The site of The Columbia Speedway as it looks today Standing among the scrub pines and underbrush, it is hard to imagine what this place once was. The asphalt remains intact and the concrete anchors that once supported bleachers are still substantial. The old concession stand is recognizable; but a long way from serving up an order of fries.

Walking down the straightaway reveals little. This could be an abandoned state highway, long forsaken for an interstate. There is little evidence this place once featured the best of NASCAR rubbing each other on weekends, risking their lives for a few dollars, a trophy and a brief kiss by a local beauty queen.

But here in Cayce, off the Charleston Highway, a couple hundred yards walk from the gates and "No Trespassing" signs, sits what used to be the Columbia Speedway.

Few wandering this piece of land could imagine how popular this place was. Unless you know where to look or remember it from the old days, this patch of ground looks like a lot of other abandoned pieces of land in the Midlands. But there is a lot of history in this patch of sage.

The old concession stand at The Columbia Speedway According to old accounts, the first race was contested on the Columbia Speedway on April 26, 1949. Sixty years later, the roars will be awakened once again, although the neighbors will barely notice.

The Columbia Speedway gained fame as a dirt track, bringing the likes of Richard Petty, Tiny Lund, Bud Moore, and Ned Jarrett to the Midlands to race each other and spew red mud into the atmosphere. Many former racers and fans considered the track to be the best of its kind in NASCAR history.

Richard Petty ran his first race at Columbia Speedway. Fireball Roberts and the grandfather of Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced at the half mile oval. Chevrolet and Studebaker started sponsoring cars at this track.

Progress and a housing development north of the track contributed to the addition of a paved surface in 1971. Races continued until 1979 when the track closed its doors and locked the access gates. The only action now is an occasional bicycle race on the faded asphalt.

All that will change in late spring. A reunion of former stars will gather during the last weekend in April to swap stories with fans, exhibit old racing cars, and awaken the roars of engines and the screams of fans. Since the noise will be in memories and imaginations, the noise and dust that helped close the track will be non- existent.

On Friday April 24, and Saturday April 25, the Spring Festival and Racers Reunion will take place on the grounds of the former speedway. Legendary race car drivers will be on hand to tell stories and swap tall tales with each other. There will be a car show and some vintage race cars for folks to see.

Venders will be on hand to provide everything a hungry NASCAR fan can imagine. The event is even pet friendly. And more importantly in these tough economic times, it's free of charge. No admission will be charged to the event. You can even help with the preparations.

Anyone wanting to volunteer to get the old track gussied up for the big event is invited. Visit Racersreunion. com or call 843.997.6645 for more details.