January 14, 2025
Race fans will be in for a special treat during Alabama 200 weekend this year. 2026 will see the 62nd running of the historic Alabama 200 at Montgomery Motor Speedway. To help celebrate the rich history of auto racing in the Yellowhammer State, a special show is set to unfold during this year’s Alabama 200 festivities.
A historic spectacle in the form of a vintage car race will be organized by the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers, an organization based in Lincoln, Al. at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. With an impressive collection of vintage racing automobiles in their possession, the Pioneers anticipate quite the showing on Saturday, March 7th.
“We are going to be racing vintage pioneer cars. These are true cars left over from the olden days,” said Bob Massey, President of the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers. “You’ve got a lot of people building tribute cars, but we’re doing the best we can to get cars that are real survivors.”
While the full field of vintage cars still has some time to be officially finalized, Massey has shared an exciting development on a specific pair of cars that fans can expect to see when the Pioneers visit Montgomery in March.
“Back in the late 70s, early 80s, there was a bitter feud between Jody Ridley and Jerry Goodwin. We’ve got those survivor cars and they’ll be down there.”
Both Jody Ridley and Jerry Goodwin served as juggernauts of Deep South auto racing some decades ago, with both racers having history at Montgomery Motor Speedway in particular. Both drivers scored victories in the biggest event of the year at Montgomery Motor Speedway, the Alabama 200. Ridley won the event in 1974 and 1978, with Goodwin scoring the victory in 1990.
The appeal of the Pioneers’ vintage cars may not be limited to just Montgomery, as there’s always potential that this showcase makes its away to other facilities around Alabama as well.
“It very well could happen,” said Massey. “Once we open up Pandora’s box, it could go from one race track to the next to the next. There’s a lot of asphalt tracks here in Alabama, and some dirt tracks too. As long as it’s a functioning race track in the state of Alabama, we want to try to help them.”
As the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers continue their work across the state celebrating the history of this sport we all love, fans are encouraged to visit their website, aarpinc.org.
More info on the 62nd annual Alabama 200 will be shared as it becomes available. Fans can keep up with Montgomery Motor Speedway’s social media accounts and website for further updates.
2026 marks 73 years of racing at Montgomery Motor Speedway, the home of the Alabama 200. For sponsorship inquiries, contact Stan Narrison (334-262-6101) or Reid Scott (334-207-9934) for more details.
