Lakeside Speedway - Denver Colorado

[webby]

- Written by Bill Peratt

It seems man has been competing against man for about as long as history can tell us. Horses, chariot races, foot races, all in the name of competing to see who can be first, quickest, fastest, farthest, and so on. Among those contests, speed evolved to include anything powered by energy sources, wind, steam, and the good old internal combustion engine.

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Almost as soon as the automobile was invented the challenge was on to see who had the fastest of those ”new fangled contraptions”. Early contests included activities on what roads there were at the time, but straight stretches were sought out as well. The sands of Daytona Beach, and the dry lake beds including Bonneville, proved popular for these early speed challenges.

Going in a circle seemed to make more sense to others, as witnessed by horse racing, in that a contestant didn’t have to travel forever to get back to the start point, as was the case in the aforementioned beach and dry lake courses. Horse tracks were already in place, and were used early on. However, recognizing the need for automobile only speed courses, prompted the development of venues designed specifically for them. From the simple oval carved out of the side of a hill, or in the pasture west of town, to the high banked board tracks designed to exact every horsepower out of an engine. And finally, the great paved ovals such as Indianapolis (even though originally brick) to the magnificent super speedways of today.

All across America, small tracks, paved and unpaved, were built in small towns to larger cities alike. Colorado was no different, as race courses of the circular kind began to show up soon after the automobile did. Many of those tracks in the larger communities were associated with an amusement park, usually taking their name from that of the park.

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Pictured here it the tower at Lakeside Speedway. This photo is from the Lakeside Amusement History site.

Lakeside Speedway, in Denver, CO, was one of those. That amusement park, built on the east side of West Berkeley Lake, began life as White City Amusement Park, owned and promoted by Adolph Zang, one of Denver’s pioneer brewers. (One of the Zang Brewery buildings still exists, just east of the Valley highway at the 23rd Ave.exit) Located at the northeast outskirts of Denver, at 46th Avenue and Sheridan Blvd., the date was May 30, 1908, and was was called White City because of all the white painted buildings, as well as the thousands of bulbs lighting up both the 150 foot Tower of Jewels (then the tallest building in Denver) as well as other buildings in the Park.

Prospering into the 1920s, the park suffered in the thirties, and by the time the Depression came along, was looking for another owner. Ben Krasner, since 1917 a concessionaire at the park, organized friends and family, and purchased the park in 1933. Under Mr. Krasner’s guidance the park was given new life with a new modern look created by west coast architect Richard Crouther. Re-named Lakeside Park, Mr. Krasner also re-named the Lake, Lake Rhoda, after his daughter.

By 1935, Mr. Krasner had added a baseball diamond to the south of the park. One account says that a trial midget race was held on this ball park site that year. However, by 1938, the track was made official, although still unpaved at this point in time. With midget auto racing sweeping the nation in popularity, the grandstands were enlarged and the track paved. The midgets had also been racing at Merchants Park on south Broadway (another ball park). 1939 was the last year at that track as racing was now at the newly paved fifth mile Lakeside Speedway.

Most of the big names of the day raced at Lakeside at one time or another. A stop in Denver seemed a natural as racers moved back and forth across the country, from the west coast to the Midwest racing hotbeds. Ben was not only known to pay appearance money for those traveling racers, but also to provided financial assistance to local car owners to keep their cars running.

All of auto racing in America was put on hold by the government during World War II, but resumed again at Lakeside Speedway in 1946 with racing continuing there for many years to come.

Another form of racing began across the land in the late forties, stock car racing. By the early fifties, this form of racing was mushrooming in popularity, and Lakeside Speedway was chosen by the CARC (Colorado Automobile Racing Club) to hold their programs there beginning in 1952. Prior to then, the CARC had run roadster races at several venues around the area before settling on then unpaved Englewood Speedway south of the metro area as their track. There, the CARC ran both roadsters and stock cars in 1950, and would race stock cars there again in 1951 before moving to Lakeside Speedway.

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Both midget and stock car racing continued at Lakeside, with the RMMRA midgets racing on Saturday evenings, and the CARC stock cars on Sunday evenings. With the growth of stock car racing around the country, the CARC experimented during the mid fifties running two shows a week, a Wednesday program in addition to the regular Sunday program. Some holidays, such as Memorial Day, saw combined RMMRA and CARC programs, touting “500 Laps of Racing”, no doubt taking a cue from the Indianapolis 500 (mile) race.

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This is Vern Grams hot lapping the #53 in 1953. Notice the new 3rd rail is not painted silver as are the other two.

Lakeside Speedway is a moderately banked one fifth mile paved oval running north to south. Unlike some narrow hairpin shaped tracks, Lakeside was a wider shapedoval, that along with the banking, allowed for passing on the outside. While not a regular practice, the racing surface was wide enough to accommodate three wide racing for the most daring. (The late great Sam Sauer won a main event doing just that, beginning at the tail end, passing every other competitor three high, one of the most exciting CARC races ever!) Originally a single, then two rail outside guardrail. a third rail was added for the 1953 season. Construction of the guardrail was steel, anchored by heavy wooden posts buried into the ground. This design allowed just enough rail movement to absorb the impact of wayward racecars. A particularly hard hit would occasionally require replacement of one of those posts.

The flagman’s area at the start/finish line was protected by short sections of the same rail and post design. That flagman's barrier would prove it's value (see below) of safety for flagmen many times over the years as shown in this early 60's photo of Tom Pryor, #31, having just been stuffed into the barrier with perhaps some help by the #47. A red/yellow/green lighting system was positioned at the end of each straight to advise drivers of conditions.

