Atlanta Motor Speedway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
EchoPark Speedway

Quad-oval (1997–present)
Location	1500 Tara Place Hampton, Georgia 30228
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (UTC−04:00 DST)
Coordinates	33°23′0.58″N 84°19′4.28″W / 33.3834944°N 84.3178556°W / 33.3834944; -84.3178556
Capacity	71,000
Owner	Speedway Motorsports (1990–present)
Broke ground	17 September 1958; 66 years ago (1958-09-17)
Opened	25 July 1960; 65 years ago (1960-07-25)
Construction cost	US$1.8 million
Former names	Atlanta International Raceway (1960–1990) Atlanta Motor Speedway (1991– May 2025)
Major events	Current: NASCAR Cup Series Ambetter Health 400 (1960–present) Quaker State 400 (1960–2010, 2021–present) The Winston (1986) NASCAR Xfinity Series Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 (1992–present) Focused Health 250 (2021–present) NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 208 (2004–2012, 2015–present) E-Z-Go 200 (2005–2008) Former: Indy Racing League Atlanta 500 Classic (1965–1966, 1978–1979, 1981–1983, 1998–2001) IMSA GT Championship Grand Prix of Atlanta (1993) AMA Superbike Championship (1993–1994)
Quad-oval (2022–present)
Length	1.540 mi (2.478 km)
Banking	Turns: 28° Straights: 5°
Race lap record	0:29.361 ( Josh Berry, Ford Mustang GT, 2024, NASCAR)
Quad-oval (1997–2021)
Length	1.540 mi (2.478 km)
Banking	Turns: 24° Straights: 5°
Race lap record	0:24.732 (224.163 mph) ( Billy Boat, Dallara IR-7, 1998, IRL)
Oval (1960–1996)
Length	1.522 mi (2.449 km)
Banking	Turns: 24° Straights: 5°
Road course (1992–1996)
Length	2.522 mi (4.059 km)
Race lap record	1:13.514 ( Juan Manuel Fangio II, Eagle Mk III, 1993, IMSA GTP)

EchoPark Speedway is a famous race track in Hampton, Georgia. It was known as Atlanta Motor Speedway for a long time and before that, Atlanta International Raceway. This track is a 1.540 mi (2.478 km) quad-oval, which means it's shaped like an oval with four distinct turns. Since it opened in 1960, it has hosted many exciting races, including those from NASCAR and IndyCar. The speedway can hold about 71,000 fans. It also has different track layouts, like a smaller 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) oval and a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) road course.

The idea for the track started in the late 1950s. People wanted to build a race track that could compete with the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After some delays, the first races happened in 1960. The track faced money problems early on but eventually became stable. In 1990, Bruton Smith and his company, Speedway Motorsports, bought the track. They made many improvements and changes over the years. Two big changes happened in 1997 and 2021, which changed how the track looked and how races were run.

About the Track

Track Shapes and Layouts

The EchoPark Speedway track is 1.54 miles (2.48 km) long. The turns are banked at 28 degrees, which means they are sloped steeply. The straight parts of the track are banked at 5 degrees. The track surface is different widths in different places. It's 52 feet wide on the front straight, 42 feet on the back straight, and 40 feet in the turns.

From 1997 to 2021, the track had 24-degree banking in the turns. When the track first opened in 1960, it was a true oval with 24-degree banking in the turns.

In 1992, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) road course was added. This course combines the main oval with a special section inside the track. In 1997, a smaller 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) oval was built on the front part of the track. This smaller oval is used for legends car racing, which features smaller, classic-looking race cars.

What Else is at the Speedway?

The Tara Place condominium complex (pictured in 2015).

EchoPark Speedway is easy to get to, located near major roads. In 2015, the track could hold 71,000 people. At its busiest, it could hold up to 124,000 fans. The track complex also has a nine-story building called Tara Place. This building has 46 apartments and a ballroom. It was finished in 1994. The entire speedway property covers about 850 acres of land.

Track History

How the Track Was Built

In 1958, people started planning to build a big race track south of Atlanta. They wanted it to be a major racing spot. A company called Atlanta International Raceway, Inc. (AIR) was created to lead the project. They hoped to host big races like those from NASCAR.

Building the track had many challenges. Selling shares to raise money was slow. There were also disagreements among the people in charge. Groundbreaking happened in September 1958, but actual construction didn't start until later that year.

Building Delays

The construction faced many delays. Drivers who were supposed to help promote the track threatened to quit. Money was tight, and bad weather, like 20 days of rain, stopped work. A big NASCAR race planned for November 1959 had to be postponed many times.

Eventually, new leaders took over and secured more money. They worked hard to get the track ready. NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. was hopeful but noted there was "a heck of a lot of work to do." The track finally opened on July 25, 1960, for its first race.

Early Years of Racing

The first tests on the track happened in July 1960. The track had some immediate problems, like a flaw near the pits and no guardrails. Rain also caused issues. Despite the challenges, the first race, the 1960 Dixie 300, was held. Edwin "Fireball" Roberts won the race.

