What was once a farmer’s field became a world class motorsports facility. Another track’s loss due to flood damage was Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta’s gain when a Cam-Am series race had to find a new home in a hurry. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta literally took form in a six-month rush to excavate, grade and pave a 12-turn, 2.54-mile road course.

On September 13, 1970, Vic Elford sat on the pole for the first Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta race. The best drivers were competing: Denis Hulme, Peter Revson and race winner Tony Dean. Stirling Moss was the Grand Marshal. A huge crowd gathered to watch the most sophisticated cars of the day turn 75 laps on the brand-new circuit.

The 1970’s brought faster, more sophisticated cars and better talent in series like the Can-Am, Formula 5000, IMSA Camel GT and Trans Am. Among the drivers who traversed the challenging track were Jody Scheckter, Dan Gurney, Peter Gregg, Mario Andretti, Keke Rosberg, Bobby Rahal, Paul Newman and Mark Donohue. It was a great time for road racing and for Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta was sold in 1978 and went through a number of owners in a short period of time, creating a downward spiral of the track’s fortunes that ultimately resulted in bankruptcy in 1993 when a partnership between business executives Frank Drendel, Jim Kanely, Eddie Edwards and Bill Waddell was formed to purchase the track.

The next three years were spent making gradual improvements to a facility that had not enjoyed the kind of care it deserved for at least a decade. New buildings were constructed, others were renovated, the track was widened and resurfaced and the grounds were landscaped. But the owners lacked the kind of capital that could return Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to its glory days.

Enter Dr. Don Panoz. The developer of the nicotine patch and founder of neighboring Chateau Elan Winery and Resort, Panoz got into the automotive field when his son Danny began producing the Panoz Roadster. The elder Panoz realized what great potential Michelin Raceway possessed and bought the facility in November 1996. 

During the Panoz era, millions of dollars were spent on an almost constant series of improvements, beginning with an initial phase that included the reconfiguration of the track to allow for a club and school course, the installation of a 100-foot infield tunnel and removal of the Dip, the addition of concrete barriers and gravel traps all around the track and the construction of 36,000 feet of new tenant garage space in what would become the Tower Paddock area.

The second phase of improvements involved the construction of the new infield paddock and pits, located in the infield between Turn 12 and Turn 1. With two paddocks, Michelin Raceway became able to accommodate more teams and the availability of two pit complexes allowed for easier transitions between races. A new hospitality shelf overlooking the infield paddock was also built.

In 2012, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta was purchased by NASCAR Holdings. Over the last nearly decade and with this major merger, a number of capital projects and upgrades have been made to the facility to greatly improve the spectator and team experience. With NASCAR’s resources and support, new events have been established at Michelin Raceway and an influx of driving clubs and other various partners have annually included the track as part of their season.

In 2019, Michelin became the first-ever entitlement partner of the racetrack. The newly-named Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta saw additional significant changes that year, as construction on the all-new Michelin Tower began immediately following October’s Motul Petit Le Mans. This massive project had been years in the making and was finally progressing with the help of the new Michelin partnership and NASCAR’s backing. The Michelin Tower stands five towering stories, to include a rooftop viewing deck, over the front straightaway and has amazing views of the infield paddock.

Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta has not only been improved for teams, it is also a fan-friendly, family-orientated destination – kids 12 and under always enter for free! Convenient restrooms and hot showers, as well as the 10,000-seat terrace seating complex at Turn 10 add to fan comfort and accessibility.

Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is situated on 750 acres in Hall County. There are 600,000+ square feet of paved team paddock space, as well as approximately 130,000 square feet of paved Fan Zone at the track. As one of the top entertainment centers in Georgia and one of the most iconic racetracks in the world, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta offers individuals, families and large corporate groups a fun and family-friendly environment, as well as the chance to witness motorsports history being made.