Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 16C
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Thursday, J»nu»ry 14,1999
1999 Eastern Grands
awarded to NGQMA
By Stephen Underwood
Sports Editor
The North Georgia Quarter
Midget Association has landed
the big one. And for that organi
zation, Cumming and Forsyth
County, it’s means that 1999 will
be a lot more than just the end of
the millennium.
Bidding against the Zenia, Ohio
QMA, the NGQMA has been
announced as the host club for
the ‘99 Eastern Grand Nationals,
one of three huge national-level
competitions that take place each
year.
The week-long event will be
held in late July of ‘99, with
many competitors also arriving at
least a few days early to begin
practicing.
It could draw as many as 500
racers, which with their families
and other spectators, would mean
that 1,500-2,000 people or more
will be visiting' Cumming
Fairgrounds Raceway Park and
the Cumming-Forsyth area.
“It will have a big impact on the
area,” said NGQMA President
Bill Thomas, noting that motels,
restaurants and other businesses
will be positively affected. The
City of Cumming supported the
bid and is very excited about
having the event.
“Our little town has done some
thing really unexpected,” Thomas
added.
NGQMA Public Relations
Director Mike Dozier said the
organization has a lot of work to
do in the next year-plus. “Our
first objective is to establish a
budget, then find some people to
help us fund the event for us,” he
said.
“As a club ... we don’t have the
resources to put it on by our
selves. Hopefully, businesses will
see the benefits of helping us put
this on.”
The NGQMA will also be look
ing at some facility improve
ments to take care of all of the
competitors and amassing infor
mation to assist all of the visitors
during their stay. It will be quite
an undertaking for the 29-family
club.
“We’re very excited, but a little
overwhelmed,” Dozier laughed.
Already, though, Lee DeFeo has
been named Grands Chairman
and the process is well underway.
The announcement took place
recently at the QMA national
meeting in Las Vegas. Thomas
and his wife were in attendance
and the three-day event had
almost ended. “We did not think
we would get it, but at the last
ERA A-l realty
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Photo/Stephen Underwood
Leading the way
NGQMA Public Relations Director Mike Dozier and President Bill
Thomas at the Cumming Raceway Track.
minute, we did,” he said.
Thomas made just one call to a
member from Vegas, but word
quickly spread and the club met
when they returned before mak
ing the announcement public.
Thomas and Dozier noted that
competitors from over 15 states
have already been here for small
er nationally-sanctioned races,
plus the Junior Sprint Car events.
“We’ve drawn from all over the
east coast ... and the hospitality
factor is huge here,” said Dozier.
“People comment on how nice
the facility is, how well they are
treated and how good the food
is.”
The association and its local
and area youth racers have come
a long way. Less than three years
ago, the first local quarter-midget
racing event was staged in the
parking lot adjacent to the old
Russell’s building.
Then the raceway park was
built at the Cumming
Fairgrounds and competitions
BEST STORIES OF '9B
began in early ‘96. But no one
really expected to get the Grands
this soon.
When Dozier and his wife put
together an attractive proposal
package, they expected that it
would be at least the following
year, as often happens, before
they had a chance. Plus, they had
a new facility bidding against the
1996 host from Ohio. “Our main
purpose was laying a foundation
for the future,” he said.
Last year, the event was in
Syracuse, N.Y. and this summer
it is in New Jersey.
The NGQMA will start its ‘9B
season in March, and again this
year hold the Apple Blossom
Classic (May) and the Cotton
Classic (September). They will
also host the JSCA Speed Week
in July and have points-series
races from March through
November.
Published February 15, 1998
• ♦
Ground broken for Thunder Road
• •
• •
Hall of Fame in Dawsonville
By Jonathan Hamilton
Staff Writer
What could be better than classic
cars, great weather and an “old
time” car race? Nothing, accord
ing to the excited racing fans that
attended the ground-breaking
weekend for the Thunder Road
USA-Georgia Racing Hall of
Fame in Dawsonville.
“The response was great,” said
project director Frank Singleton.
“We had a great turnout for all the
festivities. We anticipated good
enthusiasm, but it has exceeded
even what we projected.”
By 3:15 p.m. traffic was at a
standstill in front of Thunder
Road-USA. Nearly 1,000 people
showed up for the 4 p.m. ground
breaking and were treated to free
refreshments and the opportunity
to view 16 different architectural
drawings of the future Hall.
But the highlight was the defi
nitely the “old-timers” car race
after the shovel ceremony.
A rousing cheer went up from
the crowd as Chairman of the
Board Bobby Wallace dug up the
first shovel full of earth to begin
the groundbreaking festivities. The
other board members each got to
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dig a shovelful of dirt as well.
The ceremonies concluded with
Raymond Parks winning the 10-
lap exhibition race - some 50
years after winning his first
NASCAR trophy in the late 19405.
“It was great,” said Singleton. “If
you are a racing fan, your heart
had to skip a beat when you saw
the cloud of red dust being kicked
up as the vintage cars roared
around the track.”
The Second Annual Classic Car
Show helped get the ground
breaking festivities for Thunder
Road off to a roaring success.
The show was held in the park
ing lot of the Dawson County HS
on Saturday afternoon.
Car enthusiasts came from all
over North Georgia to check out
the cool cars. There was an inter
esting variety of cars - from
souped-up “muscle" cars to cus
tom-built roadsters.
“This is my pretty weather car,”
said retired businessman Jim
Turpin. “The ‘33 Ford Roadster
does get warm because it doesn’t
have air-conditioning. No side
windows to keep the cool air in.”
“Or the warm air out.” laughed
his wife.
The show definitely had a nostal-
• ♦
gic feel, with MAJIC 102.9 spin?
ning the “oldies” tunes as the
fans wandered among the the cljs?
sic machines.
But don’t think that the evqn|-
was ruled by the testosterone,
crowd. Sisters Tammy
Adams and Terry Adams were’a;
big hit with their Ford T-Bucket/.’.
“We win awards at every show
we enter,” said Terry. “It isT-rt
hobby car, but we also take it ont
on the street.” •?.
Hugh Smith of Dahlonega was ’a
winner on Saturday afternoon
and not just for his 427 Ford
Cobra or ‘55 Chevy. He won the
350-horsepower engine that Was
the door prize. ’•?
“I have been involved in restdr-’
ing cars and working on cars f<Jr
over 35 years,” said Smith. *‘.l
never expected to win the 35D-.
horse power engine that was the
door prize.” •?•
“I have the perfect car to put-it
in.” he added.
Judging from the enthusiasrri-Qt
all of the ground-breaking events,’
the Thunder Road USA-Georgia
Racing Hall of Fame is headed for
the winner’s circle.
Published September 16,1998