euphoria

Fast times at Greenville-Pickens Speedway

A look back on Greenville-Pickens Speedway’s history
GVL_Greenville-Pickens Speedway_Sept.2022
Racing on Greenville-Pickens Speedway | Photo by Tony Crscibene via Creative Commons
When you think of NASCAR, places like Charlotte, Talladega + Daytona may come to mind. However, when it comes to NASCAR’s history, Greenville should not be overlooked.

The Greenville-Pickens Speedway off Highway 123 (3800 Calhoun Memorial Hwy., Easley) has hosted and continues to host hundreds of NASCAR races — including the first live-televised race in 1971, and some familiar names in racing, like Ralph Earnhardt + David Pearson.

Before you catch this Saturday’s race at 4 p.m., take a look back on some pivotal moments in the second-oldest NASCAR sanctioned track’s 80+ year history:

1940: Greenville-Pickens Speedway (GPS) is built as a half-mile dirt track.

1946: The $50,000 track formally opens on July 4 (the first post-WWII July 4 celebration in Greenville) with a stock car + horse races to an estimated 20,000+ spectators.

1949: Greenville’s first female stock car racer, Louise Smith + her driving student Barbara Peigler, are two of nine women to race in a 10-lap event.

GVL_LOUISE SMITH GREENVILLE PICKENS SPEEDWAY_SEPT 2022

Louise Smith (left) + Barbara Peiger. | Photo via The Greenville News on Newspapers.com


1958: The National Convertible 100-mile stock car race takes place in Greenville + hosts the No. 1 stock car racer (at the time) and two-time national titlist, Bob Welborn, who takes first place.

1965: Ralph Earnhardt (son Dale + grandson Dale Jr.) wins the 1965 + 1966 late sportmans model championship.

1970: The dirt speedway is paved.

1971: ABC’s Wide World of Sports broadcasts NASCAR’s first live-televised race, The Greenville 200 Grand National, a 200-lap race won by Bobby Issac.

1972: NASCAR’s national races at the speedway end as the organization moves to super speedway venues (think: Talladega Super Speedway), and GPS becomes one of 100+ tracks across the country in NASCAR’s Weekly Racing Series.

1995: Greenville racer + GPS track titlist Butch Lindley’s son, Mardy Lindley wins the 1995 track title, becoming the only father-son duo champions at GPS.

Bonus: Visit the Upcountry History Museum now through Sun., Nov. 6 to see “FAST LANE: The NASCAR Photography of Darryl Moran,” which showcases photos from 1990’s NASCAR races + the story of Greenville-Pickens Speedway’s history.

Click below for more on the speedway + upcoming events.
A FAST HISTORY
Use the links below to share this with your fellow NASCAR fans.
Lowes Foods

Click here to have your event featured.

Today
  • Well Walkers | Tues., Sept. 13 | 9 a.m. | Bon Secours Wellness Arena | Free | Walk the ¼-mile arena concourse + connect with St. Francis Sports Medicine representatives — masks and social distancing are required. 👟
  • Mother Goose on the Loose | Tues., Sept. 13 | 10-10:30 a.m. | Simpsonville Library, Hendricks Branch, 626 NE Main St., Simpsonville | Free | Children 1-24 months old are invited to this playtime featuring nursery rhymes. 📚
  • Low-Sensory Night | Tues., Sept. 13 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe St. | Prices vary | Families are invited to a low-sensory night in the museum + its current exhibition, “Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice.”
  • “Songs For a New World” | Tues., Sept. 13 | 7 p.m. | Centre Stage, 501 River St. | $33+ | Listen to Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown’s musical that examines life, love, and the choices we make. 🎶
Wednesday
  • REO Speedwagon and Styx with Loverboy | Wed., Sept. 14 | 7 p.m. | Bon Secours Wellness Arena | $16.50+ | Jam out with three classic rock bands + their songs like “Come Sail Away,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” and “Working for the Weekend.” 🎸
  • Trivia | Wed., Sept. 14 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Pangaea Brewing Co., 115 Welborn St. | Free entry | Test your trivia knowledge while sipping craft brews. 🍻
Thursday
  • Afternoon Explorations: LEGO Challenge | Thurs., Sept. 15 | 1:30-4:30 p.m. | Roper Mountain Science Center, 402 Roper Mountain Rd. | $5 | Explore the center’s exhibits + spaces, like the Butterfly Garden. 🧪
  • Live Music | Thurs., Sept 15 | 6-8 p.m. | Tasting Room of Travelers Rest, 164 S. Main St., Ste. C, Travelers Rest | Free entry | Grab a glass of wine + enjoy live music off TR’s Main Street.
  • Guest Artist Exhibition: Alice Ratterree | Thurs., Sept 15 | 1:30-4:30 p.m. | Lipscomb Gallery at the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, 15 University St. | Free entry | View the work of children’s book illustrator Alice Ratterree.
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*
100+ MORE EVENTS
Christ Church Episcopal School

Culture

Prisma Health On Call: Ask primary care providers your healthcare questions
Presented by a GVLtoday Partner
primary care prisma health doctor talking to a patient
Prisma Health primary care providers are here to answer the healthcare questions that matter most to *you*. | Photo provided by Prisma Health
It’s easy to see how primary care providers put the “primary” in care. From being the first point of contact to treating common illnesses to directing preventive health strategies, the physicians who are at the frontlines of your health frequently provide much of the medical care needed by you and your family.

In this month’s installment of Prisma Health On Call, we’re connecting readers to Prisma Health primary care providers who are here, on call, ready to answer your healthcare questions. From the most detailed to the most broad questions, this is your chance to tap into the expertise of the providers who answer these questions everyday.

