Known as the Georgia Shaker, Hubert Platt is the grand marshal for the 47th annual Mountain Moonshine Festival.

A drag racer from Cumming, Platt's fascination with fast cars began in the 1950s when he hauled "a million gallons" of illegal moonshine between Georgia and South Carolina.

He later joined the Army and was out of the bootlegging trade until a buddy convinced him to make one last run. But the authorities got a tip, he was caught and had to pay a $300 fine to get out of jail.

While Platt enjoyed the thrill of the chase, he was finished with hauling moonshine and began to focus on his racing career, which started on the streets of Atlanta but soon moved to the local drag strips.

By 1964, he was drag racing fulltime, running and winning against some of the top drivers in the circuit.

One of his proudest moments in racing was when he defeated NASCAR star Richard Petty at Lassiter Mountain drag strip in Birmingham, Ala.

He retired from racing in 1977.

Platt was inducted into the NHRA Hall of Fame in 1986, into the Super Stock & Drag Illustrated Hall of Fame in 1995, into the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame in 2002 and into the Old Drag Racers Reunion Hall of Fame in 2003.

In 2006, he was inducted into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and continues to support the museum.

Platt said he loves to attend the nostalgia events and reunions like the Mountain Moonshine Festival.

"I've had one hell of a great time. I've been all over the world, met all kinds of really nice people and I've enjoyed every minute of it," he said.