Surveying the layout of Hampton’s Atlanta Motor Speedway from the infield could make even Goliath feel small. The huge 1.54-mile track, infield, and surrounding area cover 870 acres of land in Henry County.
The super speedway is not huge because some millionaire wanted to build a massive shrine to his wealth. It is huge because it must accommodate nearly 250,000 people a weekend during a Winston Cup race.The large number of race fans, along with daily tours and racing camps like The Richard Petty Driving Experience, make AMS the largest money maker in the sports industry of Atlanta.
The speedway brings in $2.275 billion of the $4.5 billion Atlanta sports revenue according to the Atlanta Council of Sports.That’s about 51 percent. That’s also more than the Hawks, Braves, and Falcons combined.

This did not happen overnight. In the early years of the track, it was riddled with financial troubles. The first instance came while the track was being built, when four of the original investors had to pull their money out. More investors stepped in, and the track was completed in 1960, the same year as its first race.
The track was known for its poor facilities throughout the next three decades, which led to more financial instabilities. In 1990, O. Bruton Smith, owner of Lowe’s (then Charlotte) Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and others around the country, bought the track and sank $100 million into it.
He beautified the campus surrounding the track, built new offices and condominiums, and added Petty Park in honor of legend Richard Petty.
Now, the track is one of the premier speedways on the Winston Cup series and one of the nicest sports complexes in the country. Each year it plays host to two Winston Cup races, that feature stars like Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhart Jr. and Jeff Gordon.

Michael Hall
intern.