Former drivers and fans gathered on Aug. 11 for the fifth annual Lakewood
Speedway reunion at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. Photo by Mike Terrell
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature Stories 8/24/12
For the fifth straight year, former competitors and fans of the famed Lakewood Speedway, which was located in Atlanta, GA, gathered on Aug. 11 at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, GA to remember the track that was known as “The Indianapolis of the South.” Among those in attendance were Georgia Racing Hall of Fame members Charlie Mincey, Rex White, Roz Howard, Charlie Bagwell, Bruce Brantley, Luther Carter, Jack Jackson, along with a host of other former drivers, mechanics, and racing enthusiasts.
Georgia Racing Hall of Famer Buck Simmons passed away on Aug. 12. Photo courtesy GRHOF
By Rick Minter-Guest Contributor
Posted in Columns 8/17/12
When the news came that Charles Leroy “Buck” Simmons, one of the greatest short track drivers who ever lived, had died at the relatively young age of 66, my mind wandered back to a Friday night some years back, to a race at a track called Highway 106 Speedway in the north Georgia town of Carnesville.
I was there to do a story on Buck, whom I’d known for years. He was closing in on 1,000 career feature wins.
Lloyd Seay won the first Stock Car race held at Atlanta’s Lakewood Speedway in 1938. Photo courtesy Eddie Samples
By Cody Dinsmore-Guest Contributor
Posted in Columns 8/10/12
In 1875, while the state of Georgia was still in the “reconstruction” phase after Sherman practically burned down the majority of the state just 11 years before, a place called Lakewood was built. Its purpose was to provide water from the man-made lake to most of the Atlanta area. It wasn’t until around 1915 that things got interesting. In 1914, the fairground buildings were built for the Southeastern Fair that took place every fall. In 1916, automobiles started to round the one-mile Lakewood Speedway facility. 15 years after the first American car race in which Henry Ford won, large, Indy-type race cars raced at Lakewood for the first time. Before this, Horse-Racing was popular in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, but was never taken to the next level.
The historic Lakewood Speedway will be remembered on August 11 during the fifth annual Lakewood Speedway Reunion at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, GA. Photo courtesy GRHOF
By Brandon Reed
Posted in Feature Stories 8/04/12
As fans and organizers prepare for the fifth annual Lakewood Speedway Reunion at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, GA on Aug. 11, it’s with two racing heroes in mind that the event will be held.
NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Cotton Owens, who passed away back on June 7, and Georgia Racing Hall of Famer Jimmy Mosteller, who passed away on July 4, will be honored at this year’s event.
