The Beginning

Lakewood’s story begins in 1915, although the genesis of the facility goes back much further than that.

The land started out being inhabited by the Creek Indians. After the government excised the Native Americans, their land was sold as lots. A surveyor named Stephen Terry purchased the lot that included what would later become Lakewood.

Around 1875, as the city of Atlanta began to grow following the Civil War, the property, which contained a mill and a creek, became Atlanta’s first water works. After a new waterworks was put into service in Northwest Atlanta, a new use was needed for the Lakewood property.

It was decided that, to help encourage the growth of agriculture in the state, an annual state fair would be held, with the area around the waterworks to be developed into a park and fairgrounds. Lakewood was born.

Lakewood’s first automobile race featured Barney Oldfield in his famed Golden Submarine taking on Ralph DePalma.

Along with two large buildings to hold agricultural exhibits, a midway area and a state of the art roller coaster, developers decided to build a one-mile horse track around the waterworks lake.

Construction on what would be come Lakewood Speedway began early in 1916, using convict labor and steam shovels to prepare the property. It was during this time that Lakewood’s signature and most dangerous feature was born.

The first turn of the track had to be built as nearly a square left turn, due to the lack of space between the edge of the lake and the existing roadway, now known as Lakewood Avenue. At the time of its construction, nobody thought that it would matter much to the horses that would race there.

Ralph DePalma was named the first winner at Lakewood Speedway in an automobile on July 28, 1917.

But when the automobiles began to race there later on, it would become known as one of the most treacherous turns in racing.

The first events were held on the track on July 4, 1917, and included a horse race as well as a motorcycle race with 25,000 spectators on hand.

The first automobile race was held there later that same month, on July 28. It featured the legendary Barney Oldfield and Ralph DePalma in a set of match races of 10, 15 and 25 miles. With a crowd of around 20,000 looking on, Oldfield won the first event with DePalma taking the second, setting up a showdown for the 25-mile finale.

But the buildup was all for naught. Oldfield’s Golden Submarine came away with a damaged axel, and he withdrew from the race, handing the title of “World’s Dirt Champion” to DePalma.