84 replies to this topic

[MPea3]

I've been meaning to take some photos at Lakewood for some time now, and Sunday I finally got my chance.

First, 2 pics as it was.

This photo looks back from between turns 1 and 2, showing the grandstand. Compare it to my photo #4. This overhead photo shows the track as it was, with the grandstands and turn 1 at the top right corner of the pic.

Npw on to my photos.

The grandstands and turn 1 are all that's left. A parking lot for an amphitheatre now occupy the area that used to be turns 3 & 4, and a road leading to that amphitheatre cuts across turn 2. The front straight is now paved as part of a road leading out onto Lakewood Avenue. Also, much of the lake has been filled in.

The 1st photo is taken on the front straight about halfway from the turn 4 area to turn 1. the enttrance into turn 1 can be seen, as well as the grandstands to the right. The light pole on the right is just about where the start/finish line would have been,.

The 2nd photo shows the grandstands from the front straight, just before the start/finish line.

In the 3rd photo you can see the entrance to turn 1.

The 4th photo looks back from the middle of turn 1 toward the grandstands. It was taken about 50-75 feet in front of where the pace car is in the old race photo.

The 5th photo shows the edge of the lake, the apex between turns 1 & 2, and how turn 2 now ends against the road leading into the amphitheatre. That area of the lake on the inside of turn 1 is really the only area of the lake still left that hasn't been filled in or in some other way altered.

This view from the grandstands looks into turn 1. You can see the edge of the lake and the end of the pit area also.

From the same vantage point you see back toward the old turns 3 and 4. When I was last at Lakewood for AMA bike races in the 70's, my father and I sat just about at this point. You'd lose sight of the bikes as they went into 4, as even without the overgrowth, the grandstand masked the sight line onto the main straight. All of a sudden the bikes would explode into view, almost laying down sideways to lose speed into turn 1. It remains one of the most exciting places I've ever watched racing.

I was never there when it wasn't dusty. The last AMA mile race I attended there ended up being cancelled because of dust, and a riot broke out, complete with flying beer bottles and fights in the stands. My father, a mild mannered university librarian, grabbed my arm and pulled me out of there. Sadly, with the exception of the last scene in the movie Smokey and the Bandit, it was the last action I ever saw at Lakewood.

I don't know how much these photos will interest anyone, but feel free to enjoy, copy, and publish them however you'd like.

[Don Capps]

I most certainly enjoyed them. I hope that they can save the grandstands.

When I was at Fort Mac in 1996/1997, I made it a point to drop by Lakewood and take a look at the place. Needless to say....., but the memories were still there. It was where I saw my first race. I last saw it when it was still being used for racing sometime in the mid-70s. I was at Ft Benning and drove up to visit for the weekend and went by to see the place.

[Jim Thurman]

Great stuff MPea3...

I enjoy race track archeology. Thanks for the posting

[Pikachu Racing]

Great pictures taken!

[Muzza]

Congratulations, Gentleman.

[HistoricMustang]

Does anyone know who owns the land where the grandstand is sitting. Public or Private?

Perhaps some type of marker is in order.

Also, at a recent meeting of GARHOFA one member had photos of racing at Lakewood. I will try to obtain copies.

Henry

[MPea3]

The entire area including the grandstands is owned by the City of Atlanta. Given the political climate of the city and it's council, my guess is that any sort of cooperation might be difficult. A marker might be nice, but where? While the amphitheatre is a nice place, the manner in which the aparking area has been developed (over the old track) is neither nice nor appropriate for any sort of monument.

[HistoricMustang]

If a member in the Atlanta area will check a phonebook and advise which group is responsible for the amphitheatre (parks department, library department, etc.) - i.e. under what department is the listing in the phone book, I will attempt to make a contact.

Heck, my recent experience is that politicians and department heads love the possibility of additional revenues.

Henry

[hinnershitz]

Some tough action-shots from Lakewood...how to extinguish a fire .

[HistoricMustang]

A friend and I attended a motorsports meeting in South Atlanta this past Sunday and on the way we stopped by Lakewood Speedway. After driving around we located an unlocked gate and parked next to the old grandstand with only our two souls anywhere to be seen.

