SENOIA, Ga. – Mayes Massey and Doug Stevens will not return as promoters of Senoia Raceway after track owner Charlie Edwards exercised an option not to renew Massey and Stevens’ lease on the track.
“We could not strike the deal that Charlie wanted,” said Massey. “It’s kind of a bummer. We felt we had done a lot of good for the track and wanted to keep going. We just could not make the purchase and that is what Charlie wanted.”
Edwards contacted Mayes Massey on Dec. 15, the same day that his father and Senoia Raceway business partner Bill Massey, passed away. He informed Mayes Massey that he wished not to renew the lease of the track and that he had several buyers in line to purchase the property. The current lease agreement between the parties expired Dec. 31.
“It really took us by surprise,” added Massey. “We did some scrambling, made some calls, but in the end, the deal just could not happen for our team. Charlie kind of had his mind set on someone else having control of the track it seems.”
Massey and Stevens, along with Bill Massey, took over the operation of Senoia Raceway in 2015. The promoter team was honored after the 2018 season with the Racing Promotion Monthly Southeastern Promoter of the Year Award for the work they had performed, which included the return of super late model racing after a near 30-year hiatus, a track reconfiguration that allowed for more side by side racing and the introduction of a unique gray gumbo clay that created a slick racing surface.
“It’s kind of a bitter taste left in our mouths,” said Massey. “This place meant a lot to my dad. We wanted to continue to grow it in his honor. It’s just a bad deal for us.”
Massey and Stevens have removed all of their equipment from the track property and are offering it for sale to whomever may take control of the race track next.
“Our friend Clint Smith offered to store the equipment nearby at his shop until we could find someplace to store everything,” Massey said. “He has been a great friend to us and was just as surprised as we were about Charlie’s decision not to renew the lease.”
Massey and Stevens both acknowledged how grateful they were to the fans, drivers, crew members and officials that supported their efforts over the past half dozen years.
“We have been honored to serve the racing community the past few years and appreciate how they have supported us throughout,” said Massey, with Stevens nodding in approval. “We will cherish the memories we created with all of them.”