Gordon Pirkle – If there was ever a title of Official Racing Spokesperson for the State of Georgia, it would have to go to Gordon Pirkle, long-time owner of the Dawsonville Pool Room and founder of the Dawsonville History Museum, home to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. Pirkle, known for his knowledge of and enthusiasm for auto racing in Georgia, has been the go-to guy for media members from across the nation.
Gordon Pirkle first opened the infamous Pool Room in 1966 with the idea to create a shrine to the area’s early racers. The walls are lined with newspaper clippings, and Pirkle was there to answer any questions. When hometown driver Bill Elliott began winning races on the NASCAR Cup circuit, Pirkle celebrated by sounding the siren atop his eatery. Over time, Pirkle often recalled, he “hurt a lot of dog’s ears” with the shrill sounding of the siren. The tradition continues today when Chase Elliott and other Georgia native drivers find their way to Victory Lane.
With the coming of Thunder Road USA, now known as the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, Pirkle’s knowledge and drive were key to getting the facility up and running. After the original Thunder Road USA went bankrupt, Pirkle was again instrumental in getting the facility reopen. He reached out to racers and collectors throughout Georgia to rebuild the displays in order to preserve the rich racing heritage of our state.
Gordon is so modest about his own contributions that for years he refused to allow his name to be placed on the ballot for voting. The Nominating Committee, lead by Rick Minter, along with the GRHOF Board of Directors agreed unanimously that Pirkle’s contributions to the sport of motor racing in Georgia were too numerous to be ignored any longer. The Georgia Racing Hall of Fame would not be complete without Pirkle being inducted into this elite list of who’s who.
Today, Pirkle can still be found, greeting visitors to the Hall of Fame and spreading the word about his beloved sport.