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A board fence closed in the pit area just outside of the track at the south end. On track entrance from the pits was in turn two, and the track-to-pit exit was at the end of the front straight in turn one. A pit board showing car lineups was stationed between turn one and two, backed up to the guardrail as shown here just behind car owner Roy Edwards, driver Dan Day, and crew of the #73, from 1958.

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During the mid fifties, the Sunday evening CARC races were televised on a half hour program. This TV camera is on a platform just inside the track-to-pit exit.

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This TV camera is on a platform just inside the track-to-pit exit.

Spectator seating encircled approximately three quarters of the track with the main grandstand on the west side. The announcer’s and race official’s booth was centrally placed high above and to the front of this stand. Seating at the north end in turn four is comprised of the original ball park stands. The ball park announcer’s booth sits above this turn four section. This booth was used by the CARC Powder Puff Club to spin records over the track PA system during breaks in the action. A dog leg shaped grandstand was built around the turn 3 corner.

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Announcer’s Booth

The east side bleachers were replaced during the late fifties by a covered grandstand built to match the west stands with seat backs for greater spectator comfort. Open bleachers to the south make up the rest of east side seating. Heavy chain link fencing was in place to protect spectators. Also about that time, open seating stands were constructed at the beginning of turn one on the south west corner, in an area that had previously been used as part of the track pit area. (More on that later) With the majority of the stands right up next to the track, there really wasn’t a bad seat in the house.

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This booth was used by the CARC Powder Puff Club to spin records over the track PA system during breaks in the action.

Ticket booths, spectator entrance/exit and concession stands were at the north end between the 3rd and 4th turn stands, and north of the west stands,as well as a concession stand south of the new east stands, and another in the pit area. Additional exits on the east (just below the PEPSI sign) and south of thewest stands were used after the races. A recognizable symbol of this facility was this Lakeside Speedway PEPSI sign that hung between the turn three and the eastside stands.

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This Dave Allinger photo made at least one national racing paper in 1968. Tom Pryor Jr. in the #3, with pieces of the fiberglass '32 coupe flying up in the air, makes it over the turn three fence, while Blu Plemmons #4 and Charles Palmer go by. Tom was OK, by the way, he was out of the car before the track crew could get there.

The placement of stands in turn one eventually proved to be the undoing of racing programs at the speedway. The heavy chain link fence protecting these stands were no match for the bigger and heavier race cars that had evolved through the years, and when a car got into the fence, during a CARC program in 1988, scattering debris through the crowd, a spectator life was lost.

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This is a newspaper articles about the spectator death and the closing of the track. It's from the Rocky Mountain News, 9-2-88.

Even though racing was halted, the Lakeside Speedway facility continued to be used for several years for special events. In time, however, the stands deteriorated, the pit fence was removed, and trees and weeds have assumed control. Even before racing ended, the roof of one section of the old ball park stands collapsed. It’s still hard to miss though, when driving by on west 44th Ave, large, still sort of white, but decrepit appearing, a sad testament to a greater time. Old timer’s conversation will occasionally turn to discussion about restoring the track. Lots of “what ifs”, “wouldn’t it be nice if”, and the dreaming goes on. A half century of some of America’s best racing, just a memory now, but a really good memory!

- Written by Bill Peratt

[Thomas E]

Lest we forget . . .

Lakeside Speedway
A Remembrance
by Tom Ellis

For twenty years we have watched Lakeside Speedway, what I have often called the "Flagship" of Colorado racing, slowly fall apart and diminish like a sinking ship on the ocean. Lakeside Speedway a place that is ebbing slowly into the past, much like the "Dust Devils" that swirl and dance around sprightly across the dirt surface of the parking lot, and will flow with a quick disappearance into the future and progress as quickly as they came.

Lakeside Speedway the place of white wash paint, a big Pepsi sign, gray colored grandstand seating, the famous south stands where most of us would look over the side and look for our favorite car or driver maybe to yell message to a friend or member of a pit crew. You would see the Powder Puff girl's selling programs, and hawkers pitching for their popcorn and soda pop sales, and "Beer here!" At the concession stands you get a Sigman’s "Top Dog" Hot Dog, there wasn't a better hot dog anywhere, bar none. Don’t forget the gridlock going out of Lakeside's main parking lot gate to Sheridan Boulevard when the races were over.

Lakeside Speedway where Shirley would play 45's from the top 40 or 50 to keep us entertained before the time trials and between the trophy dashes, heats, hooligan, the semi and main events, rain and red lights. The grandstand lights were turned off during each racing event. About rain, remember drying the track during or after a rain storm, a couple of times they decided to finally call it all off at 9:00 p.m., and "Rain Checks" where honored the next Sunday, great for spectators, a bummer for the next Sunday's gate receipts. In the 50's and 60's the ambulance service was provided by Reed Ambulance, and once in a while by Haley Ambulance Service, they didn't have vans or "Boxes" no they had the real McCoy - Cadillac's.

Of the Lakeside's announcers, I recall Reed Walker the most. Reed called the action for both the RMMRA and CARC, a very affable fellow who before the races would walk through the pit area and get the latest details from the drivers and owners, the CARC officials, then during the race meet Reed would give us fans the latest scope about who, what, when and where. On one of the Saturday night midget programs with the RMMRA, the four fastest midget's turned a four lap trophy dash in 48 seconds, over the loud speaker came Reed’s request, "Run it over again, give us our money's worth."

Lakeside Speedway and it’s participants combined to make for the "Greatest show on wheels"
A remembrance of yesterday, and a thought for today . . .

