Lakewood Speedway
| Indianapolis of the South | |
|---|---|
| Location | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Time zone | EST/EDT (-0500/-0400) |
| Coordinates | 33°42′07″N 84°23′24″W / 33.702°N 84.390°WCoordinates: 33°42′07″N 84°23′24″W / 33.702°N 84.390°W |
| Broke ground | 1916 |
| Opened | July 4, 1917 |
| Closed | September 3, 1979 |
| Major events | NASCAR, AAA, IMCA |
| oval | |
| Surface | dirt |
| Length | 1 mi (1.6 km) |
Lakewood Speedway was a race track located south of Atlanta, Georgia, in Lakewood, just north of the eastern arm of Langford Parkway (formerly Lakewood Freeway). The track held many kinds of races between 1919 and 1979, including events sanctioned by AAA/USAC, IMCA, and NASCAR. It was a one-mile (1.6 km) dirt track which was located adjacent to Lakewood Fairgrounds. Lakewood Speedway was considered the "Indianapolis of the South" as it was located in the largest city in the Southern United States and it held an annual race of the Indy cars.
In 1916, Atlanta officials chose the Lakewood Fairgrounds as the site for agricultural fairs. They built a one-mile (1.6 km) horse racing track around a lake at the fairgrounds. The first events were held at the track on July 4, 1917. The feature events were a horse race and motorcycle race, before 23,000 spectators. A first automobile race was held at the track later that year; it featured Barney Oldfield in a match race against Ralph DePalma which attracted 15,000 spectators. In the 1920s and 1930s, the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) held car racing events during fairs and the American Automobile Association (AAA)/USAC held an annual event on July 4. By 1938, the track was hosting races with champ cars, horses, midgets, modifieds, motorcycles, and boats (in the infield lake). The Atlantic States Racing Association, Central States Auto Racing Association, Gulf States Automobile Association, International Stock Car Racing Association, and Motor Internationale Association all sanctioned events at the track. The track closed in 1941, like all United States racetracks, because the U.S. government banned all automobile racing to conserve materials during World War II. Racing resumed after the war; Lakewood became the premier track on the circuit. Following the NSCRA's folding, NASCAR held its first race at the track in 1951. It held eleven Grand National (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) and two Convertible division races in the 1950s.
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