Dixie Speedway

Dixie Speedway is a 3/8 mile Clay Oval dirt track, conveniently located 25 miles North of Atlanta, between I-575 and I-75 in Woodstock. More than 1,000,000 square feet of event space and a permanent seating capacity of over 5,000 makes Dixie Speedway one of the most flexible event venues in the state of Georgia. It is home to many film projects and host to more than 50 events every year such as Weekly and National Touring Stock Car Races, Outlaw Sprint Cars, AMA Motorcycles, Monster Truck Nationals, Concerts and more. Dixie Speedway has something happening all season long for everyone.

Opened in 1968, the venue has been owned by Mickey and Martha Swims since 1976.

Touring series that visit the speedway include American Flat Track and the Late Model Dirt Series by Lucas Oil. The track also holds a season-opening doubleheader, the Schaeffer's Oil Spring Nationals, in cooperation with nearby Rome Speedway.

History
For 40 of those years, the track has been owned by Mickey and Martha Swims, who said the last four decades have been quite the ride.

Swims, who already owned a drag-racing strip and Rome International Speedway when he purchased Dixie Speedway in 1976, said he knew when he made the investment race track ownership was not the most lucrative business.

He knew, with rainouts and a schedule that only runs once a week for half the year, the most important thing would be the product he was able to put on the track, and Swims delivered.

Swims owns and operates the park with his wife. His daughter, Mia Green, still works at the track, and his son Mike Swims, worked public relations before his death after a battle with cancer in 2007.

For something that has meant so much to the community and Swims family, Dixie Speedway almost never made it to the 1980s.

Then an asphalt track, Dixie Speedway spent its first few months under the Swims’ ownership struggling to bring in fans, so they decided to make a change.

Later that year, the asphalt was torn up and Georgia clay was imported from Rome by the truckload to make the track. It was a lot of work, but spectators responded, and the track survived.

To reward his loyal patrons, Swims did his best to keep ticket costs down, despite rising costs of everything surrounding the sport. An adult ticket in 1976 cost $7. Today, it costs $13, and as a special offer, tickets will be reduced to $10 per adult on Saturday for the celebratory compact demolition derby.

Races

 * American Flat Track
 * Yamaha Atlanta Short Track presented by Cycle Gear
 * Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
 * Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout
 * USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour

Records

 * Sprint car: Joe Gaerte, 0:12.190
 * Super late model: David Payne, 0:13.579