Soon Lakeside Speedway will go into history too, along with the thinning ranks, whether it be the "Hot Dogs" or "Chrome-Shoes" the "Also Ran" driver's, the owner's, and the ever loyal fan's; it causes us to say, "I'm glad I knew them. I‘m glad I was there, I remember when . . ." The stalwart gladiator's with their steeds of steel, chrome, paint and rubber, put on a race card that was second to none. This home away from home of competition, a fifth mile oval with the north turn banked and a flat south turn, a track that to some was as famed as the "Brick Yard" and Daytona.

At Lakeside we watched big wins, and near misses too; there was the short lived figure-eight racing with that infield "X" of dirt and you would hear the bumpers "click". Our favorite driver might crash and that was it for the night, we would visit the driver in the pits and say, "You'll do it the next time." We have seen the best, the track villain and the crowd favorite and also ran's, each one which provided some real entertainment and good competition . . . When all is said and done, regardless of whatever we thought, Lakeside and all who attended or participated are a part of our past that we will remember.

For today and before all is gone . . .

It has been said that late at night if you are over by Lakeside Speedway, you can hear the ghosts, the bark of the "Flathead", the zing of the "Stove bolt 6", the deep throated rumble of the "Offy", the snarl of the "V8-60", and faintly from the pit PA system hear "Sammy meet Jingles over at the pit board," or Reed Walker say "Ladies and gentlemen, here is the line up for the main event," combined with the echoing of the cheers and boo's and you'll remember who.

To some, Lakeside Speedway has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Others came back week after week, year after year. But which ever the case is, it is always difficult to release each one's grasp on the pulsating emotion that has been Lakeside Speedway.

The icy winter's will come and go, along with the other season's in the year's to come, and the area of 44th and Sheridan Boulevard will be forever changed. May memories of the cheering fans, the roar of the engines, the driver's, owner's and their cars, in the years ahead under a lazy Colorado sky bring us back for a moment to the memory of . . .

Lakeside Speedway



In Memory of

Ben Krasner

A man who went from baseball to auto racing.


"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined,
he will meet with a success unexpected."

~ Henry David Thoreau ~

[rapid30]

I have some great old shots of the Modifieds from the 60's, the #90 is Don Careli from 1967, #19 is Don Wilson in John Pachello's car 1967, 2 shots of the Banner Auto has Harry McCool in 1966 and Fritz Wilson in 1967.
Bruce

[rapid30]

Here is a shot of Wayne Stallsworth in the infamous Chevy II also from Lakeside.
Bruce

[webby]

Here is a video that Rick uploaded to my other site sofast.tv (RIP Rick!)

Modifieds at Colorado's Lakeside Speedway 1950's

YouTube - Modifieds at Colorado's Lakeside Speedway 1950's

[webby]

The midgets at Lakeside from the 1950's. (Rick Wasilko video)

YouTube - Midgets at Colorado's Lakeside Speedway in the '50's

[carc7]

One little detail item that Bill left out in his awesome description of Lakeside is that the elevation of the track changed from south to north. The north turn (turns 3 & 4) were at a lower level than the south (turns 1 & 2). The banking in the north turn, consequently, was higher than in the south. Cars would pick up great speed going down the backstretch and could enter the north turn with more velocity due to the banking, and because you were traveling downhill. Old timers tell me that setting a car up for Lakeside was quite a compromise - if it worked well in the south, it wouldn't in the north, and vice-versa.
The bottom rows from the original grandstands from the baseball field, at turn 4, were well below the racing surface at the top of the banking. The banking was plowed up after it was changed from the baseball field. Nobody could sit there because all you could see was the back of the railings and a slit of color as a car would blast by. Exceptions were if a car went over the "wall" there, as Frank Denning did once. It was a drop of about 15 feet to the grandstand. Removing a car from that area took a lot of time and work, usually resulting in the car receiving just as much damage from removal as it did from the accident itself.

Personal memories: my Dad took me with my brothers to Lakeside for the first time in 1959. Dad's best friend was Rufus "Boots" Stallings, who sponsored Sam and Elmer Sauer's cars that year. Sam drove #28 and Elmer #5. So becoming a Sam Sauer fan was a natural for me. Sam was the "track villian" for many years and some people didn't appreciate his talent. I guess that was easy to overlook, especially in his earlier, more reckless, years.
But we would arrive just before 6:00 to watch the last hour of hot laps and see who was running well. We would park at the Skagg's Drug parking lot on the extreme east side of Lakeside Shopping Center, and since the west gate wasn't opened yet, walk all the way around the property along 44th and in the alley behind the houses facing Sheridan to the front gate at 46th and Sheridan. We sat on the top row of the west stands just to the north of the start/finish line, so we could greet Boots as he climbed up into the judges' booth. We preferred to sit atop so we could stand up when we wanted without bothering those around us. For me, it also meant I could jump up and down and yell for Sammy to win.
Dad didn't have a lot of money (5 kids will do that for you), so my Mom would make a grocery bag full of popcorn for us to take. Not today's plastic ones, but an old brown paper one. You know, about 20" high. We didn't take anything to drink because then we'd have to use the bathroom, and Dad didn't want us leaving the speedway (the bathrooms were shared with the amusement park), and you had to exit and move to the north of the speedway to use them. The first time I used those restrooms when attending races was when I was in high school. I was 5 when I first went to the races. My BEST memories outside of family were at Lakeside Speedway.
My brothers and I would play races with our AMT '32 Ford coupes that we would build and paint like those with the CARC. We took our set of Encyclopedia Brittanicas and lined the outside of the room with "guard rails": the books standing on the open end. The race event would always conclude with a pit fight, complete with launched wrenches and spare tires!

