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Doug Wolgang in his book said tha Lakeside in KC had the track covered with asphalt for a few years. When was this done and when was it changed back to dirt?

Ray

There is 2 different Lakeside Tracks the old one i believe was alway dirt..But the new one closer to I-435 i think was asphalt for a few years before it went to Dirt. I am not sure what year they built the new Lake Side Track..Isnt that were Wolfgang got burnt in that crash he had...I never seen the track with Asphalt on it ..There is a story why the old Lakeside closed down but i am not sure on everything i was told...There is also a good story on the new Lakeside also.I know they have had a bad time with Flooding..,,,,.Maybe one of the KC guys can fill use in,,,,, i would like to here what really happened with both tracks...... Good topic Ray

Win as if you are use to it.And lose as if you enjoyed 
it for a change.Its hard to get to the top and alot 
harder to stay there.

Lakeside is where Doug Wolgang had his bad wreck

Ray

The old Lakeside Speedway was sold and the Woodlands dog and horse track sits (idle ) on that site. the new track was to be dirt was changed to asphalt while being built. There are stories of money going south in the building stages. The track was asphalt when Wolfgang wrecked, was under water the summer of 93. they put dirt over pavement early 2000's about 3 years ago went in and removed pavement in the corners replaced the dirt and sit under water this summer thanks to the Corp of Enginers.

Curt Grogan

The current lakeside didn't have very much racing this year because of the Missouri River flooding. All racing was canceled in June. Before that date rainouts were the norm.

The old Lakeside was cleared to make way for The Woodlands horse and dog track, no noise with it. The old Lakeside was built in 1955 as a dirt track and continued as a dirt track until the end. The Memories of Lakeside are still with us and the short lived Woodlands are also a memory. Now I believe it is a residential settinge. I believe racing was going to go anyway as it is was prime realestate for housing in them there hills.

The current Lakeside was built in 1988 as a asphalt track. Probably as a result of the popularity of the NASCAR local circuits. The name escapes me as of this writting. Larry Phillips was its champion most of the years it existed.

I'm guessing(?) the reason dirt was put on I-70 east of KCMO was of the result of building the new Lakeside as a aphalt track. Might have not been a very popular move in the eyes of the dirt track fans. Greg Weld was the promoter of I-70 with dirt I believe.

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

I guess Curt & I had about the same idea at about the same time. I had to walk the dogs or I would have beat him to the text, LOL.

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

A few more facts about the Old and New Lakeside.

Over the years many big events were staged at the old Lakeside. Indy star Pat O'Connor won

the first sprint car race there, I believe this race was under AAA sanction . IMCA also

raced at the Old Lakeside, it was one of the few times the club raced on a track other than a

fairgrounds  in those days. USAC raced there several times over the years. Winners in USAC

Sprint Car races included Arnie Knepper, Carl Williams, Greg Weld, and Doug Wolfgang.

The biggest annual event there was the "Jerry Weld Memorial Race" which traditionally

occured the weekend before the Knoxville Nationals. The biggest stars of the era raced in

this event before they would go over to the Jayhawk Nationals in Topeka, on the Monday

before Knoxville.

When the new Lakeside was built it, it primarily ran pavement mods and late models. But,

the World of Outlaws ran there, it was the only time in the clubs history they raced on pavement,

and of course Doug Wolfgang was severely burnt in the Max & Shirley Rogers #49. (Also when

it was paved) USAC came on several occasions to race sprint cars and midgets there, and at I-70

for a double header weekend. Tony Stewart, Kenny Irwin, Jason Leffler, Robbie Stanley, Dave

Steele, and Jay Drake, all raced during those races held in the 1990's.

 After the track was changed over to dirt, The Ron Shuman Classic was held at the

 new Lakeside for non wing sprints every year, and  was the biggest event for the

Sprint Bandit series. This was the event that made Jesse "The Rocket"

Hockett a star in the non wing sprinters. This was also the event were Nascar and WOO racer

Brad Sweet got his first major victory driving for Jack Yeley, (J.J.'s dad). Other winners of

the classic included Bud Kaeding, Brady Bacon, and last year veteran Dave Darland.

Unfortunately this series was discontinued by Emmett Hahn for the 2011 season.

Ray C

The Discovery Channel had a show last about the modifieds at Lakeside last year. I thought it was better than the asphalt cars on the History channel. I only saw 2 episodes then it was gone and I could not find it on their schedule. Were there more than 2 episodes?

Ray

The last regular weekly supermodified races at the old lakeside were in 1963 or 1964. The switch happened somewhere about mid-season. Stock cars replaced the modifieds. I think it was near July the fourth. I was there the night that the incident took place.

Some of the drivers modified drivers were making trouble after the races in the payout shack. I mean it was nearly a riot. The track owner. Mr. Muchnic, (name spelling may be wrong) Called for everyone to be quite. Told everyone if there was anymore trouble the modifieds were threw racing at Lakeside. Guess what, someone had to something stupid. Someone threw some fire crackers into the pay shack. The owner pulled out his pistol and cleared the shack and announced that was the modifieds last race. The very next week stockcars were running at lakeside.

That owner was not someone to mess with. My father had a wreck and had a cuncussion and was hospitalized at Providence. The doctor went on vacation, the hospital then required the admiting doctor to also sign you out. That would have meant staying there another couple of extra days. Mr. Muchic found out and told the staff if they wanted there joj they would release him then and there, and they did.

My first memory of the old lakeside was not a good one. My fathers best friend was killed right in front of us in 1956 in a two car wreck. The other driver survived unhurt to cause three more wrecks in the next ten years that took a total of four drivers lives. There are a lot of good memories to. D . E.

Ray,

The Discovery channel aired those first couple of episodes, and then it was moved out of prime-time.

It came back a few months later, but the remaining episodes were aired in the middle of the

night. It was a pretty good show, but sometimes seemed a little staged like alot of reality

TV.

PS, did you see my story on Mike Peters on the post entitled 40 years ago. I believe

I should have wrote it under its own heading. Mike Peters in my opinion is one of the

most underrated drivers in the history of racing in Kansas and Oklahoma.

Ray C

S1,

I enjoy your posts on racing in KC and Topeka. I have heard many interesting stories about

the owner of the old Lakeside, this is another one I will pass on.

Ray C

Ray I did not see your story on Mike, where can I view it?

Ray

Ray,

Its the lasst post under the heading (40 years ago) its at the bottom of page . Like I said previously,

I wish I would have posted it under its own heading, so people would have read about MP,

instead of just tying it into the NCRA 40 years ago story.

Ray C