remember of the past in racing through Ga. As we have these small outings sometimes things will come back to me that I saw,heard or was a part of in the travels of the old racing days. I cannot describe in words how those days reflected on todays remembrance of days gone by. Only way I can preserve the memories is by script.
Ive been told Ive smelled to much of the wonderful smells associated with racing, if thats so then I will continue to be what I am because im hooked on it and LIFE
