In Remembrance... The Ghosts of old race tracks - Page 4 - Auto Racing Memories

Olen McGuire · 01-17-2011, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indybigjohn

While we're talking about ghost tracks, how about the "old" Atlanta Motor Speedway?

Atlanta International Raceway on October 23, 1990 was renamed Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Click HERE for it's history.

NC Ghost Hunter · 05-19-2011, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jraney

Here are some photos of the old Langhorne Speedway in Langhorne, Pa. The red circle shows where the track used to be. I was fortunate enough to be at the champ car races from 61-71

Langhorne was actually larger than the red area. Check out all the aerials for PA @ pennpilot.psu.edu

NC Ghost Hunter · 05-19-2011, 09:21 PM

Still trying to nail down the location of the Motordrome the real OLD Atlanta track. It was on the site of the current airport somewhere. I can find a layout and mention of the last remnant being bulldozed but i cant find and evidence of it.

billmc · 09-29-2011, 11:00 PM

Olen
Maybe you can help me revive a very old memory. I have been mulling over a trip to denver in 1950 (was born and raised in Memphis Tn). During that visit our family attended the midget races at a paved track with a quirky enclosed grandstand that looked like an old baseball park. I remember that the bottom of the grandstand was enclosed by chainlink fencing because my mom dropped one of her shoes in there and i had to find the proper person to unlock it and then plow through waist deep beer/soft drink cans to find it. The place really impressed me because i had never before seen a paved track or witnessed an Offy doing it's thing. One other thing, it seems to me (out of the dim dark past) that Elitchs (Spelling?) Gardens was nearby and Frankie Caryle and his orchestra was performing.
I'm kinda hoping the place was Lakeside since i have read so many good things about the place on this website.
I would appreciate it if you could give me your opinion.
Thanks
Bill

Mitch G. · 09-30-2011, 08:23 AM

Billmc,
I can help with a little info. In 1950 the only midget track operating in Colorado was Lakeside Speedway. The opener was May 21, Keith Andrews won the feature, Tommy Rice won his first main on May 28. By July 23 Roy Bowe had 6 feature wins (trying for a 3rd straight title), he did not win another main, or the title that year. Sonny Coleman in the Kenz&Leslie Kurtis V8-60 started winning features in July, and Buddy Shay won the last 3 mains of the year, Coleman was the 1959 RMMRA and Lakeside midget champ the first to win a title in a non-Offy powered midget since 1939. Gib Lilly and Pete Headrick, Brad Bradford also won features that year, the safest season of midget racing in Colorado up to that point in time. Lakeside was located at 44th ave, and Sheridan Blvd, Elitches Gardens was close by on 38th ave and Tennyson Blvd. If you rode either roller coaster, the Cyclone at Lakeside or Mister Twister, or the Wildcat at Elitches, when you got to the top of the coasters highest hill, you could see the other coaster at the other park! Most of the big bands of the era played at Elitches "Tracadero Ballroom", and at Lakeside. The parks were less than a mile apart, so I'm guessing you were indeed at Lakeside Speedway in 1950.

Olen McGuire · 09-30-2011, 08:52 AM

Hey Bill, I didn't get to Denver until 1958. I started going to the auto races at Englewood Speedway in the 60's and to the late 70's. Mitch is right on with the two parks as I remember them. I did attend a few races at Lakeside and as Mitch said, you had to indeed be at Lakeside Speedway when you were there in 1950.

parrot · 09-30-2011, 04:25 PM

Yup! Bill, pretty sure you were at Lakeside Speedway. As for the Trocadero Ballroom at Elitch Gardens, remember dancing there. Great place to take your best girl. Lakeside Park also had well known bands playing at their El Patio Ballroom at the north end of the park. The CARC (Colorado Auto Racing Club) hosted some of their non racing events there as well.

billmc · 10-01-2011, 12:43 AM

Wow, that's what i call a response. Thanks MitchG, Olen Mcguire and Parrot. I must say MitchG, you do seem to have a total record of that period and i do now remember "Mister Twister". It was a beautiful spring evening and i can still remember how the sound of the engines blasted into that old curved grandstand roof.
Great Memories fellas
Billmc

nitro4dave · 10-04-2011, 07:39 PM

although not related to racetracks, the mention of the troc ballroom brought bac soom cool memories. if anyone else remembers how there was a "gap" when you stepped in. the entire ballroom was suspended on huge coil springs (made from horsehair i was told) so the whole floor floated and moved when the bands of the day were jumpin' and had the patrons cuttin' a rug. i did see the springs in the junk pile when they tore the place down in the 70's, they were 6-7 feet tall and about 3 ft in dia.. didn't get to hall one home was too big to hide from the folks at the time

JRHud · 12-03-2011, 01:57 PM

Here's a ghost image of where South Bay Speedway 117 was located southeast of San Diego.
This was one of the tracks in addition to Ascot that the CRA ran at. I was fortunate enough to run at both in the late 70's-early 80's.

05-19-2011, 09:21 PM	#33
NC Ghost Hunter Newbie Join Date: Mar 2011 Age: 56 Posts: 6	Re: The Ghosts of old race tracks Still trying to nail down the location of the Motordrome the real OLD Atlanta track. It was on the site of the current airport somewhere. I can find a layout and mention of the last remnant being bulldozed but i cant find and evidence of it.

09-29-2011, 11:00 PM	#34
billmc Newbie Join Date: Sep 2011 Age: 87 Posts: 6	Re: The Ghosts of old race tracks Olen Maybe you can help me revive a very old memory. I have been mulling over a trip to denver in 1950 (was born and raised in Memphis Tn). During that visit our family attended the midget races at a paved track with a quirky enclosed grandstand that looked like an old baseball park. I remember that the bottom of the grandstand was enclosed by chainlink fencing because my mom dropped one of her shoes in there and i had to find the proper person to unlock it and then plow through waist deep beer/soft drink cans to find it. The place really impressed me because i had never before seen a paved track or witnessed an Offy doing it's thing. One other thing, it seems to me (out of the dim dark past) that Elitchs (Spelling?) Gardens was nearby and Frankie Caryle and his orchestra was performing. I'm kinda hoping the place was Lakeside since i have read so many good things about the place on this website. I would appreciate it if you could give me your opinion. Thanks Bill

09-30-2011, 08:23 AM	#35
Mitch G. Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Age: 60 Posts: 1,106	Re: The Ghosts of old race tracks Billmc, I can help with a little info. In 1950 the only midget track operating in Colorado was Lakeside Speedway. The opener was May 21, Keith Andrews won the feature, Tommy Rice won his first main on May 28. By July 23 Roy Bowe had 6 feature wins (trying for a 3rd straight title), he did not win another main, or the title that year. Sonny Coleman in the Kenz&Leslie Kurtis V8-60 started winning features in July, and Buddy Shay won the last 3 mains of the year, Coleman was the 1959 RMMRA and Lakeside midget champ the first to win a title in a non-Offy powered midget since 1939. Gib Lilly and Pete Headrick, Brad Bradford also won features that year, the safest season of midget racing in Colorado up to that point in time. Lakeside was located at 44th ave, and Sheridan Blvd, Elitches Gardens was close by on 38th ave and Tennyson Blvd. If you rode either roller coaster, the Cyclone at Lakeside or Mister Twister, or the Wildcat at Elitches, when you got to the top of the coasters highest hill, you could see the other coaster at the other park! Most of the big bands of the era played at Elitches "Tracadero Ballroom", and at Lakeside. The parks were less than a mile apart, so I'm guessing you were indeed at Lakeside Speedway in 1950.

09-30-2011, 08:52 AM	#36
Olen McGuire Old Senior Genius Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Alabama Age: 87 Posts: 518	Re: The Ghosts of old race tracks Hey Bill, I didn't get to Denver until 1958. I started going to the auto races at Englewood Speedway in the 60's and to the late 70's. Mitch is right on with the two parks as I remember them. I did attend a few races at Lakeside and as Mitch said, you had to indeed be at Lakeside Speedway when you were there in 1950.

09-30-2011, 04:25 PM	#37
parrot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Age: 83 Posts: 327	Re: The Ghosts of old race tracks Yup! Bill, pretty sure you were at Lakeside Speedway. As for the Trocadero Ballroom at Elitch Gardens, remember dancing there. Great place to take your best girl. Lakeside Park also had well known bands playing at their El Patio Ballroom at the north end of the park. The CARC (Colorado Auto Racing Club) hosted some of their non racing events there as well.

10-01-2011, 12:43 AM	#38
billmc Newbie Join Date: Sep 2011 Age: 87 Posts: 6	Re: The Ghosts of old race tracks Wow, that's what i call a response. Thanks MitchG, Olen Mcguire and Parrot. I must say MitchG, you do seem to have a total record of that period and i do now remember "Mister Twister". It was a beautiful spring evening and i can still remember how the sound of the engines blasted into that old curved grandstand roof. Great Memories fellas Billmc

10-04-2011, 07:39 PM	#39
nitro4dave Member Join Date: May 2009 Age: 59 Posts: 80	Re: The Ghosts of old race tracks although not related to racetracks, the mention of the troc ballroom brought bac soom cool memories. if anyone else remembers how there was a "gap" when you stepped in. the entire ballroom was suspended on huge coil springs (made from horsehair i was told) so the whole floor floated and moved when the bands of the day were jumpin' and had the patrons cuttin' a rug. i did see the springs in the junk pile when they tore the place down in the 70's, they were 6-7 feet tall and about 3 ft in dia.. didn't get to hall one home was too big to hide from the folks at the time

12-03-2011, 01:57 PM	#40
JRHud Rookie Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Los Alamitos CA Age: 66 Posts: 16	Re: The Ghosts of old race tracks Here's a ghost image of where South Bay Speedway 117 was located southeast of San Diego. This was one of the tracks in addition to Ascot that the CRA ran at. I was fortunate enough to run at both in the late 70's-early 80's. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by JRHud; 12-03-2011 at 02:43 PM. Reason: additions