Think:
❓ I’m young and healthy, why do I need a primary care provider?
❓ What can I do to heal from a cold faster?
❓ Why is it harder for women to lose weight?
❓ Is it safe to take any supplement sold on drugstore shelves?
❓ How do I know which colon cancer screening is right for me?

What are your healthcare questions? Submit your questions below, and we’ll share the physicians’ answers in the next few weeks.*

What healthcare questions do you have for Prisma Health primary care providers?

ASK THE EXPERTS

Weather
  • 82º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain
Civic
  • The City of Greenville wants your input on redistricting. The 2020 census showed the city’s four districts (required to have about the same number of people) are no longer balanced. The first of four meetings will take place Mon., Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Nicholtown Community Center. See more meeting times.
  • A first-of-its-kind crime analysis center will open at the University of South Carolina Upstate, giving local law enforcement agencies access to a crime analyst and new technology for reviewing data and evidence. (WSPA)
Coming Soon
  • UP on the Roof is coming to Anderson. The third location for the rooftop bar + restaurant (also in Greenville and Alpharetta, GA) will be located on top of the city’s new public parking garage at South McDuffie and East Market Streets (behind the Home2 Suites by Hilton hotel).
Announced
  • Grammy Award winner + season three winner of American Idol, Fantasia, is coming to the Peace Center on Wed., Dec. 21. Tickets go on sale for Peacekeepers this morning, Tues., Sept. 13, at 10 a.m + to the public Fri., Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. 🎶
Award
  • Anderson-native and Black Panther Chadwick Boseman won the “Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance” Emmy Award for his work as Star Lord T’Challa for “What if...” on Disney+. Chadwick died of colon cancer in Aug. 2020 at 40 years old.
Number
  • $39 million. That’s how much Park West Apartments across from Oak Hill Cafe and Farm (357 Hillandale Rd.) sold for to an unnamed buyer. The seller, Monument Capital Management, purchased + renovated the 359-unit complex in 2016. (Upstate Business Journal)
Watch
  • It’s all a bunch of Hocus Pocus at Brewery 85. Enjoy beer specials + watch the Halloween classic starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy this Fri., Sept. 16. 🐈‍⬛
Plan Ahead
  • Grab your pups and their best costume, the Greenville Humane Society’s Howl-o-ween Fest is Sat., Sept. 29 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The event features trick-or-treating, food trucks, bounce houses, live music, and the highlight — a pet costume contest. Get your tickets. 🐶
Job
  • Applications are open to Greenville County Schools (GCS) high school juniors + seniors for a LaunchGVL fall internship. A partnership between the Greenville Chamber + GCS, LaunchGVL connects students to high-demand industries. Apply by Sun., Sept. 25. 💼
  • The YMCA of Greenville is hiring for several positions, including Afterschool Counselors + Bus Drivers. Its diverse staff is dedicated to building healthy, confident, connected + secure children, adults, families, and communities. Learn more and apply.*
Network
  • Award-winning Chef Joe Cash’s restaurant Scoundrel opens soon — just in time for Endeavor’s Collaborators & Cocktails on Tues., Sept. 27 from 5-7:15 p.m., where Chef Joe will share candid stories, lessons from his journey, and the latest on Scoundrel’s opening. Email Endeavor@EndeavorGreenville.com for tickets ($30 includes cocktails).🍹 *
Ranked
  • No. 5. That’s the ranking Bob Jones University earned on U.S. News & World Report’s recent list of “Best Value Regional University in the South.” It also debuted at at No. 8 in the “Least Debt among Regional Universities in the South” category, making it the only university in the Carolinas within that category’s top 10. Congrats, Bruins. 🏅 *
Learn
  • Want to be the Greenvillian at the dinner party who always knows what’s going on in the world? This newsletter compiles the day’s most important + most interesting stories (condensed to 90-second reads) and delivers it straight to your inbox to make you the smartest person at the party. Cheers. 🥂 *
Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.
6AM City In-house

Upstate colleges, ranked.

Where local schools landed on U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 college rankings
Lake in foreground with white bell tower, mountains, and sky in the background
Furman (Swan) Lake with the iconic Bell Tower in the background | Photo by GVLtoday Team
No. 77. That’s how Clemson University ranked among 443 national universities on the U.S. News & World Report’s annual college rankings, which were released yesterday. Among public universities, Clemson ranked 31st.

How did other SC schools do?

Furman University landed at No. 45 (out of 210) among Liberal Arts Colleges. It also ranked No. 4 in Most Innovative Schools, a list the school has been on every year since The Furman Advantage launched in 2016.

Anderson University tied with Bob Jones University for No. 26 (out of 136) Regional Universities South, Anderson’s highest ranking in the category to date.

Gamecock fans, we didn’t forget about you. University of South Carolina is up two spots to No. 115 overall, 53rd among public universities. Its International Business program remained No. 1 for the 24th year in a row.

See how other Upstate institutions (like Wofford) ranked by clicking the left button + more SC rankings with the right.
THE UPSTATE'S RANKINGS
THE WRAP
Today’s issue was written by Kyle and Danielle.

Editor’s pick: If you’re already looking forward to holiday festivities, tickets are now available for the annual Upstate Holiday Lights Show (Nov. 25-Dec. 31) — the largest interactive light show in the region. Get your tickets.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We broke down euphoria by the numbers, here.
Read More
Connect with us.

Editorial: Kyle Steadings, Danielle Johnson, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Kaylee Holland, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Anne Hazard | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?
SUBSCRIBE

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2023 6AM City Inc, All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY