Auto Club Speedway

Auto Club Speedway (known as California Speedway before and after the 2008–2023 corporate sponsorship by the Automobile Club of Southern California^[1]) was a 2.000 mi (3.219 km), D-shaped oval superspeedway in unincorporated San Bernardino County, California, near Fontana. It hosted National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) racing annually from 1997 until 2023. It was also previously used for open wheel racing events. The racetrack was located 47-mile (76-kilometre) east of Los Angeles and was near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and Riverside International Raceway. The track was last owned and operated by NASCAR. The speedway was served by the nearby Interstates 10 and 15 as well as a Metrolink station located behind the backstretch.

Construction of the track, on the site of the former Kaiser Steel Mill, began in 1995 and was completed in late 1996. The speedway's main grandstand had a capacity of 68,000. Additionally it featured 28 skyboxes and had a total capacity of 122,000. In 2006, a fanzone was added behind the main grandstand. Lights were added to the speedway in 2004 with the addition of a second annual NASCAR weekend. From 2011 to 2023, the track hosted only one NASCAR weekend each year.

A 500-mile American open-wheel car race was held under Championship Auto Racing Teams sanctioning from 1997 to 2002. The current IndyCar sanctioning body ran a 400-mile race from 2002 to 2005 and a 500-mile race from 2012 to 2015, which was usually the season finale. Its last IndyCar race was the 2015 MAVTV 500.

In 2023, the track was closed for reconstruction as part of the Next Gen California project and demolition started in October 2023. However, high costs and other priorities have prevented the project from beginning. NASCAR has since held races in Southern California at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with the Busch Clash from 2022 to 2024,^[2][3] and will hold a street race at Naval Base Coronado beginning in the 2026 season.^[4]

Track history

Early history and construction

On April 20, 1994, Roger Penske and Kaiser Steel announced the construction of a racetrack on the site of the abandoned Kaiser Steel Mill in Fontana, California. A day after the announcement, Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) announced it would hold an annual race at the speedway. Three months later NASCAR president Bill France Jr. agreed to sanction NASCAR Cup Series races at the speedway upon completion, marking the first time NASCAR made a commitment to run a race at a track that had yet to be built.^[5] Community meetings were held to discuss issues related to the construction of the track and the local effects of events held. The local community largely supported construction of the speedway citing potentially increased land values and rejuvenation of the community. In April 1995, after having toured the sister track Michigan International Speedway, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the project.^[6] The California Environmental Protection Agency gave Penske permission to begin construction after Kaiser agreed to pay US$6 million to remove hazardous waste from the site. Construction on the site began on November 22, 1995, with the demolition of the Kaiser Steel Mill.^[5] The 100-foot (30-metre) water tower, a landmark of the Kaiser property, was preserved in the center of the track to be used as a scoreboard. 3,000 cubic yards (2,300 m³) of contaminated dirt was removed and transported to a toxic waste landfill. To prevent remaining impurities from rising to the surface, a cap of non-porous polyethylene was put down and covered with 2 feet (0.61 m) of clean soil.^[6] Construction of the track was completed in late 1996.^[5]

On January 10, 1997, Marlboro Team Penske's driver Paul Tracy became the first driver to test on the new speedway. NASCAR held its first open test session on at the track from May 5–7. The official opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was held on June 20, 1997, with the first race, a NASCAR West Series race, being held the next day.^[5]

Auto Club Speedway

The track was named the California Speedway from the time it was built through February 21, 2008, when the Automobile Club of Southern California purchased the naming rights in a 10-year deal; thus the track became Auto Club Speedway and has remained as of 2023, as the deal was renewed. The sponsorship was discontinued after March 2023.

Expansion and additions

With early success following the opening of the track, the speedway began to expand reserved grandstand seating along the front stretch with an additional 15,777 seats. In May 1999, an additional 28 skyboxes were added to the top of the main grandstand. In 2001 the Auto Club Dragway, a 0.250 mi (0.402 km) dragstrip, was built outside of the backstretch of the main speedway. That same year, the infield of the speedway was reconfigured to hold a multipurpose road course. On April 24, 2003, The San Bernardino County Planning Commission approved the changing of the speedway's conditional use permit to allow the installation of lights around the track. Later that year NASCAR announced a second annual NASCAR Cup Series race at the track for the 2004 season, with the second race being run "under the lights".^[7] NASCAR ran two weekends of racing annually until the 2011 season, when the track returned to a single annual race weekend.^[8]

In 2006, the speedway's midway, located behind the main grandstand, was overhauled. The new midway, called the "Discover IE FanZone", included the addition of Apex (a Wolfgang Puck restaurant), additional shade and lounge areas, a retail store and an entertainment stage.^[9]

In March 2014, the Las Vegas-based company Exotics Racing expanded to California by opening a new 1.2 mile road course at the Auto Club Speedway.

