Auto Club Speedway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Auto Club Speedway

D-shaped oval (1997–2023)
Location	9300 Cherry Avenue Fontana, California
Time zone	UTC-08:00 (UTC-07:00 DST)
Capacity	122,000 (total)
Owner	NASCAR (2019–2023) International Speedway Corporation (1999–2019)
Operator	NASCAR (1999–2023)
Broke ground	November 22, 1995; 29 years ago (1995-11-22)
Opened	June 20, 1997; 28 years ago (1997-06-20)
Closed	February 27, 2023; 2 years ago (2023-02-27)
Construction cost	US$100 million
Architect	Paxton Waters Architecture Penske Motorsports, Inc.
Former names	California Speedway (November 1995–February 2008) Auto Club Speedway (February 2008–March 2023)
Major events	Former: NASCAR Cup Series Pala Casino 400 (1997–2020, 2022–2023) Pepsi Max 400 (2004–2010) NASCAR Xfinity Series Production Alliance Group 300 (1997–2020, 2022–2023) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series San Bernardino County 200 (1997–2009) IndyCar Series MAVTV 500 (1997–2005, 2012–2015) AMA Superbike Championship (2002–2010) Rolex Sports Car Series (2002–2005)
D-shaped oval (1997–2023)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	2 mi (3.219 km)
Turns	4
Banking	Turns: 14° Frontstretch: 11° Backstretch: 3°
Race lap record	0:30.900 (380.431 km/h (236.389 mph)) ( Greg Moore, Reynard 97I, 1997, CART)
Interior Road Course (2001–2023)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	1.55 mi (2.494 km)
Turns	17
Race lap record	0:53.784 ( André Lotterer, Honda NSX-GT, 2004, Super GT (GT500))
Sports Car Course (2001–2023)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	2.8 mi (4.635 km)
Turns	18
Race lap record	1:29.322 ( Didier Theys, Dallara SP1, 2002, LMP900)
Motorcycle Course (2001–2023)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	2.36 mi (3.798 km)
Turns	20
Race lap record	1:24.287 ( Benoît Tréluyer, Nissan Fairlady Z (Z33), 2004, Super GT (GT500))

The Auto Club Speedway was a famous race track in Fontana, California. It was a D-shaped oval, about 2 miles (3.2 km) long. This track hosted exciting National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) events every year from 1997 until 2023.

Before 2008, it was known as the California Speedway. Later, it became the Auto Club Speedway because of a sponsorship deal. The track was owned and run by NASCAR. It was located about 47 miles (76 km) east of Los Angeles.

Construction of the speedway started in 1995 and finished in 1996. The main seating area could hold 68,000 fans. In total, the track could host 122,000 people. Lights were added in 2004, allowing for night races. From 2011 to 2023, the track held one NASCAR weekend each year.

The Auto Club Speedway also hosted open wheel racing events, like those from the IndyCar Series. These races were held from 1997 to 2005 and again from 2012 to 2015. The last IndyCar race there was in 2015.

In 2023, the track closed for a big reconstruction project. Demolition began in October 2023. However, by late 2024, NASCAR leaders expressed doubts about rebuilding it into a smaller track. This was due to high costs and other priorities.

The Story of the Track

Building the Speedway

On April 20, 1994, Roger Penske and Kaiser Steel announced plans for a new race track. It would be built on the site of an old steel mill in Fontana, California. Soon after, Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) said they would hold a race there each year.

NASCAR also agreed to host races at the track once it was finished. This was a big deal because NASCAR usually waited for tracks to be built first. Local communities supported the project, hoping it would bring new life and value to the area.

In April 1995, the plan was approved. Construction started on November 22, 1995, by tearing down the old steel mill. A tall 100-foot (30 m) water tower from the mill was kept. It became a scoreboard in the middle of the track. The track was fully built by late 1996.

The first driver to test the new track was Paul Tracy on January 10, 1997. NASCAR held its first test sessions in May. The official opening was on June 20, 1997. The very first race, a NASCAR West Series event, happened the next day.

The Name Change

The track was first called the California Speedway. This name lasted until February 21, 2008. That's when the Automobile Club of Southern California bought the rights to name the track. It then became the Auto Club Speedway. This name stayed until March 2023, when the sponsorship ended.

Growing the Track

After the track opened, it became very popular. More seats were added along the main straightaway. In 1999, 28 more luxury boxes were built above the main grandstand.

In 2001, the Auto Club Dragway was built. This was a quarter-mile (0.4 km) dragstrip next to the main speedway. The infield of the track was also changed to include a road course for different types of racing.

In 2003, lights were installed around the track. This allowed for night races. NASCAR then announced a second annual Cup Series race for 2004, which would be run at night. The track hosted two NASCAR weekends each year until 2011. After that, it went back to hosting just one annual race weekend.

In 2006, the area behind the main grandstand was updated. It was called the "Discover IE FanZone." It included new restaurants, places to relax, shops, and an entertainment stage. In 2014, a company called Exotics Racing opened a new 1.2-mile (1.9 km) road course at the speedway.

Track Layouts

The Auto Club Speedway had several different layouts for racing.

• 

  Speedway oval

• 

  Sports car course

• 

  Motorcycle course

• 

  Interior test circuit

• 

  An aerial view of the facility looking south

Changes in Attendance

A view of the Auto Club Speedway from the grandstand

When a second NASCAR race was added in 2004, fewer people came to the races. Attendance dropped by as much as 20,000. This made people wonder if the track really needed two race dates. Weather was also a problem, with very hot days or rain sometimes affecting the races.

