October 14, 2013
Updated - March 12, 2014
By: David L. Morrill
@Deadly Dave's Blog
Sylacauga, Alabama
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| Lakewood Speedway Atlanta, GA. |
The first motorcycle races were held at Lakewood Speedway on July 4, 1917. A four-race program, including five-, ten-, and fifteen-mile professional races, and a five-mile amateur dash.
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| Atlanta Constitution July 4, 1917 |
Professional motorcycle racing had been curtailed during World War 1 and both Indian and Harley-Davidson had released their factory riders. The Atlanta race still drew top professional riders from around the South. Gene Walker, and Tex Richards on Harley-Davidsons, would face a strong group of riders including Harry Glen, Ed Wilcox, and Nemo Lancaster. They were all riding Indians for the Atlanta dealer. Walker, a former Indian factory rider, was racing a privately entered Harley-Davidson due to the suspension of the factory racing program by Indian.
After a long hot day of horse races, the motorcycles took to the track for their races. This brought the crowd to their feet, as the riders ran neck and neck at breakneck speed on the dusty one-mile dirt track. Gene Walker won the five- and ten-mile races, with Nemo Lancaster finishing second and Ed Wilcox finishing third in both races. No results were listed for the fifteen-mile race, which may have been cut from the program due to delays in the earlier horse racing program. The amateur race was won by Atlanta's J. Parmalee.
The second motorcycle race held at Lakewood Speedway in September 1917 was marred by the death of one of the riders. On the first lap of the race, Atlanta's Ed Wilcox, who was jockeying for position, lost control of his Indian motorcycle, and crashed into the turn one fence. He died of his injuries. The crash was witnessed by his wife, who was a spectator.
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| Atlanta Constitution September 4, 1917  |
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| Atlanta Black Streak Racers - 1919 |
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| Atlanta Constitution May 5, 1919 |
The entrants included Harley-Davidson riders Albert "Shrimp" Burns, and Ralph Hepburn. Atlanta's Nemo Lancaster, The Southern Champion, and Birmingham, AL.'s Gene Walker were on Indians. Walker was the previous Southern Champion. Gene Walker and Nemo Lancaster would also compete against each other in a five-mile match race to determine the Southern Racing Champion.
Gene Walker leads Shrimp Burns
Lakewood Speedway - 1919
Furman Family Collection
When the dust settled on the day's races, Walker had broken the track record, and won the one-, five-, and twenty-mile races, along with the five-mile Southern Championship race.
Gene Walker went on to become one of the top racers in the country, winning 19 Championship races, and setting numerous track records, before he was killed in a racing accident in 1924.
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| Atlanta Constitution - July 2, 1921 |
On September 2, 1929, Olin "Easy" Pickens was killed on the first lap of a motorcycle race at Lakewood. Witnesses stated he was thrown from his bike, after he blew his rear tire, and struck the outside fence. The turn one section of the Lakewood Speedway was very tricky, and the dust kicked up limiting riders' vision was always a problem. This is the same spot where Ed Wilcox was killed in the 1917 race.
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| Olin Edgar "Easy" Pickens (on bike) Daryl Pickens Collection |
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| Waco, TX. News-Tribune - September 3, 1929 |
On August 8, 1948, Lakewood was the scene of one of the American Motorcyclist Associations most memorable events. Riders Billy Huber and Bobby Hill finished the 10 Mile National Race in a dead heat. This is the only time in AMA history of a dead heat finish in a National Race.
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| #71 Bobby Hill - Indian, #7 Billy Huber- H-D Lakewood Speedway - August 8, 1948 Chris Price @ Archive Moto |
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| # 7 Billy Huber H-D, #13 Ted Edwards H-D, #71 Bobby Hill - Indian American Motorcyclist Association Hall of Fame |
American Motorcyclist Association's Hall of Fame - Billy Huber
The event is described in the AMA's Hall of Fame page for Billy Huber:
"One of Huber's most notable races occurred on Aug. 8, 1948, at the 10-Mile National at the Lakewood Park mile in Atlanta. Coming into the final lap of the race, Indian's Bobby Hill held a 30-yard lead over second-place Huber. Huber cut the lead in half during the first turn, holding his position on the back straight. Hitting the final turn wide open, Huber drove out of the corner on the inside and pulled up behind Hill. Capitalizing on the draft, Huber swung out with the finish line only 150 yards away and pulled neck mad neck with Hill. Both riders crossed the finish line simultaneously in a photo finish, setting a Lakewood Park record of 7:46.47. President Benton of the Lakewood Park Speedway declared both riders winners, and both received first-prize money."
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| Pottstown, PA. Mercury - August 9, 1948 |
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| Lakewood Speedway - 1948 Chris Price @ Archive Moto |
In 1966, the Lakewood Speedway claimed another rider. On May 15, 1966, Orlando, FL. flat track racer Dexter Campbell was competing in the AMA Dirt track Championship Race at Lakewood. Campbell led the pack into the first turn on his KR-750 Harley-Davidson, but lost control of his bike, and was thrown into a guardrail on the outside of the track. He bounced back onto the track and was struck by other riders. Campbell died of his injuries.
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| Dexter Campbell Robbie Knight Collection |
Lakewood continued to host A.M.A. National dirt track races through the early 70s. Three-time A.M.A. Grand National Champion Bart Markel made his final appearance in Grand National competition at the 1972 Atlanta National, finishing 12th.
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| Bart Markel Imc. Narod. Ru Collection |
On March 16, 1973, motorcycle stuntman Evel Knievel came to the Lakewood Exhibit Hall for three motorcycle jumps. Knievel made three successful jumps on his Harley-Davidson XR-750. The jumps took place on Friday, March 16 thru Sunday March18, 1973.
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| Evel Knievel - Harley- Davidson XR-750 The Daily Grid - blog. calendars.com |
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| DadsVintageAds.com |
As the focus of racing in Atlanta, shifted to the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the crowds at Lakewood races dwindled, and the track was closed in 1979. Professional motorcycle racing would not return to the Atlanta area, until Road Atlanta opened in Braselton, GA. in the early 1970s.
With the passage of time, Atlanta’s role in early American motorcycle racing history has faded from memory, but during the teens and early twenties, the city played an important role in early racing history.
Sources:
American Motorcyclist Association's Hall of Fame
Atlanta Constitution
DadsVintageAds.com
Dana Haley
Daryl Perkins Collection
Deny Haven
Furman Family Collection
Imc. Narod. Ru Collection
Jesse O'Brien
Lucille Campbell Gatewood
Mike Bell
Motorcycling and Bicycling
Newspapers.com
Professional Flat Track Memorial
Robbie Knight Collection
Terry Griffith
The Daily Grid - blogcalenders.com