[Terry Von Tilius]

My memories were taking the whole day and going to Lakeside. (Any one remember the little midget ride in "kiddie land"? I loved that one... Is it still there?)
My Mom would take us to the amusement park, while Dad would go to the track to help out who ever he was "wrenching" for at the time. (He had quit racing long before).
We would get all worn out from our day at the park. Then off to the races that night.
I can still remember how GOOD those Pepsi's tasted. (no differnet than any other Pepsi, but it must have been the atmosphere).
And that smell, when the midgets ran. Oh the Methanol and caster oil. It was just was more prevalent at Lakeside, because you were so close to the track and the overhead roof kept the smell in.
I don't get up to that part of town very often any more. But when I do, I gaze over at the old place and can feel the memories.

[Mitch G.]

I was there in July of 2008, took my kids to see the park, and ride the rides. The little midget ride is still there in Kiddieland, and still runs! We snuck into the track, it's in terrible shape, and hurts to look at it, my wife wouldn't even look at the old track. It's best not to see the place, just keep the memories.

[parrot]

"Old timers tell me that setting up a car at Lakeside was quite a compromise - if it worked well in the south, it wouldn't work in the north, and vise versa." quote by CARC7.

Paul, thank you for reminding me. That is indeed an important piece of Lakeside history. I'd completely forgotten about what always appeared to be a track that 'tilted' down at the north end. Never did read/hear why? Maybe going 'up hill' toward turn one was the plan; during those early years there were so many cars in attendance that time trials began at 6:30 and each driver got only one lap and had to exit just after crossing the start/finish line as the next car to time was already coming down the back stretch. Suppose going 'up hill' made it a little easier to slow for the pit entrance? A lot of hard braking and was fun to watch, but diffucult to keep track of and write down all the times as there was a never ending cycle of cars on the track getting their lap in.

Speaking of large car counts, thanks to Mitch G. for a copy of a 1955 program. Armed with both early and late season programs I show there were at least 129 cars that year. Mitch's copy had the times of those who timed in that night marked, which totaled 83 cars! So 35 guys only got fifteen laps of glory in their one and only event, the Hooligan race. A friend who raced there during that time recounted how so many cars showed up some Sundays that there were two Hooligans! The lucky few who finished at front of that race got to fill in at the rear of the Semi Main. What a sight that was during those years. First race I saw at Lakeside had 78 cars timed in, all coupes. I was in awe!

Also some good memories about that track and taking your own snacks. (Heck, I still sneak stuff in to the movies!) I remember even being able to buy beer from vendors there, in cans, no less. None of those limp plastic containers at other venues that would sooner or later alow someone in front of you to get a beer bath.

I, like Paul and a lot of others, prefered the top row so we could occasionally stand. Here's a memory, I remember when on that top row of the west stands, looking out to the west and seeing just a large vacant lot, the Shopping center hadn't been built yet.

[carc7]

Well, Bill, you do pre-date me, then, because I remember going to the Lakeside Shopping Center (then the largest between the Mississippi and the west coast) shortly after it opened, but don't remember the land without it! Maybe that explains why you have more gray hairs than I do.

But it was fun to watch the sunset between qualifying runs, and I do remember being in the stands in 1969 when they shut the cars down to announce that we had a man on the moon! The moon was almost full that night, and I can still picture it through the chain link fence that was mounted behind us.

Another great memory was being able to climb over the backs of the seats as we cut diagonally from our seats to the exit leading between the main grandstands and the turn 1 stands, to get to the pits. We beat a lot of people out by not having to stand in line! Also, if somebody bought a program but left it on the seat, it was mine!

When I was in high school, we sat up top in the 4th turn because we got there late (my buddy, who drove, wasn't concerned about qualifying - the heathen!) and I dropped my jacket underneath the stands. After the races, we had to wait with a CARC official until the stands were cleared, and he opened the door to underneath. I retrieved my jacket and had to explain to my mom that no, I hadn't been drinking beer; that got spilled on it down there! And the mud from the beer, too! NEVER did that again!

[parrot]

Paul, you triggered another memory. On those nights when I was 'on call' , I wouldn't risk going to the races for fear I'd get called away. A trick I quickly learned was to go to the track just before or when one of the mains events was on, no one taking tickets by then, so just walked in, grabbed a seat in turn four, and hoped after the last race that someone left their program on the seat. Picked up several that way.

A parking lot memory that most may not remember is the 44th Ave exit after the races. Instead of exiting the front gate onto Sheridan BLVD, It let cars out from the east lot, not far from that alley you mentioned right onto 44th Ave. The gate is still there, but probably hasn't been used in decades. That was before I-70, so zig zagging through the north Denver neighborhoods to get out of Denver was always interesting as we would come across a lot of stock cars being towed home. BP

[carc7]

Leaving the track was pretty easy for us. We usually went to the pits after the races and by the time we were done there, the traffic in the west lot was pretty sparse. If he had to get right home because Dad actually wanted to sleep before going to work on Monday, we had to dodge some cars on the way out. But we'd get to the car (after the pits) and would see a lot of the cars on their trailers as the crews and drivers would chow down at the Chicken King Restaurant before hitting the road. I vividly remember Jim Malloy's #16 on the trailer the night it got trashed after a run-in with Sam Sauer's #28. It was a mess!
Another required accessory was our trusty pair of binoculars. We'd see the blue light flashing from the far corner of the pits and use them to see who's car was getting welded on. And to check the damage on cars being towed to the pits. And, most importantly later on, to check out the trophy girls! I remember watching Tommy Pryor, Jr. through the binoculars as he rolled the aluminum-framed #73 into the infield. Can still picture it in my noggin. Fibreglass pieces flying EVERYWHERE!
You were mentioning the beer sellers. They didn't care if you were 16 or 86, as long as you wouldn't say anything. When we were in high school, my buddy, who was 17, signalled to him as a joke, and he came and sold Joe a beer! "Ice cold beer here" was the call. What a hoot!
Were you around in the late '60s when they sold the frozen chocolate covered bananas? Sounded terrible, but they were actually pretty good!
I also remember heading to the pits after the races, especially earlier, and having people running and yelling because there was another fight. Frequently started or ended at the Sauer pit, strangely enough. Can't imagine Sam being in a fight (he said sarcastically)! But when we got around the cars, we'd feel the tires to see how hot they still were. And seeing some of those drivers. . . I wasn't worthy to stand on the ground they walked on:bow:. If they had only known. . . Still felt that way when I met Fritz Wilson in the early 2000's. Oh, my gosh. . . that's FRITZ WILSON! Even when I hated to see him win back in the day, because it meant that Sam didn't!