I had been at the location 30 years ago about the time the old roller coaster had been destroyed during the filming of "Smokey and the Bandit". It was a strange feeling to return.

The friend and I located most of the old track, took a picture or two and bench raced and talked about the lives lost at this long dusty track.

Most of the old track is being used as a parking lot when events take place at the outdoor theater and my thoughts are of people who have no idea that they walk where ghosts continue to search for long lost friends and race cars.

At the meeting we viewed photos of the last race at Lakewood and talked about drivers that will remain for eternity at this special but forgotten track.

Henry

[MPea3]

I ran across this photograph looking for something else on the Georgia State Library website. A number of the other Lakewood photos from the special collections department have been linked to from here before, but I'd never notoiced this one and thought it showed a good view beyond the grandstand up the front straight. In the back is the hill with the fairground buildings that Burt Reynolds came down at the end of "Smokey & the Bandit". The photo is only identified as "Daredevils, Lynch, Jimmy", with no date, but the tree growth would indicate a time before but close to the first photo I linked to in this thread.

[Terry Walker]

Any chance of a google-map satellite pic of the site?

[MPea3]

Here.

The grandstands are at the bottom of the image, the apex between turns 1 & 2 is at the bottom right of the image, and the long straight section of road which leads in from the right and goes toward the top of the image is about where the back straight would have been. On the left side of the image are the 2 fairgrounds buildings which can be seen in the old photographs taken from the street off of turn 1, and just above them you can see the beginning of the curve in the treeline which was the end of turn 4. The lake is much smaller than it used to be, and turn 3 is now a parking lot.

[Terry Walker]

Many thanks MPea3.

I had a bit of a browse myself but had no idea where Lakewood was in relation to downtown. No doubt herds of people have wandered across that site without knowing what it once was.

[Jesper O. Hansen]

Originally posted by HistoricMustang
I had been at the location 30 years ago about the time the old roller coaster had been destroyed during the filming of "Smokey and the Bandit". It was a strange feeling to return.

Checking up on my DVD version of Smokey and the Bandit, the roller coaster is still standing in the film. Weather it is in use or not I cannot see, but it seems spectacular and very "old fashioned" with it's wooden frame - not unlike the one at "Bakken" here in Denmark.

Smokey premiered on May 27, 1977 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076729/) so footage in the film is presumably from 1976, including Jerry Reed's truck crashing into a dirt track stock car race, but also featuring what looks like a real, true truck dragrace on tarmac!? You see one run, but with rows of other trucks ready for their go in the background. Was this strip a part of Lakewood by then, or is this just "artists freedom". From the overview photo linked to at the top, there's no room for a drag strip in the vicinity.

The grandstand is featured in a few shots, especially at the end of the film, but the only footage of the lake is actually at the beginning of the film.

The only reason for this post, is that I had one of those slow views through a picture book, in this case Greg Fieldens "NASCAR Chronicle". Page 23 has the same aeriel view as referred to earlier in my post. The caption to the picture includes that the track was in downtown Atlanta, and that the grandstand seated up to 18,000 spectators. Most of all though it was the lake that did it for me, and so I checked the search service at Atlas - and Voila!
A 1951 picture, what looks like a high grandstand view, shows loudspeakers about half up a pole with a battery of spotlights on top. So late evening events was run at Lakewood I presume. Was mosquito bites (stings actually) ever a question (I know the answer, but I also know the day after).
Can't find the source now, but have seen a caption saying the track closed after 1979.

And I did a search at MapQuest, since the lake should be easy to recognice ...and it was. http://www.mapquest......=&ambiguity=1

Jesper

[MPea3]

There is no way those grandstands held 18,000 people. Perhaps the track may have seen that many spectators for a given race, but I'd think that would include the area around the perimeter of the track, as there was ample room from which to watch.

Also, while the Lakewood area may be considered part of the city of Atlanta now, it was not so back during it's day, being about 5 miles southeast of the downtown area. These days the residential area of the City of Atlanta extends well beyond it, having been developed to the south back in the 50's and 60's. Sadly, the area surrounding Lakewood long ago fell on hard times and is pretty rough, the amphitheater beingabout the only nice thing to be found anywhere close. About 2 weeks ago I delivered some things to an elementary school about a mile south of the old speedway, and found drugs being sold on the street and prostitutes trying to stop me, all within a block of the school.

