@Womb Raider no it still is. May seem less in nascar but race in something open wheel and try not being scared. They are still daredevils, just more protected against injury
@@Stiitchjones There's a documentary on F1 on DVD that paints that daredevil picture. It's like they started every race knowing it could be their last race. That's what (nascar for sure) racing lacks now. It's safer, more humane, but you don't have that "danger" aspect as much. I miss that, as being a fan since the 70s, and read/studied the 60s racing as a kid in jr high. Loved the machoism, bravado and toughness of race car drivers and Evel Knievel.
I had watched that episode yesterday after binge watching every episode. It's weird seeing the whole place being lost despite having NASCAR and the NHRA at the place
In A.J. Foyt's first Indy 500 (1958), there was a huge crash on the first lap that saw one car go over the wall (Jerry Unser if I remember right), and cost the life of driver Pat O'Connor. After that, A.J. said he would always keep other drivers at arm's length, because you didn't know which one was gonna "get it" in a given race. Until the late '70s or early 80s, you could almost count on at least one fatality each month somewhere in the racing world. The Augusta race is "Exhibit A" as far as that goes.
It shows you how far we've come that incidents like those at the 2020 and 2021 Daytona 500 and the Bahrain Grand Prix can see 200mph wreaks like that where the pilots can not only survive but return to racing within months or even weeks. Where we once wondered how many drivers wouldn't make it to the end of a season, now we ask if this is the season that'll end the current streak which currently stands at 20 years for NASCAR, 6 years for IndyCar, and 7 years for F1.
I feel like F1 should include F2 and F3 as well, since the truck and nationwide series would be included for NASCAR. So it should be 2 years for F1 since they had a F2 driver die in 2019
My dad told me about this track after watching the Lost Speedways episode and I discovered that the Top 4 finishers all died shortly afterwards while doing research on Augusta. Had no idea Pardue and Thomas passed away in the ensuing months too. No wonder Ned Jarrett retired a couple years later.
From the Lost Speedways episode about this track, one of the turns has some concrete letters in the woods, they were the old concrete letters that they used to have for the sign which read, "Augusta International Raceway, Where the Masters Race" a play on the August Golf Course where they have the Masters. I don't know if all the letters are there but there are quite a few.
Thanks for posting this up. Nascar history has indeed a dark past. The driver's who sacrifice themselves for the sake of "speed' should always be remembered. Racing has always been a dangerous sport and we all know too well that consequences would be the end result. But if it wasn't for these men who put their lifes on the line, then we wouldn't be able see the on ongoing development of safety. However, that took many years to progress.
I would have ditched that nickname after baseball. That"s tempting fate when you switch over to driving high speed fuel tanks with other high speed fuel tanks.
I reckon the Augusta Raceway was ahead of its time. To me, the combination of wide open fast esses and heavy braking zones would make a great road course today
They have a monument there with the finishing order or the last race and you can walk most of the old track. It's a park called Diamond Lakes now where you can fish, play baseball, basketball ball and what not.
That car Dave MacDonald drove at Indy in 64 was an absolute deathtrap. I think even Mickey knew it, but his ego wouldn't allow him to admit it. Jim Clark told Dave he should walk away and not drive it, but he felt he owed it to Mickey to drive.
As someone born in Augusta, GA, I'm a little spooked to have such an... unfortunate track as my home track. Even more eerily scary, the date happens to coincide with my Dad's birth year.
8:43 wow times were different then. Celebrating the win and holding the newspaper about the deaths of drivers. Today the race would have been cancelled. Such a different culture then.
@@modasher nah, there's another photo from victory lane that year where he clearly sees it and looks shocked, but had to play it off cause it was victory lane at the 500.
i think that race was what ended the tradition of the indy star sending a copy of the monday paper to victory lane at the 500. i don't remember them doing that again after 1964
i wish this track was still around, growing up there it would have been cool to see a race in my home town, if it was still around, and with improvements over time, this would have made a great indy track, could have possible even had an f1 race there, but i guess i can only dream
Marvin Panch was very cool. Myself and my cousin did some work at his place in Port Orange, Fl many years ago. His wife was a hoot. She had so much to say about Nascar.
@@sappersteel532 Elbert county is as far south as one would classify Northeast Georgia. I’ve lived here for 45 years. No one has ever said that Augusta is Northeast Georgia.
Disagree again. Google "central Georgia". Also Google "central". Defined as the center most point. Twiggs County near Macon is considered the center point of the state. If you're direction originates at the central "center point" of Georgia and you head toward Augusta, you will be heading in a northeasterly direction.
@@sappersteel532 we will just call it eastern Georgia then. Cus it's definitely not in the northern Georgia, more north than it is South in Georgia but not Northern in my opinion. But I guess we all have our own opinion of what we think is central, north, east west and what not.
Looked at the Racing Reference page for the race, and only 16 of the 36 cars entered even finished the race, so the race itself was a battle of attrition even before the related tragedies.
Jesus…. So much blood behind tire testing. Goodyear should have some sort of wall of memories for these guys. Their deaths shouldn’t be forgotten you know? How much did their work help with racing tires these days.
Ok so this video is pretty heavy. If you need the antidote, here’s Ned Jarrett calling his son over the line not once but twice at the Daytona 500 💜 th-cam.com/video/C-pUbAISj7Q/w-d-xo.html
Dave MacDonald power sliding a Shelby Cobra is one of the most beautiful things you'll ever see on a racetrack. Gone way too soon.
That was truly the wild west era of motorsports.
No wonder Ned Jarrett gave up driving when he did.
And he is still here today because of that decision
Nascar was a daredevil sport in the earlier days...brave drivers that showed no fear at all.
@@Stiitchjones you could say thats racing in general
@Womb Raider no it still is. May seem less in nascar but race in something open wheel and try not being scared. They are still daredevils, just more protected against injury
@@Stiitchjones
There's a documentary on F1 on DVD that paints that daredevil picture. It's like they started every race knowing it could be their last race.
That's what (nascar for sure) racing lacks now. It's safer, more humane, but you don't have that "danger" aspect as much.
I miss that, as being a fan since the 70s, and read/studied the 60s racing as a kid in jr high. Loved the machoism, bravado and toughness of race car drivers and Evel Knievel.
There’s an episode about Augusta on Dale Jr.’s Lost Speedways series first season. Really interesting.
I had watched that episode yesterday after binge watching every episode. It's weird seeing the whole place being lost despite having NASCAR and the NHRA at the place
I rode my bike on that track about 2 years ago, one of the best things I've done on it.
@@p2nth3r lots of money when out after 70 and super short tracks as well
I literally stopped and made popcorn before watching this lol that’s how sure I was about it. Wasn’t wrong
In A.J. Foyt's first Indy 500 (1958), there was a huge crash on the first lap that saw one car go over the wall (Jerry Unser if I remember right), and cost the life of driver Pat O'Connor. After that, A.J. said he would always keep other drivers at arm's length, because you didn't know which one was gonna "get it" in a given race. Until the late '70s or early 80s, you could almost count on at least one fatality each month somewhere in the racing world. The Augusta race is "Exhibit A" as far as that goes.
There were no fatalities at Augusta.
Please do a history of the IROC series...
Ur work amazing btw, keep on keeping on
Billy Wade also is tied with Jamie Mac and Donnie Allison for the most wins in the #1 car, with 4 wins.
It shows you how far we've come that incidents like those at the 2020 and 2021 Daytona 500 and the Bahrain Grand Prix can see 200mph wreaks like that where the pilots can not only survive but return to racing within months or even weeks. Where we once wondered how many drivers wouldn't make it to the end of a season, now we ask if this is the season that'll end the current streak which currently stands at 20 years for NASCAR, 6 years for IndyCar, and 7 years for F1.
I feel like F1 should include F2 and F3 as well, since the truck and nationwide series would be included for NASCAR. So it should be 2 years for F1 since they had a F2 driver die in 2019
@@rabbi4skin666 no no F1 is just so elite that it could never be included with a lesser division 🙄😂
@@Vault13CanteenFNV why you laughing
My dad told me about this track after watching the Lost Speedways episode and I discovered that the Top 4 finishers all died shortly afterwards while doing research on Augusta.
Had no idea Pardue and Thomas passed away in the ensuing months too. No wonder Ned Jarrett retired a couple years later.