[lakeside #29]

I would like to compliment Thomas and Bill on their excellent articles. All of the entries on this post really bring back fond memories.

I started going to Lakeside in 1960. I would accompany the Huntsinger family and sit in the northeast corner. When the regular season was over my mom would let me walk across Berkeley Park to go to the afternoon races. We lived at 48th and Newton St. and I-70 didn't exist yet. Later we moved to Aurora and it meant quite a bit of begging to be hauled across town to watch the races. We moved back to North Denver a year later to 44th and Irving and my attendance went back up. My folks weren't racing fans so my dad would drop me off at 45th and Sheridan across from the auto gate. Today there is a Shamrock station on that corner, but back then it was a vacant lot. I would generally go alone, it didn't matter to me as long as I was there. I would sit in the east covered grandstand, second row, in front of the first support beam. The view was unobstructed. After the races I would go to the pay phone outside the north gate and call home. I'd wait for my dad on Sheridan where I had been let off.

When I got older I would walk to the track and once I bought a motorcycle, I was set. In high school I had a couple of buddies that would join me. One friend of mine tried to talk me into buying a modified but at 18 and 1-A with the draft it didn't make much sense.


Paul, we pulled the same stunt, faking out the beer guy. You're right they didn't care as long as they didn't get caught.

In the '70's we also used the west gate leaving the races, with the race car in tow it was easier to exit the shopping center than to get out on Sheridan. They pernanently closed that gate when the shopping center complained the race track traffic was tracking too much dirt and mud into the parking lot.

My wife and I went to the races when we were dating and contiued after we were married. My wife worked in the pit shack when I returned to racing in the '80's. It's a big part of both of our lives.


Lakeside was a magical place to me. On one season of "The Twilight Zone", Rod Serling would open the show saying "It's a dimension of sight and sound and mind." Lakeside felt that way to me. The lights of the amusement park, the sights, sounds, and smells of the race track and the lights of the surrounding area. Nothing supernatural but a sensory overload that I haven't experienced since the grand old place closed.

I will always have fond memories of Lakeside and the heroes of my youth and of the friends I made there.

Chris Ertler "Professor Coupe"

[JimmyK]

Here's Frankie mantello (93), Eddie Jackson (5), Grier Manning (42), and Earl Kouba (55) contesting a trophy dash in 1963. Bet some of your were there. From the looks of the stands you could probably pick yourself out :wave: Sad to see so few attending.

[carc7]

On the midget picture from 1963, those were great years for racing. We went to a few midget races, but to be honest, I was one of those who preferred the stockers because there was more action (read: CRASHES). And when there were crashes, people generally didn't get hurt seriously, as was more likely to be the case with the midgets. I appreciated the midgets more as I grew up, and although my brother Jim prefers them, I still love the CARC modifieds. But to me, there still hasn't been racing like that during the early years at Lakeside. I mean, come on, over 100 cars show up!

Time Trials at 7:00, Races at 8:00! So we didn't even START until 8:00. Yeah, it went late some nights, but GAWD, what great racing! Until Don Wilson got some years in the 19 car, the Main Event was open! Sometimes guys who ran at the front of the Fast A field would actually win! And those 100-lappers; WOW! Here's to us old-timers dribbling in our beer!:cheers:

[Thomas E]

Midgets, what a car :kurtis: :first:

May favorite midget events at Lakeside . . .

The 4 car, 4 lap trophy dash. 4 for 4, what an event :checker:

The 40 or 50 lap main event.

And paricipating with some of the owners and drivers in walking the midgets to the start finish line for the driver introductions for the main event and some times for the trophy dash.

May favorite midget (and I liked them all) was Ray Koch's #93, I even built a scale model of it for Frank Mantello, using Monograms models Midget Race Car. I also built cars for Ed Jackson #5, Warren Hamilton #6 (green), Dave Barlett #15, Jack Peachey #1, and a black #55 for Earl Kouba.

I remember when there were times infield was the pit area.

I also like the watching the CARC stockers, the modifieds, and those 50 lap flag to flag main events. Didn't care much for the wings though.

[Mitch G.]

Wow! the story's just keep getting better and better. We used to sit top row, on the back chute, as far up in the south corner under the covered stands. My dad used to draw sketch's of race cars on the wall behind our seats, wonder if the drawings are still there. Jimmy K, that's the picture of the week for sure!

[JimmyK]

:racing:
Since you liked that one, here are couple more. The first is Speed Roberts in the Lively Duece (2) leading Foster Campbell (4). It not clear, but I think the third place car is Grier Manning. The second shot is Earl, leading Joe Giba, with Grier Manning avoiding a Frankie Mantello oops.

[Mitch G.]

