Tucson Speedway facts for kids
 |
|
| Location | 11955 S Harrison Rd, Tucson, AZ 85747 |
|---|---|
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 |
| Coordinates | 32°2′15″N 110°47′20″W / 32.03750°N 110.78889°W |
| Owner | John Lashley (2013–present) Mark Ebert (2008–2012) Dan & Joyce Ruth (2005–2008] Deery Sports West, Inc. (2002–2005) International Speedway Corporation (1982–2002) |
| Operator | Shelly McGriff |
| Broke ground | 1967 |
| Opened | 1968 |
| Former names | Tucson Raceway Park (1990–2012) Raven Raceway (1987–1989) Corona Speedway (1968–1986) |
| Major events | Current: ARCA Menards Series West West Series races at Tucson (1974, 1993–1999, 2001, 2015–2019, 2025) NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Chilly Willy 150 (2014–present) Former: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series NAPA 200 (1995–1997) NASCAR Southwest Series (1993–2001, 2003–2004) |
| Paved Oval (1987–present) | |
| Length | 0.604 km (0.375 mi) |
| Banking | 3° – 9° Variable Banking |
| Race lap record | 0:16.353 ( Trevor Huddleston, Ford Fusion NASCAR, 2025, ARCA Menards) |
Tucson Speedway is a cool racetrack in Tucson, Arizona. It's a paved oval, which means it's a smooth, oval-shaped track for racing cars. The track is about 0.375 miles (0.604 km) long. It's one of only three paved racetracks in Arizona!
Contents
History of Tucson Speedway
Early Days as Corona Speedway
The racetrack first opened in 1967. Back then, it was called Corona Speedway and had a dirt track. Imagine cars racing on a dusty, oval path! Different groups managed the track over the years.
Becoming Raven Raceway
In 1987, a racer named Dan Manes and his wife Linda took over. They changed the track to a shorter, 0.375-mile oval and called it Raven Raceway. They also brought in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, which is a big deal for local racers. This series is still a part of the track's weekly races today!
Tucson Raceway Park Era
In 1990, the track changed hands again and became Tucson Raceway Park. In late 1992, a big change happened: the dirt track was paved with asphalt. This made the racing surface smooth and fast!
One exciting time for Tucson Raceway Park was the "NASCAR Winter Heat" series. From 1994 to 1999, races held at the track were shown on national TV! This brought a lot of attention to the track and featured different NASCAR racing series. Even the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series had exhibition races here.
New Owners and Tucson Speedway Today
After many years, the track was sold to new owners in 2002. Then, in 2005, Dan and Joyce Ruth bought it and made many improvements. Mark Ebert took over in 2008, making it an ASA Member track.
In 2012, a local businessman named John Lashley bought the lease. He spent six months making the track even better, including changing the surface back to asphalt. It reopened in 2013 as Tucson Speedway. In 2014, Tucson Speedway officially joined NASCAR as an authorized "Hometrack." That same year, the track's biggest race, the Chilly Willy 150, was introduced.
Chilly Willy 150 Race
About the Chilly Willy 150
Since 2014, the Chilly Willy 150 has become the most important race at Tucson Speedway. It's a super late model event, which means it features powerful, specially built race cars. The race usually kicks off the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series season.
Race Details and Winners
The first Chilly Willy 150 was on February 8, 2014. It was a 100-lap race, and Dustin Ash from Las Vegas won it. Today, the race is even bigger, with the winner taking home $15,000! Many racers compete, with a record 40 cars entering in 2019.
| Year | Driver |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Dustin Ash |
| 2015 | Tayler Riddle |
| 2016 | Chuck Wares |
| 2017 | Owen Riddle |
| 2018 | Chris Eggleston |
| 2019 | Michael Scott |
| 2020 | Preston Peltier |
| 2021 | Christian McGhee |
| 2022 | Preston Peltier (2) |
| 2023 | Preston Peltier (3) |
| 2024 | Kole Raz |
Past Major Races
ARCA Menards Series West at Tucson
Tucson Speedway has hosted the ARCA Menards Series West many times over the years. The first race was way back in May 1974. Ray Elder won that first race on the old dirt track.
The series returned in 1993 and then became a regular event, sometimes even twice a year, as part of the Winter Heat series. These races were usually 200 laps long. After a break, the series came back in 2015 for an annual 150-lap race. For 2018 and 2019, they even had two 100-lap races! The ARCA Menards Series West is scheduled to return to Tucson Speedway in 2025.