This is on the same level as the Talladega Curse, I was reading Forty Years of Stock Car Racing Vol. 2 and I never realized this
Jeez that's scary
From the Lost Speedways episode about this track, one of the turns has some concrete letters in the woods, they were the old concrete letters that they used to have for the sign which read, "Augusta International Raceway, Where the Masters Race" a play on the August Golf Course where they have the Masters. I don't know if all the letters are there but there are quite a few.
These 60’s and EARLY 70’s model "Stock" cars were so sexy. They look like they’re running 150mph sitting still.
Thanks for posting this up. Nascar history has indeed a dark past. The driver's who sacrifice themselves for the sake of "speed' should always be remembered. Racing has always been a dangerous sport and we all know too well that consequences would be the end result. But if it wasn't for these men who put their lifes on the line, then we wouldn't be able see the on ongoing development of safety. However, that took many years to progress.
Always found it ironic that a man who has the nickname "fireball" died in a fiery crash.
I was about to comment this. It's a cruel bit of irony that Fireball died of injuries suffered in a fireball
He got his nickname from his ability to throw a baseball fast.
The moniker Fireball came from his baseball prowess, not racing. He was a pretty good baseball pitcher.
I would have ditched that nickname after baseball.
That"s tempting fate when you switch over to driving high speed fuel tanks with other high speed fuel tanks.
I reckon the Augusta Raceway was ahead of its time. To me, the combination of wide open fast esses and heavy braking zones would make a great road course today
I live near the track and i have walked down the pitlane and through the first turn. Its pretty humbling. Wish it wasn’t gone.
Great episode! It's cool they named the streets after the drivers. Most places seem to forget tracks even existed the moment they're torn down.
Oh man, 6 out 7 Finishers died within 14 months ? Scary
And the 7th was in one of the fatal crashes.
@@11d7jake yikes
They have a monument there with the finishing order or the last race and you can walk most of the old track. It's a park called Diamond Lakes now where you can fish, play baseball, basketball ball and what not.
You should make a video about the 1973 Indianapolis 500.
Oh how miserably wonderful it's going to be.
Also do a segment about the 1958 Indianapolis 500.
That car Dave MacDonald drove at Indy in 64 was an absolute deathtrap. I think even Mickey knew it, but his ego wouldn't allow him to admit it. Jim Clark told Dave he should walk away and not drive it, but he felt he owed it to Mickey to drive.
Didn’t Ford pressure for the use of gasoline for their engines, resulting in such a fire?
@@roydrink more like it was a perfect storm, everything was kInda wrong and led to a tragic end
As someone born in Augusta, GA, I'm a little spooked to have such an... unfortunate track as my home track. Even more eerily scary, the date happens to coincide with my Dad's birth year.
This looks like the closest NASCAR ever got to real endurance racing. Would have loved to see Can-Am or F1 cars on this track too.
This is one of the best channels on youtube!!!
I live in Augusta , they broke the speedway down because people were drag racing there
Great video as always, nascarman.
This was just eerie
8:44 They are all smiles in the winners circle, holding a newspaper that says "Sachs, Macdonald Die" 😲😲😲
Very strange times to be honest
8:43 wow times were different then. Celebrating the win and holding the newspaper about the deaths of drivers. Today the race would have been cancelled. Such a different culture then.
Yeah, so strange to see that newspaper headline and everybody else acting like it's totally normal.
May have been possible that Foyt didn’t see the headline. I feel like he wouldn’t be smiling if he saw that it mentions two drivers dying.
@@modasher nah, there's another photo from victory lane that year where he clearly sees it and looks shocked, but had to play it off cause it was victory lane at the 500.
i think that race was what ended the tradition of the indy star sending a copy of the monday paper to victory lane at the 500. i don't remember them doing that again after 1964
@@ag3498 because back then race drivers dying was normal.
It's amazing how much it has changed. Awesome video 👍
i wish this track was still around, growing up there it would have been cool to see a race in my home town, if it was still around, and with improvements over time, this would have made a great indy track, could have possible even had an f1 race there, but i guess i can only dream
Sigh.
Marvin Panch was very cool. Myself and my cousin did some work at his place in Port Orange, Fl many years ago. His wife was a hoot. She had so much to say about Nascar.
Thanks for putting this together.
Another amazing motorsports documentary.