Man, your killin' me, those are amazing. I try to tell younger fans who will never see, what we got to see. Imagine a trophy dash at Lakeside with the midgets, the 4 cars slowly circle the track, line up, pick up speed on the back chute, get the green flag, those 4 Offy's screaming, (Maybe a hot Chevy II), and as the cars near the first turn, all four drivers, like poetry in motion, all lean as far out of the car as they can!! You would have to see it to believe it, I'm lucky I got to see it and can remember what it looked like. As they flash by and enter the next turn, all four drivers again almost simultaneously lean toward the infield, out of the cockpit to fight the centrifugal force of the corner, or to aid in weight distribution in cornering?, it was awesome to see. There is nothing in auto racing like it today.

[Thomas E]

:racing:
Since you liked that one, here are couple more. The first is Speed Roberts in the Lively Duece (2) leading Foster Campbell (4). It not clear, but I think the third place car is Grier Manning. The second shot is Earl, leading Joe Giba, with Grier Manning avoiding a Frankie Mantello oops.

You know I got to thinking about that #4 car. With 8 little stacks (?) sticking up out the hood, it reminds of the #41 fuel injected V-8 60 Ford that Don "Spider" Anderson drove.

[JimmyK]

Good catch. I had just noticed the dark car and the 4 and assumed it was Foss. So, I went to my higher def scanned image... On the white helmet you can read "Ande" and probably a "R" too... Once I was looking for it, I can make out a 1 after the 4. So I think you're right, but you probably already knew that :)

[JimmyK]

Here is the real Foster Campbell posing with my mom, Ethel, in victory lane after a Lakeside trophy dash in 1960.

[Thomas E]

Good catch. I had just noticed the dark car and the 4 and assumed it was Foss. So, I went to my higher def scanned image... On the white helmet you can read "Ande" and probably a "R" too... Once I was looking for it, I can make out a 1 after the 4. So I think you're right, but you probably already knew that :)

That fuel injected V-8 60 Ford was unforgettable.

This is one of the most fum forums I have been at, this is some great stuff.

BTW - Do you all remember "Foss" driving the #44 Walker KK Roadster, it was black with gold 44's.

JimmyK, here's to you . . . :cheers:

[JRKracer]

Hey you guys. Your on the right track that is Speed leading the fuel injected ford of Spider and Grier in third. I remember that car very well. Jimmy has a picture of Foss in the #44 roadster after a dash win at Lakeside. Maybe he will post that also.

[JimmyK]

A shot of Lakeside in 1946. Looks like the Buzzard Taxi #6 in the shot.

[webby]

This video was posted in another thread but it needs to be in here the Lakeside repository as well.


YouTube- Lakeside Colorado Racing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLkPLB8GdT0

[VintageBuzz]

