Lakeside Speedway facts for kids
Lakeside Speedway is an exciting auto racing track located in Kansas City, Kansas. It's a special kind of track called a "dirt track," which means the surface is made of dirt, not asphalt. The track is 4/10 of a mile long, which is a bit less than half a mile. Every week from April to September, you can watch thrilling races here! Drivers compete in different types of cars like USRA Modified, USRA Stock Car, USRA B-Mod, and Factory Stock. The races follow rules from big racing groups like the United States Racing Association (USRA) and the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA).
Contents
The Story of Lakeside Speedway
Lakeside Speedway first opened its doors on April 17, 1955. It was located at a different spot back then, on 92nd and Leavenworth Road. However, after some unfortunate accidents in 1956, the track had to close for a few years.
Moving to a New Home
In 1961, Lakeside Speedway reopened with new owners. It stayed at the Leavenworth Road location until 1988. That's when the land was bought by developers for another race track called The Woodlands.
So, Lakeside Speedway moved to its current home at 5615 Wolcott Drive, also in Kansas City, Kansas. This new location was great! It allowed for brand new grandstands where fans could sit comfortably. There was also a modern press box for reporters. Plus, there was even space for a campground nearby, so racing fans could stay close to the action.
From Asphalt to Dirt
From 1989 to 1999, Lakeside Speedway was a half-mile asphalt track. Asphalt is a hard, paved surface. But in 2000, new management took over. They decided to change the track back to a high-banked 4/10-mile dirt track. This means the turns are steeply angled, which makes for exciting racing!
One challenge for the track is that it's very close to the Missouri River. Because of this, flooding can sometimes be a problem.
Lakeside Speedway and NASCAR
Did you know that Lakeside Speedway has a connection to NASCAR? NASCAR is one of the biggest racing organizations in the world!
Early NASCAR Races
The track hosted a special NASCAR Convertible Series race way back in 1956. A famous driver named Frank Mundy won that event. Later, in 1999, the NASCAR Midwest Series also held a race at the speedway.
Famous Drivers at Lakeside
Many well-known NASCAR drivers have raced at Lakeside Speedway. One of them is Clint Bowyer. He's a very talented driver who still holds several racing records at this track!
Top Drivers (2000-2013)
This section highlights some of the drivers who had the most wins at Lakeside Speedway between 2000 and 2013. These numbers are from regular point races, not special events. Drivers whose names are in bold were still racing at Lakeside Speedway at the time this list was made.
| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | (Tied) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Dave Brundage 7 |
Chad Lyle 5 |
Clint Bowyer 3 |
Marshall Jewett 3 |
Bobby Ohrenberg 3 |
Dennis Belknap 3 |
Johnny Saadhoff 3 |
Frank Littrell 2 |
Steve Newson 2 |
Jason Moppin 2 |
Carl Ewing 2 |
| 2001 | Clint Bowyer 9 |
Dave Brundage 7 |
Chad Lyle 6 |
Bobby Ohrenberg 6 |
Frank Littrell 5 |
Dennis Belknap 4 |
Wade Sherman 4 |
Danny Charles 4 |
Marshall Jewett 3 |
Johnny Saadhoff 3 |
Karrick, Billings, Boney 3 |
| 2002 | Clint Bowyer 18 |
Kerry Davis 18 |
Tim Karrick 8 |
Dave Brundage 7 |
Chad Lyle 6 |
Bobby Ohrenberg 6 |
Wade Sherman 6 |
Frank Littrell 5 |
Danny Charles 5 |
Dennis Belknap 4 |
Billings, Billings 4 |
| 2003 | Kerry Davis 29 |
Clint Bowyer 26 |
Tim Karrick 10 |
Dave Brundage 7 |
Chad Lyle 7 |
Bobby Ohrenberg 6 |
Wade Sherman 6 |
Frank Littrell 5 |
JR Billings 5 |
Tom Charles 5 |
Charles, Billings 5 |
| 2004 | Kerry Davis 33 |
Clint Bowyer 27 |
Tim Karrick 15 |
John O'Neal,Jr 11 |
Chad Lyle 9 |
Gene Claxton 8 |
Dave Brundage 7 |
Tom Charles 7 |
Bobby Ohrenberg 6 |
Wade Sherman 6 |
Billings, Tranckino, Richards 5 |
| 2005 | Kerry Davis 34 |
Clint Bowyer 27 |
Tim Karrick 20 |
Gene Claxton 18 |
John O'Neal,Jr 15 |
Chad Lyle 9 |
Dave Brundage 7 |
Tom Charles 7 |
Lynn Nelson 7 |
Dustin Boney 7 |
|
| 2006 | Kerry Davis 38 |
Clint Bowyer 27 |
Tim Karrick 27 |
Gene Claxton 25 |
John O'Neal,Jr 15 |
Chad Lyle 13 |
Lynn Nelson 10 |
John Allen 10 |
Tim Shields 10 |
Tim Billings 10 |
|
| 2007 | Kerry Davis 41 |
Tim Karrick 32 |
Clint Bowyer 27 |
Gene Claxton 26 |
John O'Neal,Jr 15 |
John Allen 15 |
Tim Shields 15 |
Tim Billings 14 |
Chad Lyle 13 |
Lynn Nelson 10 |
|
| 2008 | Kerry Davis 43 |
Tim Karrick 37 |
Clint Bowyer 27 |
Gene Claxton 27 |
Tim Shields 17 |
Chad Lyle 17 |
Nic Bidinger 17 |
John O'Neal,Jr 15 |
John Allen 15 |
Tim Billings 14 |
|
| 2009 | Kerry Davis 45 |
Tim Karrick 39 |
Gene Claxton 28 |
Clint Bowyer 27 |
Nic Bidinger 19 |
Tim Shields 18 |
Chad Lyle 18 |
John O'Neal,Jr 15 |
John Allen 15 |
Tim Billings 14 |
|
| 2010 | Kerry Davis 45 |
Tim Karrick 41 |
Gene Claxton 32 |
Clint Bowyer 27 |
Nic Bidinger 20 |
Tim Shields 19 |
Chad Lyle 18 |
Tim Billings 17 |
John O'Neal,Jr 15 |
John Allen 15 |
|
| 2011 | Kerry Davis 45 |
Tim Karrick 42 |
Gene Claxton 34 |
Clint Bowyer 27 |
Tim Shields 21 |
Nic Bidinger 20 |
Tim Billings 19 |
Chad Lyle 18 |
John O'Neal,Jr 15 |
John Allen 15 |
|
| 2012 | Tim Karrick 48 |
Kerry Davis 47 |
Gene Claxton 37 |
Clint Bowyer 27 |
Tim Shields 23 |
Nic Bidinger 21 |
Tim Billings 20 |
Chad Lyle 18 |
John O'Neal,Jr 16 |
John Allen 15 |
|
| 2013 | Tim Karrick 48 (0) |
Kerry Davis 47 (0) |
Gene Claxton 39 (2) |
Clint Bowyer 27 |
Tim Shields 25 (2) |
Nic Bidinger 24 (3) |
Tim Billings 20 (0) |
Chad Lyle 18 (0) |
Marshall Jewett 17 (3) |
John O'Neal, Jr 16 (0) |
This list was partially updated on September 27, 2014.
Track Champions
Lakeside Speedway has seen many drivers win championships over the years. A championship means a driver was the best in their car class for an entire season! Here are some of the top champions and how many times they won.
| Rank | Driver name | Championships & years |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gene Claxton | 11 (80,84,85,87,88,89,90,03,04,05,06) |
| 2 | Tim Karrick | 11 (86,92,93,94,95,97,98,03,04,06,12) |
| 3 | Tony Sawyer | 4 (91,92,94,96) |
| 3 | Brett Heeter | 4 (09,13,14,15) |
| 3 | Tim Shields | 4 (07,14,15,16) |
| 4 | Jim Martin | 3 (71,72,73) |
| 4 | Mike Dibben | 3 (74,75,76) |
| 4 | Joe Kosiski | 3 (81,82,86) |
| 4 | Billy Deckman | 3 (81,87,94) |
| 4 | Joe Schoenberger | 3 (90,91,93) |
| 4 | Les Foster | 3 (94,96,97) |
| 4 | Buz Kaster | 3 (87,89,08) |
| 4 | Tom Charles | 3 (84,05,10) |
| 4 | Bobby Layne | 3 (76,77,84) |
| 4 | Nic Bidinger | 3 (08,13,14) |
| 4 | Chad Clancy | 3 (09,14,16) |
| 4 | Chad Lyle | 3 (00,03,08) |
| 4 | Terry Bivins | 2 (70,71) |
| 5 | Roger Arnhart | 2 (71,72) |
| 5 | Cliff Lawrence | 2 (72,73) |
| 5 | Kenny King | 2 (82,83) |
| 5 | Tom Wunder | 2 (82,88) |
| 5 | Duane Walker | 2 (85,86) |
| 5 | Dave Cotterman | 2 (90,91) |
| 5 | Larry Phillips | 2 (91,92) |
| 5 | Jeff Atchley | 2 (98,99) |
| 5 | Steve Newson | 2 (98,99) |
| 5 | Clint Bowyer | 2 (01,02) |
| 5 | Jake Richards | 2 (03,04) |
| 5 | Lewis Taylor | 2 (66,69) |
| 5 | Jerry Weld | 2 (66,67) |
| 5 | Tim Billings | 2 (02,07) |
| 5 | Danny Charles | 2 (01,09) |
This list was last updated on February 4, 2017.