[HistoricMustang]

Originally posted by MPea3
There is no way those grandstands held 18,000 people. Perhaps the track may have seen that many spectators for a given race, but I'd think that would include the area around the perimeter of the track, as there was ample room from which to watch.

Also, while the Lakewood area may be considered part of the city of Atlanta now, it was not so back during it's day, being about 5 miles southeast of the downtown area. These days the residential area of the City of Atlanta extends well beyond it, having been developed to the south back in the 50's and 60's. Sadly, the area surrounding Lakewood long ago fell on hard times and is pretty rough, the amphitheater beingabout the only nice thing to be found anywhere close. About 2 weeks ago I delivered some things to an elementary school about a mile south of the old speedway, and found drugs being sold on the street and prostitutes trying to stop me, all within a block of the school.

Visited several years ago with the AIRPS organization. Can you advise what the "stadium complex" is next to the former Lakewood Speedway. It is modern, yet appeared to be under utilized. This is not the amphitheater.

Henry

[HDonaldCapps]

We once lived on Parsons St., which is not very far from the track. I cannot remember if the track was considered part of Hapeville or College Park before it was annexed by the city. The track is not far from Fort McPherson, by the way, which is why we lived in that area, Dad being stationed there.

[MPea3]

Originally posted by HistoricMustang


Visited several years ago with the AIRPS organization. Can you advise what the "stadium complex" is next to the former Lakewood Speedway. It is modern, yet appeared to be under utilized. This is not the amphitheater.

Henry

It's been there for years, I remember seeing it back in the early 70's. My guess is a high school football stadium, but the next time I have some time I'll make a run down and take a look.

[MPea3]

Originally posted by HDonaldCapps
We once lived on Parsons St., which is not very far from the track. I cannot remember if the track was considered part of Hapeville or College Park before it was annexed by the city. The track is not far from Fort McPherson, by the way, which is why we lived in that area, Dad being stationed there.

I just mapquested Parsons Street in Atlanta, College Park, and Hapeville, finding the street only in Atlanta, very close to downtown and the Georgia Dome. I suspect that's not the Parsons Street you lived on, that being closer to Lakewood and the airport, and either no longer there or re-named.

Looking on the map though reminded me of a question I've had about Atlanta racing that I've yet to find an answer to. I've found reference to midget racing being held in the Atlanta area on Fair Street, but there are two Fair Streets in Atlanta, one just north of I-20 near Parsons Road in Atlanta, the other running west from the Lakewood Fairgrounds, some 5 miles to the south. To this day I've not been able to establish if the racing took place at a track near the fairgrounds during the Southeastern Fair, or at a school track on the more northern Fair Street. Either seems plausible.

Norm Frame is a friend, he's Chuck's son, who was Fred's nephew. In his collection photos and "stuff" I seem to remember a flyer for a midget race car dealership in Atlanta. I should go bug him and see if that ad or anything else he has mentions it. Maybe he'll let me scan some of his photographs... it'd make for some pretty interesting quizzes here in TNF.

[Lotus23]

MPea3, this may be of some help:

Allan E. Brown's The History of America's Speedways, my always-ready resource on such matters, notes a venue called "Atlanta Speedway" aka "Atlanta Midget Speedway" located "east of downtown on Fair St. & Memorial Drive".

Allan describes it as a 1/5 mile dirt oval which had a brief existence (5/21/40 to 1942). The only other info is the notation "located at the Warren Athletic Field formerly the site of the Sports Arena".

[MPea3]

Interesting. Today's Fair Street and Memorial Drive actually "meet" at the main railway line heading south out of downtown Atlanta, but it's southwest of and very close to downtown. Googling Warren Atletic Field I find mention of it as a site for wrestling (wrasslin'?) in the late 30's. Time to find some of my old Atlanta maps.

[MPea3]

Originally posted by HistoricMustang
Can you advise what the "stadium complex" is next to the former Lakewood Speedway. It is modern, yet appeared to be under utilized. This is not the amphitheater.

Henry

It's a football stadium. You can see it

here just northeast of the lake.

