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Auto Club Speedway
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Auto Club Speedway
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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-mile (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 miles (76 km) 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.

Key Information

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

[edit]

Early history and construction

[edit]

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 m) 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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.

Configurations

[edit]
  • Speedway oval
    Speedway oval
  • Sports car course
    Sports car course
  • Motorcycle course
    Motorcycle course
  • Interior test circuit
    Interior test circuit
  • Overview of facility looking south
    Overview of facility looking south

Attendance problems

[edit]
Auto Club Speedway view from grandstand center

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

[edit]

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]

[edit]

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-mile (3.2 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

[edit]
Main grandstand from pit road at Auto Club Speedway

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

Preceding station Metrolink Following station
Rancho Cucamonga
toward L.A. Union Station
 San Bernardino Line
(race days)
 Fontana
toward San Bernardino or Redlands

Racing events

[edit]

Former races

[edit]

Other events

[edit]
  • 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

[edit]

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 miles (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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event
D-shaped Oval: 3.219 km (1997–2024)[40]
CART 0:30.900[41] Greg Moore Reynard 97I 1997 Marlboro 500
IndyCar 0:32.1208[42] Scott Dixon G-Force GF09A 2003 Toyota Indy 400
Indy Lights 0:37.4702[43] Jeff Simmons Dallara IPS 2005 California 100
NASCAR Cup 0:38.760[44] Kyle Larson Chevrolet SS 2017 Auto Club 400
NASCAR Xfinity 0:40.247[45] Joey Logano Ford Mustang 2018 Roseanne 300
Sports Car Road Course: 4.635 km (2001–present)
LMP900 1:29.322[46] Didier Theys Dallara SP1 2002 Grand American 400
DP 1:31.790[47] Max Angelelli Riley MkXI 2004 Grand American 400
LMP675 1:33.448[46] Terry Borcheller Lola B2K/40 2002 Grand American 400
GTS 1:33.944[48] Boris Said Ford Mustang 2003 Grand American 400
GT1 (GTS) 1:35.682[46] Chris Bingham Saleen S7-R 2002 Grand American 400
American GT 1:37.788[46] Andrew Richards Chevrolet Corvette 2002 Grand American 400
GT 1:38.366[47] Tommy Milner BMW M3 (E46) 2004 Grand American 400
SGS 1:42.065[47] Randy Pobst Porsche 911 (996) GT3 Cup 2004 Grand American 400
Motorcycle Road Course: 3.798 km (2001–present)
Super GT (GT500) 1:24.287[49][50] Benoît Tréluyer Nissan Fairlady Z (Z33) 2004 Fontana All-Stars JGTC round
Interior Test Circuit: 2.494 km (2001–present)
Super GT (GT500) 0:53.784[51] André Lotterer Honda NSX-GT 2004 Fontana All Stars JGTC round
Super GT (GT300) 0:57.740[51] Shinichi Takagi ASL Garaiya 2004 Fontana All Stars JGTC round
Record Year Date Driver Time Speed/avg. speed
NASCAR Cup Series
Qualifying (one lap) 2018 March 16 Kevin Harvick 38.147 188.744 mph (303.754 km/h)
Race (500 miles) 1997 June 27 Jeff Gordon 3:13:32 155.012 mph (249.468 km/h)
Race (400 miles)* 2012 March 25 Tony Stewart 2:39:06 160.166 mph (257.762 km/h)
  • Race was shortened from 200 to 129 laps due to rain
Race (400 miles, not rain-shortened) 2020 March 1 Alex Bowman 2:37:07 152.753 mph (245.832 km/h)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Qualifying (one lap) 2005 September 3 Tony Stewart 38.722 185.941 mph (299.243 km/h)
Race (300 miles) 2001 April 28 Hank Parker Jr. 1:55:25 155.957 mph (250.988 km/h)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Qualifying (one lap) 2006 February 24 David Reutimann 40.228 178.980 mph (288.040 km/h)
Race (200 miles) 2003 September 20 Ted Musgrave 1:22:14 145.926 mph (234.845 km/h)
NASCAR West Series
Qualifying (one lap) 2001 April 28 Mark Reed 39.649 181.593 mph (292.246 km/h)
Race (200 miles) 2001 April 28 Brendan Gaughan 1:28:47 152.316 mph (245.129 km/h)
CART
Qualifying (one lap - 2.029 miles) 2000 October 28 Gil de Ferran 30.255 241.428 mph (388.541 km/h)[36]
Race (507.25 miles) 2002 November 3 Jimmy Vasser 2:33:42 197.995 mph (318.642 km/h)[39]
INDYCAR
Qualifying (one lap) 2003 September 20 Hélio Castroneves 31.752 226.757 mph (364.930 km/h)
Race (400 miles) 2003 September 21 Sam Hornish Jr. 1:55:51 207.151 mph (333.377 km/h)[38]
Race (500 miles) 2014 August 30 Tony Kanaan 2:32:58 196.111 mph (315.610 km/h)
Source:[52]

