The original South Turn was part of the famous Ponce Inlet beach road course. The National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing, formed in 1948, sanctioned automobile racing on this course from 1948 through 1958, and sanctioned motorcycle racing here from 1948 until 1960. On the 4.1 mile beach road course, vehicles traveled north on the hard packed sand beach, turned left through the banked sand north turn, then traveled south on the two lane paved Atlantic Avenue until reaching the start/finish line at the banked south turn to complete a lap.