Why You Should See Georgia’s Racing Hall of Fame

In the memory of Alex Trebek and his beloved Jeopardy game show, we pose this question for the win.

“Name the only city in Georgia where you can apply for a driver’s license, visit a racing museum and then tour a moonshine distillery all in the same building?”

If your answer was, “What is Dawsonville, Georgia?” you would be correct.

Located just 49 miles from Atlanta in Dawson county, Dawsonville is the southern starting point of the 2,146-mile Appalachian Trail. This picturesque corner of the state is home to several areas of note for Corvette enthusiasts.

The Atlanta Motorsport Park, designed by Formula One architect Hermann Tilke quickly comes to mind. There is also the outstanding MTI Racing facilities, and of course, Gordon Pirkle’s Dawsonville Pool Room.

Roots Of Racing

Automobile racing has been around for about as long as the automobile. Once cars started to gain in popularity on the roads, they were beginning to race each other.

“There is no doubt about precisely when folks began racing each other in automobiles. It was the day they built the second automobile.”
— Richard Petty

Some of the earliest races were done by moonshiners who had unofficial races with law enforcement officials to avoid arrest in the North Georgia mountains.

These early events were elements in the development of the National Association of Stock Car Racing, which became known as NASCAR, in 1947.

Stepping inside the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame opens your eyes to the rich racing culture of Georgia. While other racing forms are featured, it’s the evolution of NASCAR that takes center stage throughout.

Private Tour With A Legend

We are fortunate to have a private, guided tour with local racing historian Gordon Pirkle, Sr.

The 84-year-old Mr. Pirkle is the famed Dawsonville Pool Room owner and one of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame directors.

Mr. Gordon made the museum come alive with his vivid recollection of the various drivers and their exploits. Throughout the tour, the vintage cars and collectible memorabilia took on a life of its own through his storytelling.

What amazed us was the sheer volume of racing memorabilia the museum has on display. They run the gamut from history-making race cars to trophies and everything else race-related.

The entire museum is beautifully designed with its engaging displays to capture your imagination and pique your curiosity around every corner. Honestly, a well thought out concept that you could get lost in for hours trying to experience it all.

Gordon Pirkle has given his heart and soul to the museum of Georgia racing history. When asked about his tireless contribution, the only thing he asks in return is that people remember the racers’ names enshrined here.

Amazing Bill Elliott

You can’t talk about Georgia racing, especially in Dawsonville, without mentioning Bill Elliott and his family. The highlight of the museum for many visitors is the Elliott Family Room.

This room features trophies and memorabilia from Bill’s fantastic racing career, along with the 1988 Coors/Melling Ford Thunderbird. Bill was the first native Georgian to claim stock car racing’s highest-level championship.

He holds the all-time track record for the fastest qualifying speed at Talladega at 212.809 miles per hour and Daytona International Speedway at 210.364 miles per hour..

The collection of trophies, awards, and various other memorabilia demonstrate what the tall redhead from the North Georgia Mountains and his family have meant to NASCAR.

Given that his son, Chase Elliott, won the 2020 NASCAR championship, they may have to expand the museum a bit in the future.

Moonshine Distillery

Even before Prohibition, distillers gathered in secret locations throughout the Georgia mountains, brewing up homemade spirits to sell under the radar and away from alcohol taxes and bans.

They worked under the light of the moon, in hopes that no one would detect smoke rising from the stills and ultimately bust the operation – a practice that earned the booze its name “moonshine.”

The Georgia Racing Hall of Fame pays tribute to the moonshiners that gave birth to America’s favorite motorsport.

Many of them, such as Lloyd Seay, Roy Hall, and Raymond Parks, along with Charlie Mincey and Gober Sosebee, hauled rum from Dawsonville through the moonlit North Georgia back roads to Atlanta.

The Dawsonville Moonshine Distillery was started and is still run today by an actual moonshining family from this area. Although their liquor sale is legal now, the distillers continue to make their product using old family recipes.

Many of which have come down over nine generations to the current owner.

In The Heart of Race Country

Georgia’s Racing Hall of Fame is located deep in the heart of the State’s racing country. It is a meticulously curated home for many memorable moments of racing history.

The beautiful displays draw you through the Peach State’s racing accomplishments effortlessly. The Elliott Family Legacy Room is worth the price of admission alone.

If you love racing, plan on taking the trip through the gorgeous Appalachian Mountain foothills to Dawsonville. You can tour the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and pick up a little moonshine while you’re there.