Because of these issues, NASCAR decided to remove the second race from the schedule in 2011. The track's president mentioned that fans had many other entertainment choices. In 2014, the number of grandstand seats was reduced from 92,000 to 68,000. This was done by removing some seats and making the remaining ones wider.

The Track in Movies and TV

The Auto Club Speedway was a popular spot for filming movies, TV shows, and commercials.

• In 2000, parts of the movie Charlie's Angels were filmed there.
• In 2005, scenes from Herbie: Fully Loaded were shot at the track.
• The 2007 movie The Bucket List showed Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman driving classic cars on the speedway.
• In the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari, the track was used to represent Daytona International Speedway.

The track also inspired a location in the 2006 Disney/Pixar animated movie Cars. The "Los Angeles International Speedway" in the film was a mix of the Auto Club Speedway and other famous Los Angeles landmarks. It was where the final Piston Cup tiebreaker race took place.

Safety Improvements

Over the years, there were some serious accidents at the track. In 1999, during a CART race, driver Greg Moore died in a crash. His car hit the edge of the pavement after sliding on the grass. This led to changes, like paving the backstretch of the track. CART also made head-and-neck safety systems mandatory for drivers on oval tracks.

Other incidents also occurred during motorcycle races and driving school events. These events highlighted the importance of ongoing safety measures in motorsports.

Plans for a New Track

In September 2020, there were plans to rebuild the Auto Club Speedway. The idea was to change it into a smaller, half-mile (0.8 km) oval track. This new track would have steep turns, similar to Bristol Motor Speedway. The work was supposed to start after the 2021 race and finish by the 2022 season.

However, the 2021 race was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2022, plans to convert the speedway were put on hold. NASCAR leaders later said they were rethinking their options for racing in the area.

In 2023, the track officially closed for reconstruction. Demolition began in October 2023. By late 2024, NASCAR officials expressed doubts about rebuilding the track. This was due to high construction costs and other priorities.

Getting There

The Auto Club Speedway had a special Metrolink train station. This station only opened on race days to help fans get to and from the track.

Preceding station	Metrolink			Following station
Rancho Cucamonga toward Los Angeles Union Station		San Bernardino Line (race days)		Fontana toward San Bernardino–Downtown

Past Racing Events

The Auto Club Speedway hosted many different types of races over the years. Here are some of the main events that took place there:

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

Other Fun Events

Besides racing, the speedway also hosted other events for the community:

• Red, White and Cruise: A July 4 celebration with a car show, family fun, and fireworks.
• Epicenter 2010: A music festival held in the speedway's midway area.
• Cardenas Festival: An annual festival in the parking lot where food companies gave out free samples. It also featured performances by many artists.
• Hard (music festival): This music festival was held in 2016, 2018, and 2019.

How Long is the Track?

The exact length of the main oval track was a bit of a debate between different racing groups. NASCAR and IndyCar usually said it was exactly 2.000 miles (3.219 km) long. However, CART, another racing series, measured it as 2.029 miles (3.265 km) and used that length for their races.

Amazing Track Records

Many incredible speed records were set at the Auto Club Speedway. In 1997, Maurício Gugelmin set new practice and qualifying records. He reached speeds of over 240 miles per hour (386 km/h)!

In 2000, Gil de Ferran set an even faster one-lap qualifying record. He hit an amazing 241.428 miles per hour (388.541 km/h). As of August 2023, this is still the fastest qualifying lap speed ever recorded in an official race meeting.

The 2003 Toyota Indy 400 was the fastest circuit race in motorsport history. Cars averaged 207.151 miles per hour (333.380 km/h) over 400 miles (640 km).

Fastest Race Laps

Here are some of the fastest official race lap records at Auto Club Speedway:

NASCAR Cup Series Winners

Here's a list of the winners of the NASCAR Cup Series races held at Auto Club Speedway:

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

Open Wheel Race Winners

Here are the winners of the open wheel races held at Auto Club Speedway:

Season	Date	Race name	Winning driver	Winning team
CART
1997	September 28	Marlboro 500	Mark Blundell	PacWest
1998	November 1	Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota	Jimmy Vasser	Chip Ganassi Racing
1999	October 31	Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota	Adrián Fernández	Patrick Racing
2000	October 30	Marlboro 500	Christian Fittipaldi	Newman-Haas Racing
2001	November 14	The 500 by Toyota	Cristiano da Matta	Newman-Haas Racing
2002	November 3	The 500	Jimmy Vasser	Team Rahal
2003	November 9	King Taco 500	Canceled due to wildfires in the San Bernardino mountains
IndyCar Series
2002	March 24	Yamaha Indy 400	Sam Hornish Jr.	Panther Racing
2003	September 21	Toyota Indy 400	Sam Hornish Jr.	Panther Racing
2004	October 3	Toyota Indy 400	Adrian Fernández	Aguri-Fernández Racing
2005	October 16	Toyota Indy 400	Dario Franchitti	Andretti Green Racing
2006 to 2011, Not held
2012	September 15	MAVTV 500	Ed Carpenter	Ed Carpenter Racing
2013	October 19	MAVTV 500	Will Power	Team Penske
2014	August 30	MAVTV 500	Tony Kanaan	Chip Ganassi Racing
2015	June 27	MAVTV 500	Graham Rahal	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

See also

In Spanish: Auto Club Speedway para niños