Keep up the good work! :)
Nice job Brock... Keep it up!!.. Hope your well my friend.. I enjoyed it
Small correction: Augusta is considered in Central Georgia not Northeast Georgia. Otherwise, excellent video!
Disagree. If you pinpoint the center of the state, Augusta is definitely more northeast than central.
@@sappersteel532 Elbert county is as far south as one would classify Northeast Georgia. I’ve lived here for 45 years. No one has ever said that Augusta is Northeast Georgia.
Yeah, Augusta is in the middle of Georgia on the border of South Carolina. Definitely Central and Eastern but not Northern.
Disagree again. Google "central Georgia". Also Google "central". Defined as the center most point. Twiggs County near Macon is considered the center point of the state. If you're direction originates at the central "center point" of Georgia and you head toward Augusta, you will be heading in a northeasterly direction.
@@sappersteel532 we will just call it eastern Georgia then. Cus it's definitely not in the northern Georgia, more north than it is South in Georgia but not Northern in my opinion. But I guess we all have our own opinion of what we think is central, north, east west and what not.
Why would you ever race anywhere that had a section named “cemetery hill”
Looked at the Racing Reference page for the race, and only 16 of the 36 cars entered even finished the race, so the race itself was a battle of attrition even before the related tragedies.
Good stuff as always
Great video. Keep it up
Jesus…. So much blood behind tire testing. Goodyear should have some sort of wall of memories for these guys. Their deaths shouldn’t be forgotten you know? How much did their work help with racing tires these days.
Interesting you'd mention Dave MacDonald; I'm reading Black Noon, the story about the '64 Indy 500
I started reading that book one day at a library. Definitely one I'd like to finish.
Augusta International Raceway was closed in 1970 I think Augusta Georgia is the home of the Masters prestigious Crown Jewel golf
Yeah, the Masters, where it was once said that all golfers would be white, and all caddies would be black.
@@sludge4125 exactly right
I heard on a podcast about the belt design contributing to Wade's fatal injuries. Maybe it was the sneak.
ALSO DEAD
8-CURTIS CRIDER 9-MARVIN PANCH 10-BUDDY BAKER 11-GRAHAM SHAW 12-TINY LUND
Wow 6 of the 7 top finishing died within 14 months
Sobering.
I'm scared of a racetrack
Joe Weatherly's crash was horrific.
Those were the heady days of nascar. T shirts, half shell helmets blue genes and guts.
That track had potential to be a "Road America of the South"
There must be other reasons why it failed. It looks like it was a great facility.
Apparently there is no video of the subject race? No problem, let's just cram in a bunch of Riverside footage for all the right turns.
And when they weren't racing had to smuggle shine to keep the Wolf from the door. Country boys will survive!
Ok so this video is pretty heavy. If you need the antidote, here’s Ned Jarrett calling his son over the line not once but twice at the Daytona 500 💜
th-cam.com/video/C-pUbAISj7Q/w-d-xo.html
8:42 who the f approved this picture?
Man I can tell you that turn Joe Weatherly died at Is one bitch of a corner to get right. Much less in the boats of the 70s.
😳🥺😭
Driver: every track needs a wall like this one
Wall: and I took that personal, am I a joke to you?
Why does it say, "6 Out of 7"? Is there more to this I can't find or?
"6 out of 7" means: 6 out of the top 7 finishers of the Augusta race died within the next 15 months. (Read the description to the video)
It's a confusing title, but 2coolhipdude is correct.
Video by video, the origin of the T-shirt designs become clearer. I'm looking forward to the Triple Crown...
Gee, I guess I'm too predictable. Editing on the Triple Crown video has already begun lol
Augusta is not n northeast Georgia it's n south Georgiaiv lived n rabun co and Stephens county 4 48 years so I know where Augusta is
You can't be a NASCAR historian and pronounce CON-CORD as "Conquered" as us in NC say... Concord was never Conquered by anyone....
SecureTeam10?🤔😂
"1964 was a terrible year..."
WTF man? I was born in 1964.
🤔🤔🤔🤔
Maybe you have point.
..........
And in the old days NASCAR drivers were pretty superstitious... This must not of helped...
A poor handling American car ? No, never 😂😂😂😂
What do you expect to happen coming out of the state of Georgia worst state in the whole country
This would've been a 170 lap race!! Yikes!!
5.6 hour race.