Attendance problems

Upon the addition of a second NASCAR weekend at the track in 2004, attendance at the races dropped off dramatically, by as much as 20,000. With such a large attendance swing, drivers and media began to doubt if the track deserved two dates, even if the track was near Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest media market.^[10] Weather also became a concern with either extremely hot days or with rain threatening the races. All of this factored into NASCAR's decision to remove a second race from the track with the realignment of the 2011 NASCAR schedule. Former track owner Roger Penske said the track may be located in a one-race market. Track president Gillian Zucker cited bad weather windows and fans having other entertainment options as reasons for the attendance decline.^[11]

Effective in the 2014 racing season, the grandstand capacity was reduced from 92,000 to 68,000. This was accomplished by removing approximately 12,000 seats near turn 1 and installing a hospitality area and a digital display showing speeds along the straightaway.^[12] In addition, seats were further reduced as a result of modifying average seat width from 18 inches to 23 inches. The capacity quoted does not include luxury boxes and infield seating, which when added reaches a capacity of approximately 100,000.^[13]

Name change

On February 21, 2008, the Automobile Club of Southern California (ACSC) became the title sponsor of the raceway, making Auto Club Speedway the track's official name. The naming rights deal was for ten years and is worth an estimated $50 to $75 million. In addition to naming rights, the ACSC was to have use of the facility for road tests for Westways magazine and other consumer tests. The money was used for capital improvements to the track.^[1]

In popular culture

The track was often used for filming television shows, commercials and films. In 2000, portions of Charlie's Angels were filmed at the speedway,^[14] and in 2005, portions of Herbie: Fully Loaded were filmed there.^[15] In 2007, The Bucket List saw Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman drive a vintage Shelby Mustang and Dodge Challenger around the 2.000 mi (3.219 km) speedway.^[16] The track was used as Daytona International Speedway in the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari.

A parody of the track was used in the 2006 Disney/Pixar animated film Cars in the end of the film. It is the venue for the Piston Cup tiebreaker race between the movie's main character Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson), retiring veteran Strip "The King" Weathers (voiced by Richard Petty) and perennial runner-up Chick Hicks (voiced by Michael Keaton). The race is held at the Los Angeles International Speedway, which is a conglomeration of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena where the Rose Bowl is located, as well as the Auto Club Speedway.

Fatalities

During the 1999 Marlboro 500 CART race, Canadian driver Greg Moore died in a crash along the backstretch of the track. It was determined that after sliding along the infield grass, Moore's car hit the edge of oncoming pavement, which caused the car to flip into a concrete retaining wall. The incident prompted the track owners, ISC, to pave the backstretch of both Auto Club Speedway and its sister track Michigan International Speedway in an attempt to prevent a similar accident. Shortly after the crash, CART mandated the use of a head-and-neck restraint system on all ovals. The rule eventually became mandatory on all tracks.^[17][18]

On April 5, 2002, Ricky Lundgren was killed in a qualifying session for a motorcycle race.^[19]

On August 7, 2004, a police officer from San Diego, John Barr, died during an open track event after coming off his motorcycle.^[20]

On June 2, 2005, two men died while participating in an event sponsored by the San Diego Chapter of the Ferrari Club of America.^[21]

On October 15, 2010, a 24-year-old woman died while participating in a driving school at the track. The woman was driving a replica Indycar as part of the Mario Andretti Racing Experience when she lost control and hit the inside wall of the track.^[22]

Planned reconstruction

On September 8, 2020, it was revealed that documents for the reconstruction of the facility as a half-mile high banked oval had been filed with San Bernardino County. As first reported by The Insider, the new short track layout would feature long straightaways like Martinsville Speedway and high banked turns like those featured at Bristol Motor Speedway. According to the published preliminary site plan, the new layout would fit inside the footprint of the current layout's trioval, and utilize much of the existing infrastructure such as the garages (which would be outside the new track), main grandstand and pit road suites (which would overlook the relocated backstretch). The work was scheduled to start after the 2021 Auto Club 400, and to be completed in time for the 2022 season.^[23]

In December 2020, it was announced that the 2021 race weekend had been canceled due to complications surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.^[24] On February 27, 2022, Auto Club Speedway president Dave Allen announced on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio that plans to convert the speedway had been put on hold.^[25] With the Busch Light Clash now being held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum beginning in 2022, there was now no official commitment from NASCAR to follow through with plans to convert the speedway. In early 2023, following the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, NASCAR chief operating officer Steve O'Donnell made mention that NASCAR was, "evaluating the market as a whole and what's the best place for us to race within the totality of 2024 and beyond."^[26]

In 2023, the track was closed for reconstruction as part of the Next Gen California racing project. Demolition began in October 2023.^[27] By 2025, 433 of the 522 acres of land used for the speedway had been sold to build warehouses and an industrial park.^[28] NASCAR hoped to use the remaining area under their control to build the new track, though commissioner Steve Phelps said in April 2025 that the project was on hold due to high construction expenses and more pressing matters to address.^[29][28]

Transportation

The Auto Club Speedway was served by a special Metrolink station, opened only on race days.^[30]

Racing events

Former races

• All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (2004, exhibition race)
• Champ Car
  • Marlboro 500 (1997–2002)
• IndyCar Series
  • MAVTV 500 (2002–2005, 2012–2015)
• IROC (1997–1998, 2002)
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
  • San Bernardino County 200 (1997–2009)
• NASCAR Cup Series
  • Pala Casino 400 (1997–2020, 2022–2023)
  • Pepsi Max 400 (2004–2010)
• NASCAR West Series (1997–2006)
• NASCAR Xfinity Series
  • Production Alliance Group 300 (1997–2020, 2022–2023)
• Rolex Sports Car Series
  • Grand American 400 (2002–2005)

Other events

• Red, White and Cruise — A July 4 festival consisting of a car show, various family-friendly entertainment and a fireworks show.
• Epicenter 2010 at the speedway's midway
• Cardenas Festival — The annual Cardenas Festival is held in the parking lot. This is a festival where all the companies that sell food at the Cardenas supermarket chain give out free samples of new or upcoming food. There are also performances from many artists.
• Hard (music festival) was held in 2016, 2018, and 2019 in the midway and parking lot of the speedway.

Track length of paved oval

The original track length was disputed by CART and NASCAR that ran at Auto Club Speedway. The NASCAR timing and scoring previously used a length of exactly 2.000 mi (3.219 km).^[31] The IRL timing and scoring also used a length of exactly 2.000 mi (3.219 km).^[32] CART measured the track as 2.029 mi (3.265 km) and used this length for timing and scoring between 1997 and 2002.^[33]

Track records

The closed-course practice and qualifying lap records Arie Luyendyk had set in the run-up to the 1996 Indy 500 at 239.260 mph (385.052 km/h) and 237.498 mph (382.216 km/h) respectively were improved by Maurício Gugelmin at the 1997 Marlboro 500. He was clocked at 242.333 mph (389.997 km/h) and 240.942 mph (387.759 km/h) respectively, based on a CART-recognized track length of 2.029 mi (3.265 km).^[34]

After Juan Pablo Montoya had narrowly missed Gugelmin's practice record,^[35] Gil de Ferran set a new one-lap qualifying record of 241.428 mph (388.541 km/h) at the 2000 Marlboro 500, a CART event.^[36] As of August 2023, this is the fastest qualifying lap speed ever recorded at an official race meeting.^[37]

The 2003 Toyota Indy 400 was the fastest circuit race ever in motorsport history, with an average speed of 207.151 mph (333.377 km/h) over 400 mi (640 km), based on an IndyCar-recognized track length of 2.000 mi (3.219 km),^[38] topping the previous record average of 197.995 mph (318.642 km/h) over 507.25 miles (816.34 km) the 2002 CART race had produced.^[39]

Race lap records

The fastest official race lap records at Auto Club Speedway (formerly California Speedway) are listed as:

NASCAR Cup Series stats

(As of 3/1/20)

* from minimum 5 starts

NASCAR Cup Series race winners

*– Race extended due to green-white-checker finish **– Race shortened due to rain