Merry Christmas, everyone! I'm re-gifting a gift that the late Rick Wasilko gave us all back in April of 2008 on the old ARM format site. Let's all take a moment during this holiday season to remember our ol' racing-bud, Rick Wasilko, his son, and all of Rick's family who misses him even more that we do. R.I.P., Rick! ~VB
For Rick's tour of Lakeside Speedway, Click Here (http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/album.php?albumid=219)
Be sure to click on each photo, as I've added Rick's original captions to each one.
This is Rick's article that he posted back on April 9, 2008:
"Months ago Karma: 7
Thanks to Dale Moore we have some wonderful photos of Lakeside Speedway very shortly after closing in 1988.
I have many memories of Lakeside Speedway, but the following is one of my fondest, and it’s all true….
One of the many nights the family packed up to go to the midget races at Lakeside Speedway over at 44th Avenue & Sheridan Blvd., began like any other night the family packed up to go to the midget races at Lakeside Speedway over at 44th Avenue & Sheridan Blvd., ‘till yours truly found out, my dad had different intentions…that I had no clue about. At some point during the trophy dashes & heat races, MY dad, the number one midget fan & soon to be sponsor of the RMMRA “Best Looking Car Award” of later years had the bright idea to tell his son, who was about 7 or 8 at the time, (me) that he was going to go to the pits to see some of his “buddies” he hadn’t seen for awhile. My dad was the “midget” guy in the family, (not talking about his stature, but his interest in those little four wheeled, fuel powered devices of speed known as the ‘mighty midgets’ of the RMMRA). Well, when my young ears had heard this, and by the time those words made it to my young, impressionable mind, and was digested by my equally intrigued little brain, ( which took all of about the time it took a midget of the day to cross the start finish line, front nerf bar to rear push bar going fast enough during time trials to earn the last spot outside the back row of the four car trophy dash…) I had decided, WHAT A GREAT IDEA! My dad & I are going to go to the pits DURING the races…not wait until after the last checkered flag fell for the night! COOL!
You’ve heard the old saying…be careful what you wish for, it just might come true…Well, I explained to dad, how great all of this sounded to me, sound being the key word here…though I heard him speaking & saw his lips moving, some how the “sound” of his words didn’t quite get digested properly in my brain…because he had told me, kids aren’t aloud in the pits during the races, only afterwards. However, all I heard was, “going”, “pits” and “now”. When dad continued to explain to me what had to have been SEVERAL more times what he already explained, it started to sink in, that his plan was to go to the pits “during the races” by himself! Well, this just wasn’t going to work…NO WAY!
If dad was going…his “shadow” was going too! I didn’t give a midgets tail section full of fuel that it was night & the track lighting was barely bright enough to cast shadows. I was going to the pits with him! Anyway, I can still somehow hear the echoes of my voice repeatedly saying something like…Commmme onnnnn DAD! I want to go too….You know how when you’re young and the more you want something the longer your words draw out. I guess to the point of being so annoying that older, much smarter, way more educated human beings and parent figures finally have a brain cramp of sorts & just blurt out ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT ALREADY! COME ON!
YES!! It happened! WE’RE GOING TO THE PITS DURING THE RACES!
How cool was that?
Well you also know, I’m sure how parents get sometimes, when they are aggravated with their off spring, they not only speak in capitol letters but the pace of their normally brisk walk becomes somewhat elevated in speed, maybe hoping to tire the sniveling offspring out to the point of feeling like you need a drink of water and then a bathroom break, and then ultimately taking your mind off of the duties at hand. But as my short little legs and feet, probably half the size of his once shinny wing tips, kicking the sandy terrafirma of the Lakeside parking lot made progress at a hasty pace…towards the pits, that simply was NOT going to happen, I mean come on, we were on a journey! Right? Maybe a journey never attempted by any man or boy of my age had ever ventured…THE PROMISED LAND! The pits DURING the races! Could this be? YES! It could & it was!
I remember thinking all the way & all the time it took while shuffling along that sandy parking lot behind the East freshly painted for the summer grand stands…how cool this was going to be…not only going to the pits during the races, but getting to ride in one of the push trucks while pushing the cars off for the main! Holy cow! What if some or even one of my young racing buddies from school was in the stands that night, they’d see me riding in the push truck going around in circles on Lakeside Speedway for gosh sakes! What a story to tell…I could see myself sitting in the middle of that somewhat uncomfortable vinyl covered bench seat of ( not naming any initials here just names ) Steve Clifford. Steve was one of my dad’s ‘buds’ and was a regular at the midget races and the Marigold Café that Jim Tunstead was the proprietor of at the time. In addition to supplying his time and truck (it was an old IHC or Dodge, can’t remember for sure, but it had the headlights stacked one on top of the other, finished off in red with white scallops & a bitchin’ chrome exhaust stack that when letting off the accelerator went “brappppped”) to the RMMRA, he also helped out Denny Guillian on his car. My memory of the truck itself is very foggy and may not be totally accurate. I apologize, but my mind was concentrated on more important things at the time. Like, you know, the whole experience.
This all sounds great and a real treat right? Not exactly. For when my dad informed me of how much trouble ALL of us would get into IF ANYBODY EVER found out about this, I was just beginning to get, what I thought to be a picture in my mind of well…lets see…how do I put this…it wasn’t going to be the 'joy ride' I once, just minutes earlier had envisioned it to be…I swear, in my mind…I saw myself sitting proudly on that bench seat looking at all the people in the stands, knowing what it was like ‘racing’ at Colorado’s legendary Lakeside Speedway. As my dad…now in an even more firm tone of voice explained further, that if I REALLY wanted to do this & leave him alone about it & NEVER, EVER mention it to him or anyone I knew or would hope to know in my life time… and if I did he may not take me to see another race of ANY kind ever again…I slowly began to get a different image conjured up in that cookin’ little brain of mine…it really started to hit home. When Steve came ‘racing’ up to the pit gate from the inner bowels of the pits, he had told the pit gate officials he needed to get something from the parking lot, (yeah me and my dad), so they allowed him to leave, provided he return in time to help push the main off.
We arrived back to the pits just in time. Me on the floor board covered over with blankets and coats so the RMMRA officials knew not of my presence, Steve behind the wheel and Dad in the passenger seat. Listening to the conversation in the cab going on between the two of them, I heard that we had made it through the gate. I felt the motion of the truck. And YES! I was officially in the pits DURING the races at the ‘tender’ age of 7 or 8 and ready to observe the Main Event being pushed off, not from the grandstands, but from a Push Truck!
The promised land! O.K., things were looking up again. We’re in! We’re golden! Now I can get up off the floor, sit proudly between Steve and my Dad and watch as this race gets rolled to the green!
Wo! Hold it! Not quite! Now remember, I pictured this in my minds eye, I’d be sitting there, lookin’ at the all the people in the grandstands, maybe being able to pick out someone I knew from school, waving and thinking to myself, how cool is this?
Well, it didn’t quite turn out that way…It was Cool, don’t get me wrong, it was VERY Cool. But what the whole thing actually amounted to was…my Dad let me peek my head up over the dash board of Steve’s truck, one time before we left the pits pushing Jim Tunstead’s orange metallic Marigold Café Chevy II powered number 47 out of the pit exit gate, onto the back chute. All I could see was the top of Jim’s lighter orange almost yellow metallic cage, and just the very top of his tear drop tail. Not much of a view (for a kid) but still cool. Hey it was much better than the black rubber floor mats I had my face stuck in just a few moments before. Man I couldn’t believe the way Steve had to ‘hot rod’ that old truck just to get these midgets rolling. At the time, it seemed to me like he was about pushing the accelerator through the floor and pulling that 4 speed shifter hard enough to rip it out of it’s tranny case. Anyway, my dad allowed that quick peek at what things looked like pushing a midget off, and then I felt his huge hand pushing on my head down and this time hearing the words for sure, get down! I think he let me take a quick peek at the stands as we went down the back chute and by the time we reached turn three, it was back on the floor board.
Again, now having to listen what was going on, instead of witnessing it with my own eyes, I could tell every time we pulled up behind another one to be pushed off. Feeling the ‘bump’ seeing Steve’s foot press the accelerator and feeling myself roll (on the floorboard) back towards the bench seat. I could feel when we went through the turns and was actually surprised how violent all this seemed. But damn it, it was good. It was very good.
Well there ya have it. The story I was never, EVER supposed to tell, and now I’ve told the whole www. Isn’t www.autoracingmemories.com cool?
It was NOTHING like I expected it to be, but even so, spending most of my time on this excursion on the rubber matted floor boards of Clifford’s truck, rocking and rolling as he powered that thing through the corners pushing off the midgets for the Main, was truly one of my fondest memories of Colorado’s Lakeside Speedway. R.I.P."