NASCAR Cup Series stats

[edit]

(As of 3/1/20)

Most wins 6 Jimmie Johnson
Most top 5s 13 Jimmie Johnson
Most top 10s 18 Jimmie Johnson
Starts 27 Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick (tie)
Poles 4 Kurt Busch
Most laps completed 5,906 Jimmie Johnson
Most laps led 990 Jimmie Johnson
Avg. start* 9.8 Austin Dillon
Avg. finish* 7.6 Jimmie Johnson

* from minimum 5 starts

NASCAR Cup Series race winners

[edit]
Season Date Official race name Winning driver Car No. Make Distance Avg speed Margin of victory
1997 June 22 California 500 Jeff Gordon 24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 500 mi (800 km) 155.012 mph (249.468 km/h) 1.074 sec
1998 May 3 California 500 presented by NAPA Mark Martin 6 Ford Taurus 500 mi (800 km) 140.22 mph (225.662 km/h) 1.287 sec
1999 May 2 California 500 presented by NAPA Jeff Gordon 24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 500 mi (800 km) 150.276 mph (241.846 km/h) 4.492 sec
2000 April 30 NAPA Auto Parts 500 Jeremy Mayfield 12 Ford Taurus 500 mi (800 km) 149.378 mph (240.401 km/h) 0.300 sec
2001 April 29 NAPA Auto Parts 500 Rusty Wallace 2 Ford Taurus 500 mi (800 km) 143.118 mph (230.326 km/h) 0.27 sec
2002 April 28 NAPA Auto Parts 500 Jimmie Johnson 48 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 500 mi (800 km) 150.088 mph (241.543 km/h) 0.620 sec
2003 April 27 Auto Club 500 Kurt Busch 97 Ford Taurus 500 mi (800 km) 140.111 mph (225.487 km/h) 2.294 sec
2004 May 2 Auto Club 500 Jeff Gordon 24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 500 mi (800 km) 137.268 mph (220.911 km/h) 12.871 sec
September 5 Pop Secret 500 Elliott Sadler 38 Ford Taurus 500 mi (800 km) 128.324 mph (206.517 km/h) 0.263 sec
2005 February 27 Auto Club 500 Greg Biffle 16 Ford Taurus 500 mi (800 km) 139.697 mph (224.821 km/h) 0.231 sec
September 4 Sony HD 500 Kyle Busch 5 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 508 mi (818 km) * 136.356 mph (219.444 km/h) 0.554 sec
2006 February 26 Auto Club 500 Matt Kenseth 17 Ford Fusion 502 mi (808 km) * 147.852 mph (237.945 km/h) 0.338 sec
September 3 Sony HD 500 Kasey Kahne 9 Dodge Charger 500 mi (800 km) 144.462 mph (232.489 km/h) 3.427 sec
2007 February 25 Auto Club 500 Matt Kenseth 17 Ford Fusion 500 mi (800 km) 138.451 mph (222.815 km/h) 0.679 sec
September 2 Sharp AQUOS 500 Jimmie Johnson 48 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS 500 mi (800 km) 131.502 mph (211.632 km/h) 1.868 sec
2008 February 25 Auto Club 500 Carl Edwards 99 Ford Fusion 500 mi (800 km) 132.704 mph (213.566 km/h) UC
August 31 Pepsi 500 Jimmie Johnson 48 Chevrolet Impala 500 mi (800 km) 138.857 mph (223.469 km/h) 2.076 sec
2009 February 22 Auto Club 500 Matt Kenseth 17 Ford Fusion 500 mi (800 km) 135.839 mph (218.612 km/h) 1.463 sec
October 11 Pepsi 500 Jimmie Johnson 48 Chevrolet Impala 500 mi (800 km) 143.908 mph (231.597 km/h) 1.603 sec
2010 February 21 Auto Club 500 Jimmie Johnson 48 Chevrolet Impala 500 mi (800 km) 141.911 mph (228.384 km/h) 1.523
October 10 Pepsi Max 400 Tony Stewart 14 Chevrolet Impala 400 mi (640 km) 131.953 mph (212.358 km/h) 0.466 sec
2011 March 27 Auto Club 400 Kevin Harvick 29 Chevrolet Impala 400 mi (640 km) 150.849 mph (242.768 km/h) 0.144 sec
2012 March 25 Auto Club 400 Tony Stewart 14 Chevrolet Impala 258 mi (415 km) ** 160.166 mph (257.762 km/h) UC
2013 March 24 Auto Club 400 Kyle Busch 18 Toyota Camry 400 mi (640 km) 135.351 mph (217.826 km/h) UC
2014 March 23 Auto Club 400 Kyle Busch 18 Toyota Camry 412 mi (663 km) * 132.987 mph (214.022 km/h) 0.214 sec
2015 March 22 Auto Club 400 Brad Keselowski 2 Ford Fusion 418 mi (673 km) * 140.662 mph (226.374 km/h) 0.710 sec
2016 March 20 Auto Club 400 Jimmie Johnson 48 Chevrolet SS 410 mi (660 km) * 137.213 mph (220.823 km/h) 0.772 sec
2017 March 26 Auto Club 400 Kyle Larson 42 Chevrolet SS 404 mi (650 km) * 136.359 mph (219.449 km/h) 0.779 sec
2018 March 18 Auto Club 400 Martin Truex Jr. 78 Toyota Camry 400 mi (640 km) 147.526 mph (237.420 km/h) 11.685 sec
2019 March 17 Auto Club 400 Kyle Busch 18 Toyota Camry 400 mi (640 km) 143.113 mph (230.318 km/h) 2.354 sec
2020 March 1 Auto Club 400 Alex Bowman 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE 400 mi (640 km) 152.753 mph (245.832 km/h) 8.904 sec
2021 Cancelled due to the state of California COVID-19 restrictions
2022 February 27 WISE POWER 400 Kyle Larson 5 Chevrolet Camaro 400 mi (640 km) 114.222 mph (183.822 km/h) 0.195 sec
2023 February 26 Pala Casino 400 Kyle Busch 8 Chevrolet Camaro 400 mi (640 km) 127.603 mph (205.357 km/h) 2.998 sec

