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Lakeside Fairgrounds Speedway - Augusta, Georgia


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#1 HistoricMustang

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Posted 07 December 2012 - 22:47

Our group is trying to identify and possibly locate the former Lakeside Fairgrounds Speedway in the Augusta, Georgia (USA) area. Any information would be helpful beyond what has been listed here:

http://www.autoracin...s.php?lid=29150

Apparently this track was located very close to the Augusta National of golfing Masters fame.

Eddie Hearne won at this track and is well recognized as being active in Motorsports during the early 1900's so hopefully information will flow forward.

Thanks,

Henry :wave:

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#2 Michael Ferner

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Posted 08 December 2012 - 20:05

I have only two races at Augusta (GA) in my records: the first was April 18 in 1914, when the Alex Sloan travelling circus show (then still under AAA sanction) made a stop during their pre-Indy southern tour, at a half-mile track called Georgia-Carolina Fairgrounds. Only five drivers with six cars showed up, and the event was a dismal failure: lots of "red clay dust", and only 500 spectators. John Raimey in the Case "Comet" won the time trials, 2 laps in 1'13.2", then Eddie Hearne won a 450 CID class heat in a "chain-drive" Case (probably the "Tornado"), 6 laps in 4'05.2". The next event was an exhibition of Louis Disbrow in the Jay-Eye-See, 2 laps in 1'14.2", then Raimey and the "Comet" won an Australian Pursuit scheduled over 10 laps in 5'18.0" - probably stopped at 8. The next event was a wheel-change race, 2 laps + pit stop + 1 lap, won by Hearne in 19'00.6", according to my source - probably a transcription error. Disbrow in a "120 hp" Case then won a 4-lap heat in 2'27.4", and then the main event, cut from 10 laps to 6 (probably due to the dust problem) in 4'00.4", before a handicap (cut from from 6 laps to 4) closed out the programme, won by Lou Heinemann in a SCAT in 2'47.2". The fifth man was Fred Horey in the Case "Bullet", and the advertised Simplex "Zip" did not appear.

The other Augusta event was October 19 or 20 in 1920, AAA sanction and promoted by O. T. Barr as the second of four events in Georgia during roughly one month. The first race at Columbus a fortnight earlier had been won by Cecil Loeb, driving the Mercer "Blue Bird" (distance and time unknown), and the last race at Macon on November 6 by Jimmy Hurst in a Scripps-Booth (10 miles in 10'59.0"), but I have no info about the races in Augusta and Moultrie (Oct 30?). Sloan and his IMCA circus commandeered the main attention during that time frame, running at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta.

#3 Darren Galpin

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Posted 08 December 2012 - 21:41

I have some more:

14th November 1919 - S.W.Jeffries was killed and E.M.Hart was fatally injured in an auto race at the Southern Exposition fair. The car overturned, pinning the men underneath. This was in Augusta.




#4 HistoricMustang

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Posted 09 December 2012 - 20:37

Thanks gentlemen.

It has taken several days of steady research but these two photographs confirm location of track that is currently partially under the Green Jackets Stadium in Augusta, Georgia. One shows a plat from the Georgia - Carolina Agricultural Association of that time period with a portion of the track at top. The other 1941 photograph (only one so far) shows about 1/2 of the track in center of photograph.

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Henry :wave:

Edited by HistoricMustang, 09 December 2012 - 20:44.


#5 HistoricMustang

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Posted 09 December 2012 - 20:42

Here is modern day Google Earth of the location. It is gone! ):

Henry

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#6 HistoricMustang

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Posted 19 February 2013 - 16:34

Located this 1907 map (photograph) in the State of Georgia public archives.

In upper left hand corner is the Georgia Carolina Fair Association property which contained the 1/2 mile dirt track used for horses and automobiles.

Henry :wave:

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