Track Clean Up Day?

Dan Flanders · Post by **Dan Flanders** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:05 am

Georgia only has one surviving asphalt kart track in the whole state (Barnesville). I had talked to some folks that had run one near Lexington, GA back in the early 60's, but no one could remember exactly where it was. Anyway, I went looking for a long-lost track and this is what I found. http://youtube.com/watch?v=y_T3E0dAjhs

I was probably 10 miles away from where it was 'supposed' to be, but none the less it is still there. Lots of pine needle and tree growth, but the all in all I think the black-top is in decent shape under all the deposition. Does anyone out there remember running at this track? Terry Armstrong found a reference to 1978 WKA Regional Race being held there...

Just another cool aspect of vintage karting...Besides paint, chrome and metal-work you can also throw in a little archeology.

Dan

Ernie Shores · Post by **Ernie Shores** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:56 am

Did you find the fellows from deliverance living near that old track?

Great video

Ernie

Dan Flanders · Post by **Dan Flanders** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:48 am

Very funny Ernie.... Believe me I know the opening pluck of 'Dueling Banjos' by heart (I was a white water raft guide for 10 years) and would have tore-ass out of there by the second note.
It definitely felt remote, even though its maybe 10 minutes to town from the track. It is next to a big granite quarry with 0 neighbors so I don't think noise would be an issue. I am going to track down the owner and see if I can get permission to clean it up enough to take some laps.

Dan

Ernie Shores · Post by **Ernie Shores** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:57 pm

Dan:
Keep me posted on the progress of getting the track up and running. We guys down south here need a place to run.
Ernie

Rob Voska · Post by **Rob Voska** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 7:25 pm

It's no wonder all the old karts have bent front axles.
There's TREES right next to the track!

david a luciani · Post by **david a luciani** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:59 pm

wow , i guess you'll have to convert one of the kart motors back to a saw for a while.

i hope you pull off the permission thing looks like a cool track.
dave

Terry Armstrong · Post by **Terry Armstrong** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:42 pm

Dan,

Thanks for the lap! Kind of like the original Nurburgring in Germany, lots of natural hazards that separated the brave from the foolish

!

Map says it's 44.5 miles from my door (1 hour). What kind of tools would we need to uncover the track? If you can get permission, might come down in 2 weeks.

Maybe we can recruit some others?

Terry

Dan Flanders · Post by **Dan Flanders** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:05 am

Natural hazards are an understatement...
Taylor and I are going out there tomorrow evening to take a closer, more critical look at it. I'll bring a shovel and do a couple of test digs to see what the macadam looks like at various points.

I also need to head over to the tax assessors office and figure out who owns it and try to secure permission before we start sinking a bunch of time and energy into it. Nothing says get the hell off my property like small arms fire, better safe than sorry in my book although there are no signs posted and no gates barring entrance, it simply looks abandoned.

I figure if we are going to do it right, we'll need the requisite VW micro-bus with shovels, rakes and implements of destruction before we head out. If all goes well, we may have access to a sweet little tractor with bucket and scraper attachments that would sure make things a lot easier. Definitely would be bring shovels, rake, chain saw, leaf-blower etc.

I'll take the camera and post more pictures tomorrow evening.

Dan

jmendoza · Post by **jmendoza** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:55 am

Looks like a perfect job for someone who has a little Bobcat and attachements. Even if the trees were all cut, the stump removal would be no small task. Buy a case of dynamite

Not often you find something like that, how did you locate it?

Dan Flanders · Post by **Dan Flanders** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:42 am

Sorry for the delay....
I headed back for a closer look at the track. There are a couple sections that are a little rough, with cracking pavement and buckles from tree roots. However, it is in remarkably good shape for having sat idle for nearly 30 years, especially here in the south with the rain, heat and vegatative growth. The major issue is just clearing away the pine needles and the accumulated dirt and plant growth. Definitely no small undertaking, but I think the track surface is sound. We'll see how this pans out, I am not going to get my hopes up too high. Next step will be a trip to the assessors office to find out who owns the property.

Jay, to answer your question, I heard stories about the track from Michael Jackson who had run back there in the early 60's. All he could remember is that it was waaaaay out in the country somewhere. The president of the kart club down at Barnesville had identified a possible location using Google Map. I took a drive out to where the track was "supposed" to be. Luckily, the house next to field was having a garage sale so I pulled up in the driveway go out and asked a very confused young lady "Do you have an old go kart track out in your field?" Definitely not a great pick up line because she went straight to get her dad.

Luckily, her dad (5th generation in the county) remembered where it was a gave me directions. Despite his excellent directions, it was still difficult to find. It was hidden, literally off the side of a side road. Once I knew where it was, I was able to find it on the satellite view of Google Earth, kart tracks tend to have a very distinct shape once you know what you are looking for.

Dan

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