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

Open wheel race winners

[edit]
Season Date Race name Winning driver Winning team
CART
1997 September 28 Marlboro 500 United Kingdom Mark Blundell PacWest
1998 November 1 Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota United States Jimmy Vasser Chip Ganassi Racing
1999 October 31 Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota Mexico Adrián Fernández Patrick Racing
2000 October 30 Marlboro 500 Brazil Christian Fittipaldi Newman-Haas Racing
2001 November 14 The 500 by Toyota Brazil Cristiano da Matta Newman-Haas Racing
2002 November 3 The 500 United States Jimmy Vasser Team Rahal
2003 November 9 King Taco 500 Canceled due to wildfires in the San Bernardino mountains[53]
IndyCar Series
2002 March 24 Yamaha Indy 400 United States Sam Hornish Jr. Panther Racing
2003 September 21 Toyota Indy 400 United States Sam Hornish Jr. Panther Racing
2004 October 3 Toyota Indy 400 Mexico Adrian Fernández Aguri-Fernández Racing
2005 October 16 Toyota Indy 400 United Kingdom Dario Franchitti Andretti Green Racing
2006 to 2011, Not held
2012 September 15 MAVTV 500 United States Ed Carpenter Ed Carpenter Racing
2013 October 19 MAVTV 500 Australia Will Power Team Penske
2014 August 30 MAVTV 500 Brazil Tony Kanaan Chip Ganassi Racing
2015 June 27 MAVTV 500 United States Graham Rahal Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Auto Club Speedway

