Atlanta Motor Speedway Panoramic Photograph

This aerial panorama of Atlanta Motor Speedway was taken by James Blakeway and features the speedway during a scheduled NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race. Situated on 870 acres located 20 miles south of Atlanta, the speedway hosts five NASCAR events each year. The 1.5-mile track hosted its first race on July 31st, 1960, the Dixie 200. Atlanta Motor Speedway was purchased by O. Bruton Smith in 1990 and has seen an infusion of investment that has led to expanded facilities and higher attendance. A tornado touched down in the track area in July 2005, causing extensive damage, but reopened four months later to host the October race.