I got to meet Atlanta Motor Speedway president, Ed Clark, at a Thursday Night Thunder show a few weeks back and he was the most down to Earth and laid back person I have ever seen considering he is president and responsible for one of the best NASCAR tracks on the circuit. I saw him talking and laughing with everyone in the pits and taking time to have conversations with them. He knew
who they were, who their families and pit crews were, and what cars they drove. He just is a really good person.
He got into racing when his favorite uncle took him to a race at Martinsville, Virginia and from that moment on it was all he wanted to do. In high school he started covering races for a local newspaper and in college he got a job with Bristol Motor Speedway a month before he graduated from Virginia Tech, (he's a Hokie), in 1977 and it's all he's been doing every since. He has also driven in Nascar by racing at Rockingham in 1980. Mr. Clark has been at Atlanta Motor Speedway since July of 1992 and will be celebrating his 20th anniversary with the track this month. He was made president of the race track in 1995.
The day in the life of a NASCAR track president, from what he tells me, is that there are never two days that are the same. There's always something new, exciting and challenging everyday. When I asked him what he would choose between driving NASCAR and Legends cars he said that NASCAR pays more but Legends don't cost as much so it's an even trade off. He can be seen driving in the Thursday Night Thunder series in a 1934 Ford Sedan legend car that he has been driving for 9 years and he likes to call "Red Rooster" because of it's Dodge Viper red color. He got into driving a legends car because the track typically has an intermission race and one year it was supposed to be between 3 disc jockeys but one didn't show and he stepped in. He fell in love quickly. It's a family atmosphere between the drivers and no one treats him differently. Some don't even know he's the president, just that he drives the "Red Rooster". Everyone treats him just like everyone else with no special treatment and he has nothing to do with the calls or cautions. If there needs to be a call made between him and another driver his standing rule is, if there is a question about it, to make it against him. It's a reason everyone in the pits likes him so much.
The series Mr. Clark drives in, the Thursday Night Thunder series, was started in North Carolina when a man by the name of Elliot Forbes Robinson brought the idea to Humpy Wheeler and they got it started with funding by Bruton Smith. Donnie Allison and his family started out building the cars but when demand became so high they started their own factory and as of today, over 5000 have been built. Texas, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Kentucky and Charlotte all have active programs and New Hampshire is getting one established now. The series runs a 10 race, 8 week, summer season with 8 differents classes. The rest of the year they run about every 3 weeks with a winter series called "Winter Flurry" that has 6 races and a champion for both series.
There are 50 plus drivers that have drove in the series that have gone on to Sprint Cup, Nationwide, K&N Series, ARCA, and Indy Cars. Some of the biggest names are David Ragan, Reed Sorenson, Joey Logano, Casey Roderick, and Max Gresham just to name a few. It brings all walks of life to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Parents can use the series to see what their kids can do and if they show potential they can move up. It creates great drivers because the Legends cars take finesse and skill to drive. You can't just slam on breaks or hit the gas in these cars because the car will break and come around on you. Sprint Cup drivers have even said if you can master these cars you can drive just about anywhere because you learn to finesse and get just about everything out of the car. It's all handling and driving skill.
Usual progression for a driver is that most start out young in the quarter midgets, then come into Bandalero, onto Legends cars and if all goes well, they can move into late model sportsman and bigger divisions from there. You definitely have to have the talent and experience before you can move up. To see the younger drivers go on to bigger things makes Ed Clark extremely proud because he was there to see them grow and progress and it makes it all worth while to him. Recently, a series graduate, by the name of Joey Logano won a NASCAR race at Pocono. Mr. Clark had a banner made for him to not only congratulate him but to show the younger drivers in the program that they can make it. He's also been willing to help out younger drivers that he has seen potential and dedication in by maybe helping set them up with a potential sponsor or a team that can give them a ride. It's a tough climb and any help he can give he's willing to do. Especially when they've helped support the program there at AMS. He likes the drivers and likes to see the commitement and dedication they put into the cars.
In October, Atlanta will have it's Legends National Race where the best of the best come to race. Some guys even come from overseas. In fact, some of these cars can be found as far away as Russia. The race is called "The Big Money Race" and has between 200 and 250 cars that are expected to be there. It's sponsored by U.S. Legends Cars Company and INEX which stands for inexpensive racing. Also, coming up for Atlanta Motor Speedway is the big NASCAR Labor Day weekend race. Friday night will see the truck series race, Saturday night will be the Nationwide Series race, and Sunday night is the big Sprint Cup series race. It's not just racing that they'll have, there will be activities in the fanzone and concerts which gives the overall feel of a state fair in a race program. It's the biggest Labor Day party in the U.S. If I could say anything about this race it's that, you just can NOT get the feel or atmoshere of this track and race from t.v., you have to be there in person and you need to get your tickets NOW! Check out their website and get yourself some tickets and drive on up to check out some wild Legends action!
