Gordon Pirkle to be inducted into the Ga. Racing HOF

The founder of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame; the longtime president of Atlanta Motor Speedway; a short track driver, car owner and builder; and the late founder and promoter of Senoia Raceway make up the 2023 Class of the Dawsonville-based Hall of Fame.

Hall of Fame founder Gordon Pirkle, affectionately known as Mr. Dawsonville, received the most votes in the third and final round of voting. Pirkle was followed by retired AMS president Ed Clark, asphalt short track racer Bob Leach, and Senoia’s Hence Pollard.

 The five will be inducted in a ceremony at the Hall on Aug. 5.

 Pirkle, in addition to his work with the Hall of Fame, has been a leading backer and historian of Georgia racing for decades but has long refused to have his name on the Hall ballot. Clark, Leach and Pollard were elected on their first time.