In its early years, the track continued to make improvements. Guardrails were installed, and a new scoreboard was added. By 1963, the track started making a profit, showing it was becoming successful. There were even plans to build a dragstrip.

Financial Challenges and Changes

Over the years, many races were delayed by rain, which caused money problems for the track. There were also many changes in leadership. In 1968, the track merged with Michigan International Speedway. This merger brought plans for $1 million in renovations, including new paving and more seating.

However, the company that owned the track, American Raceways, soon faced financial trouble. There were many disagreements among the leaders. By 1970, the track was in serious debt. It even faced the threat of having its races canceled if it couldn't pay its taxes.

Bankruptcy and Recovery

In January 1971, Atlanta International Raceway officially filed for bankruptcy. This meant the court took over to help the track manage its debts. This was a difficult time for many race tracks. The track owed about $1.4 million.

Despite bankruptcy, the track was able to keep racing. The 1971 Atlanta 500 race was very important for its survival. Even though a storm damaged parts of the track in 1972, the races continued to make a profit. Over the next few years, new owners took control, and the track slowly worked its way out of bankruptcy. By March 1976, after five years, the track was officially out of bankruptcy.

New Ownership and Improvements

After bankruptcy, the track continued to make improvements. In 1978, the track was repaved. Sadly, in 1979, a mechanic was hit and killed on pit road. In 1984, a driver named Terry Schoonover died in a crash during a race. Because of this, new safety walls were built.

In 1986, the track hosted a special race called The Winston. More renovations were made, including another repave in 1988.

The Bruton Smith Era

In 1990, Bruton Smith, a well-known figure in motorsports, bought the track for $19.8 million. He immediately announced plans to invest $75 million in renovations. The track was also renamed Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Smith quickly started making changes. He built a new 21,000-seat grandstand and improved traffic flow. In 1992, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) road course was added. A new condominium complex, Tara Place, was also built, opening in 1994.

1997 Track Changes

In 1994, more renovations were planned, including adding 68,000 seats and changing the track's shape. The track was changed from a true oval to a quad-oval in 1997. This change cost $30 million and added 37,000 seats. It also included a smaller 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) oval for legends car racing. Some drivers were not happy about these changes at first.

In 2005, a tornado hit the speedway, causing about $40 million in damage to the grandstands and other buildings. Luckily, the race track itself was not damaged. Over the years, the track's seating capacity was reduced to 71,000.

Recent Changes and New Name

In late 2019, there was a proposal to build a huge entertainment complex at the speedway. This plan depended on whether gambling would become legal in Georgia. While the idea had some support, it hasn't moved forward much.

In 2021, the track was repaved and reconfigured again. The banking in the turns was increased to 28 degrees, and the track surface was made narrower. This change was meant to make the racing more exciting, similar to what you see at very large superspeedways. Some drivers didn't like this change, saying they weren't asked for their opinion.

On June 3, 2025, the track was renamed EchoPark Speedway. This new name comes from a sponsorship deal with the company EchoPark.

Events

Racing Events

NASCAR Races

EchoPark Speedway hosts two big NASCAR weekends each year. These include two NASCAR Cup Series races: the Ambetter Health 400 and the Quaker State 400. The track also hosts two NASCAR Xfinity Series races and one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. These are support races for the main Cup Series events.

In 1986, the track hosted a special race called The Winston (now the NASCAR All-Star Race). It was supposed to move to different tracks each year, but after this race, it moved to Charlotte Motor Speedway permanently.

IndyCar Races

In 1961, the track planned to host a race with Indianapolis-style cars. However, the race was canceled because the track was not safe enough for these very fast cars. Four years later, in 1965, the track finally hosted an IndyCar race. These races continued for a few years.

In 1997, the Indy Racing League (IRL) started racing at the track. They held a 500 kilometres (310 mi) race for four years, from 1998 to 2001.

Other Uses of the Speedway

The speedway has been used for many other things besides racing. It has often served as a safe place for people to go when hurricanes threaten their homes. This happened during hurricanes like Irma (2017), Florence (2018), Michael (2018), Dorian (2019), Ian (2022), and Idalia (2023).

In 2021, the Atlanta Marathon was held at the speedway and its roads. This was because of rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also in 2021, the TV show America's Got Talent: Extreme filmed its first season at the track.

Movies Filmed at the Track

EchoPark Speedway has been a filming location for several movies. It was first used in the 1962 movie Thundering Wheels. Later, it appeared in the 1980 film Smokey and the Bandit II. It was also used for Six Pack (1982) and Stroker Ace (1983). More recently, the 2017 movie Logan Lucky used the speedway as a stand-in for another famous track.

Lap Records

As of February 2025, here are some of the fastest official race lap records at EchoPark Speedway:

Images for kids

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  Track logo when it was known as "Atlanta Motor Speedway".

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  Tornado damage to the facility caused by Hurricane Cindy in 2005.

See also

In Spanish: Atlanta Motor Speedway para niños