PHOTOGRAPHS BY VAN ABERNETHY |
Joey Barber is a life-long Alabama native who grew up racing at his local Atmore Dragstrip , so when the opportunity became available to buy the track two years ago , he jumped at the chance to purchase and manage the facility . Not only was his wife , Misty , completely onboard with the new venture , but it was her idea to repaint the place lime green and black with a touch of gray as one of the first orders of business . As attractive as the new colors were , Joey realized from the beginning that the track needed lots more attention than just paint . “ I had no choice but to go right to work on updating the facility because it needed so much attention ,” recalls Barber , as he recounted how the computer system alone crashed seven times within the first few weekends .
A complete remodeling of the tower and replacing electrical equipment were among the first upgrades Barber invested in , followed by additional lights in the pits and an upgraded sound system . “ The concession stand and bathrooms were both a wreck , so they got remodeled as well , but we ’ re still planning on installing showers in the bathrooms soon .”
Six months into his ownership of Atmore , Barber also made the major investment in concrete
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Joey Barber , Atmore Dragstrip owner / manager
guardwalls . “ We reground the racing surface in mid-2024 since it hadn ’ t been done since 2012 .” The top end had humps , so they were smoothed out , although much more extensive work is planned for the next offseason .
“ In December we ’ re going to shut down and
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replace the asphalt with brand-new concrete that stretches about 200-300 feet past the finish line ,” Barber adds , “ then install a new catch net at the back of the sandpit .” Additional asphalt in the pits , widening of the return lanes , along with many more RV hook-up spots are also on the agenda for the wintertime upgrades .
Perhaps the most ambitious plan for Atmore is Barber ’ s desire to construct a motocross circle track on the property to host competitive events for dirt bikes , ATVs , and 4-wheelers . “ I don ’ t know exactly how long it ’ s going to take to construct , but I do have it OK ’ d , so we ’ re going to move forward on it , and hopefully begin construction in February 2025 ,” he says .
Barber had tons of racing on the schedule in 2024 , including a number of brand-new events for Atmore . “ Since I grew up grudge racing , I immediately realized that Atmore was perfect for backend racing , and we ’ ve been holding some very successful events this year with backend racing .”
Barber booked in a wide array of events this season , ranging from a Flashlight Shootout to even midget wrestling ! Tons of grudge racing went down at Atmore in 2024 , along with the first-ever big-wheel race in early October .
Atmore is sanctioned by WDRA and scheduled 12 bracket points events this year , beginning in
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November / December 2024 |
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