NASCAR pioneer dies

BALDWIN - A Habersham County man, who was a NASCAR pioneer and member of the state racing hall of fame, has died.

Tommie Irvin, Senior, of Baldwin, died Sunday at the age of 84.

Irvin was the 16th member of NASCAR when it was organized by Bill France in the late 1940s and was inducted into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame last year.

His hall of fame biography says Irvin raced "all over," including at the famed Daytona Beach road course, where he once ended up running out into the ocean. Irvin was the Southern Racing Enterprises Association champion in 1954, but says his biggest win came at Atlanta's famed Lakewood Speedway in 1955.

It was also in 1955 that Irvin opened Banks County Speedway near Baldwin, a track that would remain in operation until the early 70s. Irvin also raced
at Soldiers Field in Chicago for legendary car owner Andy Granatelli.

(A full obituary can be found on accessnorthga.com's obituaries page.)