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Auto Club Speedway was a premier motorsports facility in , featuring a 2-mile (3.2 km), low-banked, D-shaped oval racetrack that served as a key venue for and other racing series from its opening in 1997 until its final event in 2023. Originally known as California Speedway, the track was constructed by on the site of the former Mill, with construction beginning in 1995 and costing approximately $110 million to create a design modeled after . The facility officially opened on June 20, 1997, with its inaugural Winston Cup Series race—the California 500—held the following day on June 22, won by . In 2008, it was renamed Auto Club Speedway following a naming rights agreement with the , which had been a partner since the track's inception. Ownership transitioned from Penske to the (ISC) in 1999 and ultimately to following the 2019 merger between and ISC. The track's configuration included a total length of 2 miles, with 14-degree banking in the turns, 11 degrees on the frontstretch (3,100 feet long), and 3 degrees on the backstretch (2,500 feet), allowing for high speeds exemplified by Gil de Ferran's 241.428 mph lap during an event in 2000. It featured grandstand seating for 68,000 spectators, plus 28 luxury skyboxes, bringing the total capacity to around 122,000 including infield areas, and hosted a variety of events beyond , including races until 2015, NHRA , and concerts. The annual race, known as the Auto Club 400 (later Wise Power 400), was a highlight, with notable victories by drivers like in 2002 and in 2005 marking their first Cup Series wins. In 2023, NASCAR announced the reconfiguration of the site into a approximately half-mile, high-banked short track as part of the "Next Gen California" project, with the final race on the original 2-mile oval—the Pala Casino 400—held on February 26, 2023. Demolition of the existing structure began shortly thereafter, and NASCAR sold a significant portion of the 540-acre property to developer Hillwood for commercial use, retaining about 90 acres for potential racing. However, as of 2025, the redevelopment plans have been paused due to high costs and logistical challenges, with the site increasingly converted into a warehouse and commerce complex, leaving the future of racing at the location uncertain and no return to the NASCAR schedule anticipated in the near term.

History

Construction and opening

The Auto Club Speedway was developed on the site of the former in , an industrial area that had been abandoned after the mill's closure in the 1980s. Demolition of the remaining steel mill buildings began on November 22, 1995, marking the start of site preparation, with the iconic 100-foot preserved as a landmark. The California Environmental Protection Agency granted permission for construction after the mill's owner, , agreed to allocate $6 million for remediation to address environmental concerns from decades of production. Construction, led by Roger Penske's Penske Motorsports, commenced in 1995 and was completed in late 1996 at a cost of approximately $120 million. The project transformed the contaminated industrial land into a modern motorsports facility, with initial funding provided by Penske to capitalize on the growing demand for West Coast racing venues. The track's original design featured a 2-mile D-shaped oval superspeedway, modeled after [Michigan International Speedway](/page/Michigan International Speedway), with 14 degrees of banking in the turns, 11 degrees on the frontstretch, 3 degrees on the backstretch, and a 75-foot-wide racing surface including a 15-foot . The speedway's official opening occurred on June 20, , with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed two days later by the inaugural Winston Cup Series event, the California 500 on June 22. of won the 250-lap race, leading 113 laps and securing victory by a narrow fuel margin after a strategic gamble. Approximately 85,000 spectators attended the event, marking a significant debut for the new facility in . The construction phase generated hundreds of jobs for local workers in Fontana, fostering community goodwill and stimulating economic activity through wages and related services, while the opening was anticipated to drive long-term development in the region by attracting tourism and ancillary businesses. Penske's emphasis on hiring regional labor during the build helped integrate the project into the local economy, setting the stage for the speedway's role as an economic engine.

Expansions and reconfigurations

Following its opening in 1997, Auto Club Speedway underwent several physical expansions to diversify its facilities and enhance its versatility for various motorsports. In 2001, the infield was reconfigured to include a multi-purpose road course, integrating sections of the main with an intricate infield layout measuring approximately 1.55 miles, specifically designed to accommodate , motorcycles, and driving schools. To further broaden its offerings, a 1/4-mile NHRA-certified drag strip, known as Auto Club Dragway, was completed in the infield in 2007, enabling professional events alongside the oval activities. Additional infield developments included go-kart tracks operated by CalSpeed Karting, providing recreational and competitive opportunities. In support of fan engagement, a dedicated fan zone was added behind the main in 2006, featuring interactive exhibits, vendor areas, and to complement race weekends. Over time, was expanded through additions, reaching 68,000 fixed seats with 28 skyboxes, allowing for a total attendance of up to 122,000 when including temporary infield and lawn seating.

Name changes and sponsorships

The track opened in 1997 as the California Speedway, reflecting its location in the region of . On February 21, 2008, the facility was renamed the Auto Club Speedway of Southern California following a 10-year agreement with the (ACSC), the regional affiliate of AAA. The deal, estimated at $50 million to $75 million, marked the first time (ISC) sold for one of its venues and emphasized enhanced fan experiences through ACSC initiatives. Over time, the name was shortened to Auto Club Speedway, aligning with the sponsor's branding. Originally constructed by and opened under his ownership, the speedway was acquired by ISC in 1999 for approximately $600 million in cash, stock, and assumed debt as part of ISC's merger with Penske Motorsports. ISC operated the facility until October 18, 2019, when completed a $2 billion merger with ISC, integrating its operations into a unified entity under NASCAR Track Enterprises. This consolidation placed control of Auto Club Speedway directly with , the sport's sanctioning body. Beyond the track's , ACSC served as the title sponsor for key events, such as the Auto Club 400 in the Cup Series. Additional corporate partnerships included race-specific deals, like Production Alliance Group's two-year title sponsorship for the NASCAR Xfinity Series event from 2020 to 2021. , as a prominent partner, maintained strong ties to the venue—often called its "home track"—through broader marketing activations, though specific infrastructure sponsorships like grandstands were not uniquely formalized there. The renaming and sponsorships reinforced the speedway's connection to Southern California's automotive heritage, with ACSC's involvement highlighting the region's emphasis on , travel, and enthusiasm among local drivers and fans. This branding evolution helped solidify the track's identity as a cornerstone of West Coast racing culture.

Decline, closure, and demolition

In the early 2000s, Auto Club Speedway enjoyed peak attendance exceeding 100,000 spectators per NASCAR event, driven by the sport's national surge in popularity. By the , however, crowds had dwindled to under 50,000, influenced by the 2008 economic recession, increased competition from closer venues like , and the addition of a second annual NASCAR race in 2004 that diluted fan interest and led to a drop of up to 20,000 attendees per event. This decline prompted operational adjustments, including a 26% reduction in grandstand seating from 92,000 to 68,000 seats by 2014 to better match demand. The track's major racing series gradually phased out events leading to its closure. The held its final race, the MAVTV 500, on June 27, 2015, after which the series opted not to return despite strong on-track action, citing scheduling and promotional challenges. NASCAR's Cup Series concluded with the Pala Casino 400 on February 26, 2023, won by for in a dominant performance that marked the end of Cup racing on the 2-mile oval configuration. NHRA drag racing events, which had occurred sporadically in prior years at the Auto Club Dragway, ceased in 2021 following the permanent closure of the drag strip. In September 2022, NASCAR announced the track's closure after the 2023 race, revealing plans to redevelop the site into a short-track venue to align with the series' emphasis on intermediate and shorter ovals under the Next Gen car era. This decision stemmed from broader strategic needs to enhance racing quality and fan engagement in , where the 2-mile layout had become less viable amid declining attendance and logistical costs. Demolition commenced in October 2023, shortly after the final events, with heavy machinery removing the banking and pavement of the oval. By early 2024, major structures including most of the track surface and infield facilities had been dismantled, leaving primarily the frontstretch intact temporarily. As of November 2025, the site is partially cleared, with portions repurposed for industrial warehouses on the 433 acres sold by for approximately $544 million in 2023, while remnants like sections of the grandstands remain visible but continue to deteriorate. Redevelopment into a proposed 0.5-mile short track has faced significant delays, with pausing the project in early 2025 due to escalating costs estimated at over $300 million and bureaucratic hurdles in . No firm timeline for resumption exists, leaving the site's future as a venue uncertain amid ongoing industrial development.

Track design and facilities

Main oval specifications

The main oval at Auto Club Speedway is a D-shaped superspeedway with a perimeter of 2.0 miles (3.2 km). The track features progressive banking, with 14 degrees in the turns, 11 degrees along the 3,100-foot frontstretch, and 3 degrees on the 2,500-foot backstretch. This configuration, combined with the track's overall length, allowed for high-speed , where qualifying lap averages often exceeded 200 mph due to the relatively low banking that emphasized momentum over grip. The surface consists of asphalt measuring 75 feet wide, plus a 15-foot , providing ample room for multi-line . The track opened in 1997 without subsequent full repaving, resulting in a progressively bumpy and grippy surface that developed multiple grooves—up to four in the turns and straights—facilitating side-by-side and three-wide passing opportunities throughout its operational history. Safety features included SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barriers, first installed along key sections of the walls in the early 2000s and expanded in subsequent years, such as additional coverage added in 2014 following a notable incident and further extensions in 2015 along the straights. Catch fences lined the perimeter to contain debris and vehicles during incidents. Track length measurements varied slightly by sanctioning body; while and the Indy Racing League officially recognized 2.0 miles for timing and scoring, (CART) measured it at 2.029 miles (3.265 km) and used that figure for their event records.

