Gresham to host NASCAR event in 2010

“This is a great day for us,” said Elliott. “Gresham Motorsports Park opened as Jefco Speedway in 1967 and the first event was a NASCAR Sportsman (now Nationwide) race won by ‘Tiger’ Tom Pistone. Later, NASCAR greats Cale Yarborough and Bobby Isacc won what are now NASCAR Sprint Cup races here. To say we are elated to have a NASCAR event back on our schedule is an understatement.”

The previous incarnation of the NASCAR Camping World Series East division actually has competed at GMP. On July 24, 1968, Tiny Lund won a NASCAR Grand Touring Series at the then named Jefco Speedway. Lund would win another Grand Touring event – the Bulldog 400 - at Jefco on March 16, 1969.

In 2009, the NASCAR Camping World Series East contested 11 races including events at Watkins Glen International, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway and Iowa Speedway.

The GMP NASCAR event is just one of 12 high-profile oval track races the former Peach State Speedway will stage in 2010.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald.