Ft. Collins race track

[old age but great memory]

Do any readers remember the little asphalt track in Ft. Collins? I mentioned it a few weeks ago and did not get any response and in fact it was so long ago, 1954 or 1955, I am not exactly sure we were in Ft. Collins. It looked like a track built for midgets it was so small and if I remember it was a part of an amusement park. They were racing Ford coupes the night we were there. Am I dreaming or as usual I have forgotten places and names from so long ago?

[ghubrex]

I don't remember the track, but I've been told that it was located on North College Ave/Hwy 287, where the Lamplighter Motel now resides. The old Colorado Racing Memories site had quite a bit of information and a number of pictures of the place.

[rebels471]

I do remember hearing of a race track in Ft Collins and have seen a picture of an old sign for the speedway. The picture of that showed where the old track was is wear a McDonalds is across from Albertsons on the north side of town.

[Jerry Lee]

I'm not sure if this is the same track you guys are thinking of, but Allan E. Brown's History of America's Speedways - Past & Present lists this Ft. Collins track:

Fort Collins Speedway Park - Fort Collins
1/5 mile paved oval / 1946 - about 1950

It also mentions that the first year in operation it might have been a dirt track.

[parrot]

Jerry Lee the only track in Ft. Collins that I'm aware of was Speedway Park, a one fifth mile oval in the north end of the city on Highway 287. Forget the cross street, but went there once to try to find it and that property is now commercial/industrial. The red W.A.R.C. book published for the Wyoming Auto Racing Club states that the track opened in 1950 and was built as a stock car track. Lots of good photos of cars and action in this book for Ft. Collins, Greeley and the Wyoming club. I highly recommend it if you can find one. Contact Bob Baker, 2811 Whitney Rd., Cheyenne, WY 82001. (last address I had) Seems I heard that Clarence Krieger was a contact for this book also. $25 per book when I got mine about ten years ago. Hopefully there are still some available.

[VintageBuzz]

Hey guys... I've got tons of stuff from my dad's collection back when he was a car builder/owner, track official, and flagman at Speedway Park (CO) back in the early '50s. ~VB
For example: http://autoracingmemories.com/forums...hread.php?t=55

[RJ Butz]

Just chiming in, but since you mentioned an amusement park, might you be thinking of Lakeside Speedway in northwest Denver? Lakeside Amusement Park has a yellow tower with red terra cotta dome. Check out the Racetracks forum on here and see if it's the one you're thinking about.

[old age but great memory]

Originally Posted by RJ Butz

Just chiming in, but since you mentioned an amusement park, might you be thinking of Lakeside Speedway in northwest Denver? Lakeside Amusement Park has a yellow tower with red terra cotta dome. Check out the Racetracks forum on here and see if it's the one you're thinking about.

Thanks to everybody who responded to my plea. I know for sure it was NOT Lakeside Speedway as that track was our original destination but it rained out. We were on our way back home (Iowa) and stopped at the Ft. Collins track. Our original group was five and I am the only one left so I cannot ask any of them for details but I am ALMOST sure there was an amusement park of some kind on the grounds with the little race track. Anyway it was a long, long time ago and again thanks to all for reading and replying.