Open wheel race winners

References

1. ^ "California Speedway to change name UPDATE". jayski.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
2. ^ "2022 Clash to be held at the Los Angeles Coliseum". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
3. ^ Bianchi, Jordan (September 14, 2021). "NASCAR's 2022 schedule shakes up playoff tracks, adds Gateway in June: Sources". The Athletic. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
4. ^ "San Diego to host NASCAR's latest cup series innovation with a street race at Naval Base Coronado". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media. July 23, 2025. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
5. ^ Eisenberg, Jeff (2007). "Looking Back: Key dates in the history of California Speedway". The Press Enterprise. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
6. ^ Glick, Shav (November 27, 1995). "New Track Is a Steel California Speedway Will Be Built on Site of Old Fontana Mill". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
7. ^ Jensen, Tom (August 7, 2010). "California Speedway". Racingconnection.com. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
8. ^ "NASCAR Cup loses Chase date". Nascar.speedtv.com. August 7, 2010. Archived from the original on August 18, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
9. ^ "2006 Racing Season Concludes, 2007 Just Around the Corner". Autoclubspeedway.com. October 5, 2006. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
10. ^ Gluck, Jeff (February 21, 2009). "Lack of attendance remains No. 1 concern at Auto Club Speedway". SceneDaily.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
11. ^ Gluck, Jeff (August 8, 2010). "Weather, scheduling blamed for attendance woes, loss of Cup races at Atlanta, California". SceneDaily.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
12. ^ Peltz, Jim (March 21, 2014). "Auto Club Speedway slashes grandstand seating by 26% to 68,000". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
13. ^ Auto Club Speedway wins its race long before Kyle Busch did in Auto Club 400
14. ^ "Charlie's Angels Filming Locations — part 3". Seeing-stars.com. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
15. ^ "Trivia for Herbie Fully Loaded". imdb.com. Archived September 12, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
16. ^ "Filming Locations For The Bucket List". IMDB.com. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
17. ^ "Moore, 24, killed in horrifying CART crash". ESPN News Services. Fontana, California: ESPN Internet Ventures. Associated Press. November 3, 1999. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
18. ^ "Greg Moore". Archived from the original on May 31, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
19. ^ Henderson, Martin (April 6, 2002). "Motorcyclist Dies at California Speedway". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
20. ^ San Diego Policeman Dies In Crash During Track Ride Day At California Speedway
21. ^ SignOnSanDiego.com > Sports - Two San Diego County men killed in Fontana speedway crash
22. ^ "LA woman killed in crash during racing class at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana". October 17, 2010. Archived from the original on October 23, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
23. ^ "Auto Club Speedway to be reconfigured to half-mile short track". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. September 8, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
24. ^ "Auto Club races shifted to Daytona Road Course". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
25. ^ "Plans to Convert Auto Club Speedway to Short Track are on Hold". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
26. ^ "Moment to celebrate: NASCAR starts its 75th anniversary season with a continued eye on change". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. February 13, 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
27. ^ Rosvoglou, Chris (16 March 2024). "Longtime NASCAR Track Is Currently Being Demolished". The Spun. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
28. ^ Crandall, Kelly (April 2, 2025). "Fontana redevelopment plan on pause, NASCAR concedes". Racer. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
29. ^ Howard, Jonathan (December 14, 2023). "NASCAR President Steve Phelps confirms Auto Club Speedway will be redesigned as short track". On3.com. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
30. ^ "Special Metrolink service to Auto Club 400 available". Metrolink. 12 March 2014. Archived 18 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
31. ^ Auto Club Speedway at NASCAR.com
32. ^ 2015 IndyCar race result at Indycar homepage.
33. ^ The 500 Presented by Toyota result on champcarstats.com
34. ^ Glick, Shav (September 28, 1997). "At Marlboro 500, Change Is Almost as Quick as the Cars". Los Angeles Times. Archived November 10, 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
35. ^ "Montoya threatens all-time record in practice". Autosport.com. October 28, 2000. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013.
36. ^ "De Ferran wins pole, sets record". Las Vegas Sun. October 28, 2000. Archived November 10, 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
37. ^ Webster, George (May 16, 2009). "Who holds the world's closed course record? A.J. Foyt". PRN Motorsport Magazine. Archived August 10, 2018 at the Wayback Machine.
38. ^ "Fastest race goes to Hornish". Chicago Tribune. September 22, 2003. Archived November 9, 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
39. ^ "Fastest-ever 500 won by Vasser". Charlotte Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. November 4, 2002.
40. ^ "California Speedway - Motor Sport Magazine". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
41. ^ "1997 Fontana Champ Cars". Motor Sport Magazine. 28 September 1997. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
42. ^ "2003 Fontana Indycars". Motor Sport Magazine. 21 September 2003. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
43. ^ "2005 Fontana Indy Lights". Motor Sport Magazine. 16 October 2005. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
44. ^ "NASCAR Cup 2017 Fontana Fastest Laps". 26 March 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
45. ^ "NASCAR XFINITY 2018 Fontana Fastest Laps". 17 March 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
46. ^ "California 400 Miles 2002". 24 March 2002. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
47. ^ "400 km Fontana 2004". 31 October 2004. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
48. ^ "Fontana 400 Kilometres 2003". 8 June 2003. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
49. ^ "All Star Fontana 2004". 18 December 2004. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
50. ^ "Nissan Z won JGTC 2004 All-star 200, first race in US". 20 December 2004. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
51. ^ "All Star Sprint Fontana 2004". 19 December 2004. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
52. ^ "Race Results at Auto Club Speedway". racing-reference.info. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
53. ^ Humason, John (October 29, 2003). "Champ Car season ends early due to California fires". Motorsport.com. Retrieved June 20, 2010.

External links

• Official Auto Club Speedway website
• RacingCircuits.info: Map and circuit history
• Auto Club Speedway Page on NASCAR.com
• Jayski's Auto Club Speedway Page — current and past California Speedway News.
• Trackpedia guide to driving this track
• Auto Club Speedway Page on Ballparks by Munsey & Suppes