Road course and infield tracks

In addition to the main , Auto Club Speedway featured a versatile road course configuration added in 2001, designed to integrate the oval's frontstretch with an intricate infield section characterized by sweeping turns and technical challenges. This setup provided multiple layouts to accommodate different racing disciplines, including a full road course measuring 2.8 miles with 19 turns that utilized portions of the oval for high-speed sections, and shorter infield-only variants such as the 1.55-mile south road course with 10 turns and the 1.45-mile interior test circuit featuring 13 turns. The asphalt surface supported diverse vehicle types, while lighting installed around the facility in 2004 enabled night racing and extended testing sessions. A dedicated motorcycle road course, also introduced in 2001, spanned 2.36 miles across 21 turns and modified the banking in the oval's turns 1 and 2 to flat for enhanced safety during two-wheeled events. The infield area housed supplementary facilities for various activities. Outside the backstretch, a quarter-mile drag strip built to NHRA specifications in 2001 hosted local and regional drag racing competitions starting around 2003 and was paved with asphalt for straight-line acceleration runs; it was permanently closed in December 2021. These configurations facilitated a range of activities, such as under the Grand American Road Racing Association (now part of ), (AMA) superbike events, and extensive manufacturer testing for automotive development. The road course's design emphasized flow and speed, with the full layout combining the oval's banking for overtaking opportunities alongside the infield's tighter corners to test driver precision.

Seating and infrastructure

The Auto Club Speedway featured extensive seating accommodations designed to host large crowds for events. The main along the front stretch provided permanent seating for 68,000 spectators, reduced from an earlier capacity of 92,000 in 2014 to enhance sightlines and comfort. Additional permanent options included the Auto Club Speedway Club with 12,530 seats offering premium amenities such as covered seating and dedicated concessions. Luxury facilities comprised 28 skyboxes for high-end viewing, along with broader club-level seating integrated into the structure. Temporary could expand capacity by up to 54,000 seats, bringing the total venue attendance potential to 122,000. Infrastructure supported both racing operations and visitor logistics efficiently. Pit road measured 2,200 feet in length and included 44 individual stalls for quick service during races. Three garages provided a total of 100 bays for team preparations and vehicle maintenance. A dedicated media center facilitated press operations, equipped with modern broadcasting capabilities. Medical facilities included an infield care center staffed for emergency response, handling incidents like driver injuries during events. Amenities enhanced the fan experience across the 568-acre site. The Fan Zone, added in 2006 behind the main , offered interactive displays, live entertainment, and merchandise areas for souvenirs and apparel. Parking encompassed approximately 32,000 paved spaces onsite, with free access via color-coded passes, supplemented by RV lots in the infield for premium camping (starting at around $600 for front-row spots) and offsite options at lower rates. Sustainability efforts incorporated solar panels covering about 8,000 square feet on the suite building and media center, generating as recognized by Green in 2013. Following the track's closure after the 2023 season, most has been demolished as part of a into the Speedway Commerce Center, an industrial and commercial complex. NASCAR retained key elements including the main grandstands, front straightaway, pit road, and garages on approximately 90 acres for potential future short-track reconfiguration, though plans remain paused as of 2025.