[MPea3]

Originally posted by Lotus23
MPea3, this may be of some help:

Allan E. Brown's The History of America's Speedways, my always-ready resource on such matters, notes a venue called "Atlanta Speedway" aka "Atlanta Midget Speedway" located "east of downtown on Fair St. & Memorial Drive".

Allan describes it as a 1/5 mile dirt oval which had a brief existence (5/21/40 to 1942). The only other info is the notation "located at the Warren Athletic Field formerly the site of the Sports Arena".

A little digging and the help of others and I've found it. Warren Athletic Field Was in fact later called the Atlanta Sports Arena, and it turns out I've been there 1970ish or so. I remember it as a totally ramshakled old wooden place where I saw the Allman Brothers Band, and also remember being scared the place would go up like a match with all of the lighters and smoking going on... and we're not talking about cigars. A pretty insignificant bit of history I suppose, but I'm glad to finally know.

[Lotus23]

MPea3, I'm glad that your mystery track has finally been located. I think most of us here on TNF get a lot of satisfaction in ferreting out answers to questions like yours.

Of course, some of our questions will never be answered, but it's great when others can be.

[HistoricMustang]

Originally posted by MPea3


It's a football stadium. You can see it

here just northeast of the lake.

Yes, but it looked unused when I was there a couple of years ago.

Also, please pick up a copy of "Driving With The Devil" by Neal Thompson.

Very interesting twist about how Atlanta rather than Daytona could very well have been the "Center of Automobile Racing".

Henry

[MPea3]

I'll look for that and give it a read, thank you. Also, it was my understanding that with a few changes in the weather, the Atlanta Motordrome could have been the biggie rather than Indianapolis. The remains of that track can be seen here.

[Lotus23]

MPea3, I concur with Henry that Neal Thompson's Driving with the Devil is well worth its price, esp for those of us in the Deep South.

I found paperback versions on b&n for < $10, a real bargain. Most of the book is centered in/around Your Fair City (ATL) and is based on hours of interviews with NASCAR pioneer Raymond Parks, now in his mid-90s.

[HistoricMustang]

Originally posted by Lotus23
MPea3, I concur with Henry that Neal Thompson's Driving with the Devil is well worth its price, esp for those of us in the Deep South.

I found paperback versions on b&n for < $10, a real bargain. Most of the book is centered in/around Your Fair City (ATL) and is based on hours of interviews with NASCAR pioneer Raymond Parks, now in his mid-90s.

Without ruining a future read of the book you will discover how politics (outside the racing arena) was a major player in destroying Atlanta (Lakewood) as being the "Capital" of automobile racing. By that I mean "all" types of automobile racing.

[MPea3]

Looking through GSU photographic archives I discovered a few more pics from Lakewood from the 40s, and thought some of you might enjoy. A couple of drivers might be able to be identified?

This first one I find interesting because of the empty grandstands in the background.




Any idea who?




I couldn't help it. I'm a bike nut. Taken from the inside of turn 1 just like the first photo above.




Surely we can identify this guy by car number and car name? Trophy queens have come a long way since then.




First, is that Joie Chitwood, and if so, is the youngster on his knee possibly the fellow that now works for IMS?




And 4 others

[fines]

Joie Chitwood in the 1940 Peters/Offenhauser, picture from 1942 or 1945.

[fines]

Yes, also Joie Chitwood (there's a pointer on the car's door ;)), but I don't know if that's Joie Jr. - when was he born? I'd guess the picture is late forties, very early fifties.

[fines]

Duke Dinsmore, lady unknown. Car may be the 1940 Johnston/Miller, later Offenhauser.

[fines]

The car to the left looked familiar, and my first thought was Red Redmond, but on checking a couple of references it seems I was mistaken. The second from left, however, is Jimmie Wilburn I'm pretty sure. I always have a hard time telling his various cars from each other, but I believe this is the 1939 Morgan/Offenhauser.

[fines]

This appears to be a Midget, so I am not of much help here, though I have to say the name "Gasperini Offy" sounds familiar... Driver looks a bit like Buddie Rusch to me... "Say, buddy, couldn't ya do me favour and look in my direction pleeeze!"

[fines]

Not unusual for cars to end up in the lake at Lakewood, but this appears to be more of a ditch, or perhaps a small stream - the aerial pictures in the other Lakewood thread appear to show one running along the backstretch, and another underneath Turn 4. Anyway, difficult to identify the car without further info - could be the Harris/Fronty, but the style of the number and the paint job do not match. The Iddings/Hal also sported #19 one year (1947), but again, the style doesn't match... I give up!

[MPea3]

Michael,

I was hoping you'd check in and know some of these things, thank you.

By the way according to the library, photos 1,2 &3 are from 1943-1949, photos 4, 5, 6 & 7 are from 1943, and 8 & 9 are from 1941-1943.

These and others can be seen at the Georgia State University Library website as part of their special collections section.

[fines]

Originally posted by MPea3
By the way according to the library, photos 1,2 &3 are from 1943-1949, photos 4, 5, 6 & 7 are from 1943, and 8 & 9 are from 1941-1943.

Hmm, that doesn't make much sense - there was no racing of any kind in 1943, it was banned altogether, and I'm not sure Chitwood was in the stunt show business already. Lucky Teter died in 1942 iirc, and Chitwood took over his business, but in the war years???

[MPea3]

Originally posted by fines

Hmm, that doesn't make much sense - there was no racing of any kind in 1943, it was banned altogether, and I'm not sure Chitwood was in the stunt show business already. Lucky Teter died in 1942 iirc, and Chitwood took over his business, but in the war years???

Not a surprise. I'll speak with one of the special collection librarians the next time I'm by there to see if I can get an idea of how the collections were grouped and dates assigned. My wild guess is that someone has attempted to organize things after the fact.

[fines]

Originally posted by fines
Not unusual for cars to end up in the lake at Lakewood, but this appears to be more of a ditch, or perhaps a small stream - the aerial pictures in the other Lakewood thread appear to show one running along the backstretch, and another underneath Turn 4. Anyway, difficult to identify the car without further info - could be the Harris/Fronty, but the style of the number and the paint job do not match. The Iddings/Hal also sported #19 one year (1947), but again, the style doesn't match... I give up!

What was I thinking! The Harris/Fronty was a "Stagger Valve" and, consequently, also had an exhaust on the left!!!

TNF is really not the place to make "rookie mistakes"... just glad I caught this before anyone else does!

[HistoricMustang]

Google produced this.

Henry

http://www.ultimater....php?trackid=65

[MPea3]

Looking over the Atlanta History Center's website I found a number of Lakewood photographs which I thought it would be nice to include to the thread.

Listed as 1958, the track and the fairgroudn buildings can be seen behind behind the "Spectators". Either there was a boat race or something else going on in the lake.

http://collections.a...o...OX=1&REC=19

Perhaps they were looking at this??? The housing on the hill in the background are outside turn 3. I must add that I'd never have wanted to go in that lake from what I remember.

http://collections.a...o...BOX=1&REC=7

From a hill on the fairgrounds looking from the area of turn 4 toward turns 1 & 2.

http://collections.a...o...BOX=1&REC=3

The fairgrounds at Lakewood, with the guardrail on the outside of turn 4 visible.

http://collections.a...o...BOX=1&REC=8

The grandstands from turn 1 in 1984, only 5 years after the last race.

http://collections.a...o...BOX=1&REC=3

This photo is identified as a horse racing photo from Lakewood but bears no resemblance to any area of the track that I know of, so it must be a mistake.

http://collections.a...o...OX=1&REC=11

An aerial photo dated 1946 showing the fair, and turn 4 of the track along with the grandstands.

http://collections.a...o...OX=1&REC=13

It says circa 1940, but is the car on the hill a pre-war car?.

http://collections.a...o...OX=1&REC=14

[HistoricMustang]

This web site was launched this week and has a lot of potential.

First up is Lakewood!

http://www.georgiaracinghistory.com/

Henry

[MPea3]

This web site was launched this week and has a lot of potential.

First up is Lakewood!

http://www.georgiaracinghistory.com/

Henry

Aah yes, Brandon's new website. I've been trading a lot of emails with him over the last two weeks and Beth and I met him last Saturday in Dawsonville. A long time lurker, I think he has some interesting stuff coming to TNF soon regarding the 9/2/46 Atlanta race.

[HistoricMustang]

Aah yes, Brandon's new website. I've been trading a lot of emails with him over the last two weeks and Beth and I met him last Saturday in Dawsonville. A long time lurker, I think he has some interesting stuff coming to TNF soon regarding the 9/2/46 Atlanta race.

Yes, he and GARHOFA historian Mike Bell have a TON of information on racing here in the State of Georgia.

Am glad Brandon is taking the time to get this information up on the web. I believe they have documentation on over 400 former tracks in Georgia.

Henry

[fines]

Is it just me, or is this website somewhat, ahem, "duff"???

If I hit a link, the next page will just open in the small sidebar on the left, and more than 90 % of the screen stays the same! It's very annoying to read the text "vertically", rather than horizontically, and I can't see the pictures unless I force the link to open in a new window, which quite frankly I am not inclined to do - I don't like to open too many windows at once and for no particular reason, especially when most of the original window space is "wasted", as it is.

[HistoricMustang]

Is it just me, or is this website somewhat, ahem, "duff"???

If I hit a link, the next page will just open in the small sidebar on the left, and more than 90 % of the screen stays the same! It's very annoying to read the text "vertically", rather than horizontically, and I can't see the pictures unless I force the link to open in a new window, which quite frankly I am not inclined to do - I don't like to open too many windows at once and for no particular reason, especially when most of the original window space is "wasted", as it is.

Michael,
Brandon has already received this feedback and realizes some work needs to be done.

It is a start and several individuals here in the home state have an absolute ton of information located in out buildings that needs to be scanned and provided to the general motorsports fan before it gets destroyed. As this site develops and makes adjustments it could be that avenue for presentation along with TNF.

Henry

[Reed32]

Michael,
Brandon has already received this feedback and realizes some work needs to be done.

It is a start and several individuals here in the home state have an absolute ton of information located in out buildings that needs to be scanned and provided to the general motorsports fan before it gets destroyed. As this site develops and makes adjustments it could be that avenue for presentation along with TNF.

Henry

Well, this is as good a place as any to make my first post here!

Thanks for the kind words!

Michael, you're the second person to tell me you've had that issue. I'm not sure what's causing it. As it's designed, you should have a small bar at that top with the GRH logo, and a small window on the left with the navigation buttons that stay there all the time. What browser are you using, and what resolution do you have your monitor set at? It was designed in Firefox at 800x600. I've not seen any issues on any computer I've looked at it on, but my in-laws reported the same issue that you do. Thanks for letting me know.

Henry's right, there's so much racing history in Georgia, and so few people know about it. Everybody used to come to Lakewood in Atlanta to race - from Indycars to stock cars to motorcycles - heck, even boats on the lake! Lakewood is such an important part of our racing history, and it's sickening to think it will be leveled for cheap apartments.

Hopefully, once the site is working okay for everybody, it will help to generate more interest here in the "Peach State", and can help us to uncover more of the history. If we keep telling the stories and showing the pictures, then we can keep that history alive.

Thanks again!

Brandon Reed
http://www.georgiaracinghistory.com

[HistoricMustang]

Welcome Brandon and share a tid bit or two every once in a while here at TNF. The old farts around here need some new excitement. In fact several members think there is no more new old information to learn.

Mike Bell is a resource, along with another Georgia native Joe Cawley, that needs to get his information scanned and shared. Neither one of those two are young chickens any more. It would be a damnation to lose their collections.

Henry

[Reed32]

Welcome Brandon and share a tid bit or two every once in a while here at TNF. The old farts around here need some new excitement. In fact several members think there is no more new old information to learn.

Mike Bell is a resource, along with another Georgia native Joe Cawley, that needs to get his information scanned and shared. Neither one of those two are young chickens any more. It would be a damnation to lose their collections.

Henry

Mike is working with me to get many of his stories on the site, including the next Feature, which will be on the late Bob Burcham, and his great story on the 1946 tragedy at Lakewood (I do have some new stuff on that accident that I hope to share very soon with everyone).

Incidentally, I found the problem with the site, so a big thanks to Michael. It appears that Internet Explorer, version 7 and up, does not work well with it. I'm working with someone presently to remedy the problem and streamline the whole site, hopefully by the end of business on Thursday.

Thanks again, and glad to be here!

Edited by Reed32, 23 June 2009 - 21:52.