Travel Log: Atlanta

It was 20 years ago and 90 miles north of what used to be known as Atlanta International Raceway, in a brick building appropriately located on Route 9, the siren sounded.

That day, three-time champion Cale Yarborough and 1973 champion Benny Parsons made their final career starts in the Atlanta Journal 500. Rusty Wallace dominated the day, leading 166 of 328 laps. But it wasn't enough to make up enough ground in the title hunt. Wallace would finish second that season.

Owner Gordon Pirkle stands outside the Dawsonville Pool Room.

The siren, affixed atop Gordon Pirkle's Dawsonville Pool Room and normally reserved for race victories by Dawsonville native Bill Elliott, sent the message loud and clear across the North Georgia town: Elliott was the 1988 Cup Series champion.

"It's been a while [since winning the championship], but it seems like yesterday when I won it," Elliott said. "It's been a long time and, now, so much is different from that era. We did well and ran well all year, and it was good to finish it up in Atlanta, being this is my home territory."

Elliott's Melling Racing team was based out of Dawsonville, and is the only team outside of the sport's hub near Charlotte, N.C., to win the Cup championship. Elliott and his 1988 team members will be honored prior to Sunday's Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway for their title that got locked up two decades ago.

Today, the siren is silent. Elliott's part-time status is fading into full-time retirement. But Dawsonville's landmark Pool Room is alive and well, with items like a fender from a No. 9 Ford, countless photos documenting Elliott's career and the Bully Burger.

Visit: Dawsonville Pool Room

Also: March's edition of Travel Log: Atlanta

41st Annual Mountain Moonshine Festival -- Saturday morning kicks off a tradition in Dawsonville as the parade of moonshine and revenue cars streams down the streets for the Mountain Moonshine Festival. Dawsonville's downtown square will have three stages of live entertainment. The Web site says visitors can "meet legendary racecar drivers," and last year's grand marshal was Bobby Allison while legends like Junior Johnson and Marvin Panch also made appearances.
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Fast facts

What	Pep Boys Auto 500
When	2:20 p.m. ET Sunday
TV	ABC, 1 p.m. ET
Radio	PRN (Sirius Ch. 128), 1:15 ET

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cathyrrocks -- There is Underground Atlanta which is downtown. At the CNN building they do tours. That is a huge place. Across the street is the State Capitol. Hard Rock Cafe is around the corner. Then you have Little Five Points area where anything goes with shops and plenty to eat. If you stayed in Atlanta for a month you would not run out of things to see and do. If anybody wants good Southern BBQ then there is Harold's BBQ. It opened in 1948. It is good!

linedrives20 -- A very cool place ... a rural garden cemetery. Take a stroll though Historic Oakland Cemetery in Grant Park and then hop across the street to Six Feet Under for some great food, great people and an amazing view!

CEFan6099 -- Stone Mountain is a beautiful place. It's in the Atlanta area.

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Thursday: Partly sunny with a high of 65 degrees, low of 45
Friday: Mostly cloudy with a high of 59 degrees, low of 48
Saturday: Mostly cloudy with a high of 68 degrees, low of 47
Sunday: Cloudy with a high of 65 degrees, low of 46
Complete Forecast

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