One of the premier destinations of Supercross in the South is Atlanta. The capital of Georgia hosted its first race in the 1970’s and has remained a steady stop for decades. With its signature red clay and sticky conditions, the four venues that have hosted the Atlanta Supercross round have challenged racers and provided fans with great moments over the years.
Venues
Fulton County Stadium (1977-1986, 1989-1992) was the first stadium to host a race in the Peach State. Originally built to attract an MLB team, the stadium was home to both the Atlanta Braves and Falcons
In 1993, Supercross made its first appearance at the new, state of the art Georgia Dome. Hosting events such as the 1996 Olympic Games and the Peach Bowl, the stadium quickly became one of the most recognizable venues in America. The stadium hosted Supercross every year from 1993 to 2017, including a pair of races during the 2015 season.
After the Georgia Dome was replaced, Supercross moved to the magnificent Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a three year stretch. Hosting races from 2018 to 2020, the stadium hosted the first 250 East/West Showdown of the 2019 season.
In 2021, Hampton’s Atlanta Motor Speedway joined the calendar as one of several residencies. The track became the second NASCAR facility on the schedule and challenged riders with a tricky, high speed layout.
Iconic Moments
With a long history of Supercross, Atlanta has its fair share of iconic moments. From a “quagmire” in 1982 to a heated rivalry boiling over, check out some of Atlanta’s most pivotal Supercross moments.
1982: Downpour
After a major rainstorm hit the Atlanta area on the weekend of the 1982 race, it was almost fitting that “The Hurricane” was the man who took advantage of the conditions. Yamaha’s Bob Hannah set sail, taking the checkered flag 26 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, Donnie Hansen. Hannah celebrated in style, drinking beer and signing autographs for the fans who braved the elements. For Hansen, the second place finish put him in the points lead and on course to eventually win the 250SX title. The tricky conditions created a guessing game on the track, with Hansen stating, “you point your bike and end up three lines over!”
1990: Greatest Main Event Ever?
The 1990 Atlanta Supercross is well-known for its high quality racing, with several of the sport’s living legends and young faces battling for the win. The race began with Kawasaki’s Johnny O’Mara battling with Yamaha teenager Damon Bradshaw for the top spot. Bradshaw held the lead early but a fast charging Guy Cooper would end up taking the top spot. After a mistake from Cooper, Bradshaw inherited the lead once again but had his chances ruined after Mike Kiedrowski clipped a jump, taking both men off the track. Cooper began to battle with (at the time) the winningest rider in history, Rick Johnson for the top spot as the crowd continued to roar. At the end of the race, Jeff Ward seized momentum, passing Cooper and Johnson to steal the win.
2011: Tensions High
Perhaps the greatest rivalry in Supercross history boiled over in the ATL during the 2011 season. Chad Reed secured the lead early aboard his TwoTwo Motorsports Honda after James Stewart made a mistake near the mechanic’s area. Reed held the top spot for the majority of the race, but Stewart began closing the gap as Reed fought lapped traffic. As the pair took the white flag, they encountered Stewart’s teammate Kyle Regal and made contact with him as Stewart slipped into the lead. In the turn before the whoops, Reed went deep, taking both men down. The pair scrambled to untangle their bikes as Ryan Villopoto stole the lead and the victory. Reed and Stewart collided for a third time approaching the finish line, with defending champion Ryan Dungey passing to take second as Reed beat Stewart. The chaos allowed Villopoto to take a ten point lead as two former 2-time champions ended each other’s chance of being the top dog.
This interactive table details the all-time leaders at Atlanta. Who has the most starts, wins, podiums and points. Filter by class. On mobile, slide left to access more columns. To see all years of data, become a member of the We Went Fast Garage and help us continue (and expand) these unique views of the sport’s history.
This interactive table details the Atlanta winners history. Who won in what year and what round was this venue. Filter by class. On mobile, slide left to access more columns. To see all years of data, become a member of the We Went Fast Garage and help us continue (and expand) these unique views of the sport’s history.