[parrot]

Buzz, thanks for sharing this info. The story and photos are great. RIP Rick.

[Hot Rod Angel]

Good Evening~

Alas, I don't have any fantastic photos to share, but I did come across this Lakeside poster, and thought I would contribute...

In reading the memories you all have shared, I can almost feel myself in the stands, the sounds and sights flooding my senses...
Thank you for sharing this with those who were never fortunate enough to experience it themselves....:bow:

[BURROW-28]

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i253/enve_ftk/racing%20memories/lakeside.jpg

This is the only pic i have of the old Lakeside track. but gives a nice fan perspective

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=287&pictureid=2664
(Photo by Jerry Lee McGuire) When this photo was shot in the summer of 1997 the speedway
sign still hung proudly in the air in turn 3. It was soon cut down and left abandon along side
the dilapidated East stands.




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=287&pictureid=2663
(Photo by Jerry Lee McGuire) Here’s a look at the covered East stands around 1997 and the
long since boarded up East refreshment stand. The uncovered East stands were dismantled
in 1995 and used at Second Creek Raceway.




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=287&pictureid=2662
(Photo by Jerry Lee McGuire) This shot from 2007 shows what was left of the original
North/West stands and “Music Box” up on top. Looks like one could knock the whole thing
over with one easy push.




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=287&pictureid=2661
(Photo by Jerry Lee McGuire) The only racing that goes on in the town of Lakeside anymore
is this little Midget ride at Kiddieland. It was probably built in the late ‘30’s or early ‘40’s
when Midget racing was popular at the site.

[83x]

I started going to the races in the 50s we drove up from the springs
almost every sunday. We set in the east grandstands top rows. I remember
sneaking away at intermission and going over to the arcade at the park for
a little while getting back just in time for the semi. Liked watching Malloy
do his thing in Pachello's 19. Then later on watching Don Wilson drive it, I
remember one night they timed in the flat head and tried to sneak the 6 cyl.
out to run the dash. At the end of the season they had a run what you brung winner take all. It was October 59 or 60 I remember it was chilli down
at the fair grounds in Pueblo Malloy ran off and left every one in Pachello's
black 19 with an ardin in it. That one picture of me when I pit for Blu my mom took that picture before the races one night I was a little nervious Blu was a little superstitious and didn't like pictures before the races. When the main started me and Mark Billick walked out nealed down in the pit out gate you can't imagine watching the main that close to the track. You could never get away with that now. But we were young Mark even had a full head of Fonze hair. That summer when I helped Blu I was working at a Texaco station on south Brodway. I broke my leg but I had a walking cast on i'll always remember Fritz called me hop along. When I started racing stockcars at Pikes Peak I brought my 55 chevy up and run at Lakeside it was like a dream come true.

[davidj3594]

i really like the lakeside speedway.it must have been amazing to watch the races.ive been to the park a few times.unfortunately its in pretty bad shape.there are a few old cars parked around the speedway,only one i can remember is a light blue 67 or 68 mustang.lakeside should at least restore it and turn it into a sort of museum instead of letting a denver landmark fall in to such a bad shape.

any way here are some pics i found on flicker of the current shape of the speedway
it wont let me post pics
maybe a mod can help me post them
i guess we can thank jaovandelagematt for uploading those

if posting links is not allowed feel free to remove it

[webby]

i really like the lakeside speedway.it must have been amazing to watch the races.ive been to the park a few times.unfortunately its in pretty bad shape.there are a few old cars parked around the speedway,only one i can remember is a light blue 67 or 68 mustang.lakeside should at least restore it and turn it into a sort of museum instead of letting a denver landmark fall in to such a bad shape.

any way here are some pics i found on flicker of the current shape of the speedway
it wont let me post pics
maybe a mod can help me post them
i guess we can thank jaovandelagematt for uploading those

if posting links is not allowed feel free to remove it
Welcome to Auto Racing Memories! I have certified your membership so now you have full privileges and you can post pictures if you want to. For tips on how to post images check out these instructional videos (http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25).

Looking forward to hearing more of your auto racing memories!

[davidj3594]

Welcome to Auto Racing Memories! I have certified your membership so now you have full privileges and you can post pictures if you want to. For tips on how to post images check out these instructional videos (http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25).

Looking forward to hearing more of your auto racing memories!

thank you.here they are
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lagemaatphoto/archives/date-posted/2007/06/04/

[webby]

Recent Denver Post article about Lakeside Speedway (http://www.denverpost.com/motorsports/ci_18359176) and the people who still remember it.

[rapid30]

I found a great shot of Lakeside, showcasing the midgets, from the great book "The Might Midgets" by Jack Fox

[drbencrazzy]

i love lakeside speedway its like i was born there we were there every weekend on sat we were at englewood speedway and on sun we were at lakeside speedway i was there when kristy carlson was killed i knew her we talked a few times she was a nice person i was sitting on the top seats on that side of the grandstands that night i can still rember it like it was yesterday everyone was claping and cheering on there favorite drivers and all i rember it happen so fast the car went up hit the fence and stoped on the grand stands the whole track went quiet you could hear a pin drop it was so quiet it is something i will never forget but there was one thing i needed to do when the track was officialy closed this seems a little weard but i snuck in and kissed the track surface and said my good bys lakeside speedway will b missed

[Jerry Lee]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=171&pictureid=4938
(J.L. McGuire collection) Here's a sad photo taken the day after that
unfortunate accident in July 1988.

[drbencrazzy]

wow that is a sad photo after looking at that photo i can still see the car siting there on top of the fence laying on the grand stands