Lakeside Speedway: The history of Denver’s ‘palace’
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ก.ย. 2022
- It’s a rich history that’s in danger of crumbling away. Lakeside Speedway, which now sits in ruins, was once known as “the palace” and drew visitors from across the West. We share the seldom-told stories of the speedway In this special presentation of Discover Colorado.
What a neat surprise to run into this on YT today! This really brings back memories, I used to go to Lakeside with my dad almost every weekend in the 60s and watch the races. There wasn't anything more exciting to me than to watch the cars tearing around the track and sliding through the curves sideways, engines roaring and sometimes cars flying everywhere.
I was born in 1957 and my parents were showing me off on 45th and Depew to my grandparents. Grandparents on Depew across I 70 from lakeside. Bottom line, I heard Y'All ROARING as a baby from across the highway.
My grandfather on Depew st worked at lakeside too. This is a cool video.
I ran rides there too but too much to say now.
I will pray for Kristy and her family.
I grew up in the mid-late 2000's, definitely far too late to see any racing there, but I remember going to the amusement park every summer and seeing that abandoned track across the parking lot. I always wondered what happened to it and what it must've been like in its heyday. That and back then I was a huge race fan who was always interested in anything that had to do with the sport. I still am at a local level so finding a documentary like this was not only interesting to me but wildly informative. It's nice to finally have some answers to those questions I asked every summer growing up in regard to The Palace. I hope that one day it may be restored and improved upon in terms of safety and perhaps a return to the magic of those Saturday and Sunday nights with new heroes and a revived interest in racing.
My grandfather was Homer Inness and he raced at Lakeside when the track first opened and continued on up into the mid-60's. Grandpa was a welder by trade. He owned a shop way out on the other side of Denver from the Lakeside Speedway on Leetsdale Dr. He built and sponsored his own cars. Maybe someone reading this would recall seeing some stock cars with 'Homers Welding' on the side. He had dozens of cars over the years with lots of different numbers on them.
Like alot of guys grandpa's racing days started just after WW2. He had a room full of big trophies🏆that I loved to look at as a kid.
He did build some of the midget racers but his thing was stock cars.
Grandpa said he was a better builder of cars than he was a driver so he decided to have another guy behind the wheel to drive his cars. I met that guy a few times but for the life of me I can't remember his name. I want to say his name was Butch but if you had a dollar for every guy named 'Butch' at a racetrack you'd be rich .. lol. Its common for the drivers and pit crews alike to go by a nick-name.
Grandpa also had cars at Englewood Speedway.
I started to really get interested in Lakeside Speedway as a high schooler in the mid-60's. Going to the races every week was a pure blast. The racing was exciting and everybody had their favorites. I enjoyed the Stock cars and the late models. I'll never forget the guy that stuffed a V8 in a tubby little Corvair.. it looked funny but that thing would flat fly around the track!! Haha.
What great times those were! America was a very different place back then.. with very different people.
Thanks for putting out the video.. it was great to see! 👍
Thanks for sharing the story, I spent a great deal of time at that track when I was in junior and high school. I wish the family would have spoke to you also.
Lakeside just baffles me. While I appreciate that they haven't sold the entire land parcel to a developer, it makes me sad to see it currently. I drive past it every day and remember summer company picnics held there by my mom's employer
What baffles you about it?
@@TylerTheBassCreatorSee comment above🙄.
No. I'll tell you.
How does Lakeside bring in enough $$ to just turn the lights on(business's are closing b/c of energy costs)?
And (hopefully) maintain the rides(parts and labor are$$), AND pay employees. Is it somehow just a tax write off?
And why is the lake inside the park stagnant and smelly, but Berkley lake east of Lakeside is fine?.
It seems like the owners are just half assing it, when it could be so much more, and still be authentic. Comprende?
@@kristyhoward6897 that explains nothing
@@TylerTheBassCreator Then you have comprehension issues, and I regret wasting my time.
@@kristyhoward6897 it barely brings in enough to pay the employees and other operating costs. Hence why it's stayed in a rough condition for so long...
We lived at 44th & Benton in the early '50's. On race night my dad would take my brother and me up on the roof of our house and we watched the races from there. I was 4 and my brother was 6.
Thanks 7 the Denver channel!
Powerful vid. My first job at lakeside when i was 15 was painting those stands ugly gray. 1972
I had older siblings that went to watch the car racing and would go swimming in the pool house. What really stood out to me was the fun house and of course the train. Once they tore down the fun house it just wasnt the same and I havent been back since. its so sad to see how run down its become.
The North Wilkesboro, NC speedway was closed and deteriorated for a number of years. It has been restored and is racing its first races again in 2022.
Late 50s early 60s Dad would load us up, drive 200 miles from Goodland Ks to Denver.We would spend the day at Lakeside amusement park and the watch the midgets run Sat nights. Don't know what made me think of this, but was great to find info on a big part of my childhood. Sad that speedway is so rundown but looks like the park may still be functioning. The memories of the smells of the cars is still strong today.
They make it sound more like an obsession than a hobby, or anything else. I cannot imagine being so involved in anything, but it sounds like they sure had fun with it.
My dad raced there, after he quit racing my family and friends watched them every Sunday.
So many good memories...so sorry for the death of a fan!! I remember when the corner didnt even have a reinforced chain link fence. Back in the 60s, growing up, this was a highlight of our summer!
I sold snow cones in the stands there for a couple years in the early 60s... Grew up 32nd and Benton...
Midgets, demolition derby, powder puff derby, Atwood Thrill Shows, etc. etc. etc...
I was once told that the reason the race track has sat abandoned all these years was because the family of the young woman who was killed in 1988 had a stipulation in the settlement with the owners that the racetrack could never been torn down. It was supposedly a form of punishment enacted on the owners so that they couldn't tear the track down to sell the land or otherwise develop it in any way which would benefit themselves financially -- thus preventing them from capitalizing on her death in any form.
I have no idea if there is any truth at all in that. It kind of sounded to me like a local urban myth that grew over time...but who knows?
The backgrounds music is so loud and distracting, it's as if they are trying to drown out the story. Would loved to have been able to listen to this.
Agree! Bad production on the channels part. They should reupload a second video with no background music
Bring back the big slides.
Anyone remember the Sky Slide
I dont see any reason they shoikdnt open again cmon
Beware of the evil kalan area
What and why?
Beware of nonsense comments
That small ass racetrack?
They should turn it into an electric go kart track that has karts that pay tribute to the old ones.
get your check book out and spend 55 million dollars just to make 10 million