Tornado Hit Atlanta Motor Speedway and Tara Field Wed. (photo)

BrianNC

BrianNC

Well-Known Member
I didn't see any post of this, but a tornado hit Atlanta Motor Speedway and Tara Field (4A7) in Hampton (south of Atlanta) Wed. Night. It did about an estimated 40 million of damage to the speedway. Here is a picture from the AJC website of the airport.

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Spencer Murphy, a pilot with Smith Air Inc., inspects the Falcon 10 (left) and Lear 35 (right) that he flies at Clayton County Airport/Tara Field, which suffered extensive damage to hangars and planes from Wednesday night's storms.
 
I'm trying to figure out if we should send ROFIBC flowers or not?
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and his boy jeff gordon isn't having a good season so far. well at least buy jeff gordon standards

adam
 
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Spencer Murphy, a pilot with Smith Air Inc.,

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This guy gave me my first flight lesson. That storm was pretty nasty. They just finished with the powerlines in my neighborhood today.
 
Re: Tornado Hit Atlanta Motor Speedway and Tara Field Wed. (photo

I'm pretty sure I'm right about this, but Smith Air was started by a Delta pilot, now deceased. I flew with him on the DC-8. Ron Smith I believe. He built his business flying short notice charters for the auto plants around the country, originally started it in Detroit where he was from.

I know a guy that lives near the raceway that lost the roof to his house. While I do believe a tornado or two is what hit the speedway, I wouldn't be surprised if a downburst wasn't what took my friend's roof off. Downbursts are great at cleanly removing roofs. The high velocity wind turns the roof into an airfoil, low pressure on the top side lifts it right off. This damage is often attributed to a tornado.

The news about the raceway overshadowed the news about the airport and surrounding homes. Thankfully it looks like no one was hurt.
 
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I'm trying to figure out if we should send ROFIBC flowers or not?
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Doug,

Not to worry...only went to one race at Crackertown, USA's track. In 1998...the year a race with a noon starting time, finished at 2345 and still only ran 335 out of 500 miles. Track dryers had more laps than the cars. That was back when the Atlanta race was the season ending race and billed as the race "where champions are crowned" as they presented the Winston Cup to the season champion after the race.

Worst part was getting out the next day. Took three hours just to get from the track to the I20/I285 interchange. So much for a one day drive home. Said I'd never go back. Biggest problem is the infrastructure in the vicinity of the track. Just no quick way to get in and out of the place, unlike Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. I've heard that Phoenix has the same problem due to it's distance from I10 but they're working on a freeway feeder. Take a trip out there for me and report back will ya? I may try and make that race! Woo Hoo!

Interestingly enough the pictures of the damage are the OLD grandstand/suites. They're located on the backstretch, which used to be the front stretch before they reconfigured the track from an oval to a "D oval" like Charlotte and Texas. (all owned by the same guy) Rumor was they were going to tear them down and put up newer, more modern ones like those on the current front stretch. Now Bruton Smith (the tightwad owner) can get the insurance company to pay for that upgrade! Who said there's never a silver lining in a dark cloud?

Speaking of NASCAR...Jeff's having "not a good year" at least by his standards. Yesterday at Chicago wasn't much better. Got punted into the wall by Mike Bliss. Plus junior won, although he probably wont' make the "chase" either. Oh well, with four championships in 11 seasons it was inevitable he'd have a bad one sooner or later. Although it's a long shot, there's still enough races to make it, if he can start getting good finishes.

BTW...going to the LAST EVER Council 47 Local meeting this Friday. Reb and Daryle McGinnis will be there! Since we retirees can't use the DALPA forums any more, we decided to go to the local council meeting instead. Hope Reb brings "sexyannemarie"! Double Woo Hoo!
 
Re: Tornado Hit Atlanta Motor Speedway and Tara Field Wed. (photo

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Speaking of NASCAR...Jeff's having "not a good year" at least by his standards.

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Which is making this season much more enjoyable by some people's standards.
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and his boy jeff gordon isn't having a good season so far. well at least buy jeff gordon standards

adam

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It's called the "Daytona 500 Winners Curse".

In the past 25 years only one driver has won the Daytona 500 and the Cup Championship in the same year. That was Jeff Gordon in 1997.

In fact since the "modern era" started in 1975 (when they instituted the points system used until the "chase" came into existence last year) only three drivers have ever accomplished the "double" if you want to call it that.

In addition to Jeff doing it in 1997, Richard "The King" Petty did it in 1979 and Cale Yarborough in 1977. FWIW Yarborough was the only driver EVER to win three straight championships.

So much for NASCAR History 101!
 
Re: Tornado Hit Atlanta Motor Speedway and Tara Field Wed. (photo

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Which is making this season much more enjoyable by some people's standards.
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Yeah, and sadly some "fans" spend most of their time rejoicing other's failures than their favorite driver's successes. While my favorite NASCAR driver is Jeff Gordon I cheer any driver who wins a race. I only wish that at the end of every race i can say,

"Good race, nobody got hurt". They are all out there, risking their lives to give the "fans" some entertainment, whichmakes them champions in my book.

But then I've been attending races since 1953 so have had considerable time to contemplate what they are doing and how I should view it. Comes with being an old phart!
 
Re: Tornado Hit Atlanta Motor Speedway and Tara Field Wed. (photo

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Which is making this season much more enjoyable by some people's standards.
smile.gif


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Yeah, and sadly some "fans" spend most of their time rejoicing other's failures than their favorite driver's successes. While my favorite NASCAR driver is Jeff Gordon I cheer any driver who wins a race.

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Good point. I'd be just as happy if Jeff was running third or fourth. It was just getting a little monotonous when he was winning them all. (My wife would say calling a car race monotonous is redundant.) I think Jeff get on many people's s**t list when he married the kewpie doll and started doing his holier roller than thou routine. But he will come back strong I'm sure.
 
Re: Tornado Hit Atlanta Motor Speedway and Tara Field Wed. (photo

Yeah, my former instructor flies for Smith Air. He said they lost 4 out of 5 lears, and the 5th one was in NY.
 
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