On September 12, 1954, a crowd of 8,000 fans turned out at Central City Speedway in Macon, Georgia, for a 200-lap NASCAR Grand National race on the half-mile dirt track. Tim Flock earned the pole position with a qualifying speed of 56.907 mph after Buck Baker, the original pole sitter, was disqualified following the race. Flock dominated the early stages, leading the first 180 laps, but Hershel McGriff mounted a late charge in his Oldsmobile and passed him with just 20 laps remaining.
McGriff went on to win the race with an average speed of 50.256 mph, finishing 25 seconds ahead of Flock in second place. Lee Petty took third, Joe Eubanks finished fourth, and Ralph Liguori rounded out the top five. Buck Baker was officially credited with 21st place after his post-race disqualification. Twenty-one cars started the event, with the dramatic late-race pass giving McGriff his second victory of the 1954 season.