Events and competitions

NASCAR series races

Auto Club Speedway hosted NASCAR Cup Series races annually from 1997 through 2023, totaling 33 events across its history, with no race held in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions in California. The inaugural event, the California 500 on June 22, 1997, marked the track's debut in the series and was won by Jeff Gordon at an average race speed of 155.012 mph. Subsequent races, such as the Auto Club 400, maintained a standard distance of 400 miles over 200 laps on the 2-mile D-shaped oval, with event names evolving to reflect sponsorships like the Pepsi Max 400 during the mid-2000s. Winner average race speeds typically ranged from 140 to 155 mph, influenced by caution periods, though qualifying speeds often surpassed 180 mph, as seen in poles like Matt Kenseth's 187.315 mph in 2014. From 2004 to 2010, the schedule expanded to two Cup Series races per year—one in spring and one in fall—to capitalize on West Coast demand—before consolidating to a single spring event starting in 2011. The NASCAR Xfinity Series conducted concurrent races at the speedway from 1997 to 2023, featuring 300-mile events over 150 laps, often titled the Stater Bros. 300 or Production Alliance Group 300 in later years. The series' inaugural race, the 1997 Kenwood Home & Car Audio 300, was won by , setting a pattern of high-speed, multi-car battles on the wide, low-banked surface that favored passing and strategy. These events mirrored the Cup schedule's evolution, including dual weekends during 2004–2010 and a single annual race thereafter, with stage lengths structured as 35 laps, 70 laps, and a 45-lap final stage in recent formats. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races complemented the weekend program from 1997 to 2009, comprising 13 events at a consistent 200-mile distance over 100 laps, such as the . These shorter, durable-format races emphasized truck handling on the 2-mile oval, with winners like securing multiple victories early in the series' tenure at the track. The Truck Series aligned with the and scheduling shifts, hosting events during both spring and fall weekends in the mid-2000s before ending after the 2009 season as part of broader series adjustments. Attendance for NASCAR weekends at Auto Club Speedway peaked in the late amid the 's national surge, drawing over 100,000 fans per event and contributing substantially to the venue's role as a West Coast hub. The combined series races generated major economic revenue for the region, with each weekend impacting the economy by approximately $100 million through tourism, hospitality, and local spending. This financial significance underscored the speedway's importance in expanding NASCAR's footprint beyond the Southeast, hosting 79 total national series events overall. Notable Cup Series victors, such as with seven wins, highlight the track's legacy in the .

Open-wheel and IndyCar events

The Auto Club Speedway hosted (CART) open-wheel events from 1997 to 2005, with the annual 500-mile race serving as a season finale multiple times. Known as the Marlboro 500 in several editions, including 1997, 1999–2001, the event showcased high-speed racing on the 2-mile oval, where drivers frequently exceeded 230 mph due to the track's 14-degree banking and wide layout. This configuration promoted close, multi-car drafting battles, emphasizing the aerodynamic efficiency of open-wheel cars in superspeedway-style competition. Following the CART-Indy Racing League (IRL) split and the rebranding to , the track continued to feature 500-mile races through 2005, though some events like the 2001 edition were shortened to 446 miles due to . The oval's , modeled after but with improved sightlines and straights, allowed for sustained high speeds and intense pack racing, distinguishing it as a premier venue for open-wheel superspeedway action during this period. In 2006, the IRL's assumed the slot vacated by Champ Car, running 400-mile events on the oval through 2011 as part of efforts to align with a more compact calendar. The series returned to a full 500-mile distance in 2012 with the MAVTV 500, maintaining that format until the final event in 2015, won by in a race marked by an IndyCar-record 80 lead changes. introduced double-file restarts for oval races in 2011, first implemented at venues like but applied series-wide including Auto Club, to bunch the field and enhance passing opportunities. Attendance for IndyCar events at Auto Club Speedway peaked in the early 2000s with crowds exceeding 90,000, reflecting strong interest in open-wheel racing during the post-split era. However, figures declined sharply by the mid-2010s, with the 2015 MAVTV 500 drawing estimates as low as 10,000 spectators amid broader challenges in oval racing popularity. The series discontinued events after 2015 due to scheduling conflicts with NASCAR's expanded presence at the track and unsuccessful negotiations for a return, prioritizing calendar balance and fan accessibility. The oval's superspeedway characteristics—long straights, moderate banking, and minimal grip—made it particularly suited for open-wheel cars, enabling average lap speeds over 220 mph and fostering the close-quarters racing that defined both Champ Car and eras at the venue.

Other motorsports and non-racing activities

Beyond the major and , Auto Club Speedway hosted a variety of niche motorsports events on its road course and infield facilities. The track's 1.52-mile road course, introduced in 2001, supported under the Grand American Road Racing Association (Grand-Am), including the ' Grand American 400 in 2004. Motorcycle racing featured prominently with the , which utilized the road course for events like the Suzuki Superbike Challenge from 2002 to 2008, where races often saw close finishes, such as Ben Spies' victory by 0.011 seconds in 2008. The facility's drag strip, operational intermittently from 2001 to 2009 and reopened as Auto Club Dragway from 2010 to 2021, hosted local and regional events, including NHRA-sanctioned Drag Racing Series competitions, though noise complaints from nearby residents led to its early closures. dragsters during these meets achieved elapsed times under 4 seconds, showcasing the strip's capability for high-performance runs despite its limited schedule. In addition, the infield areas facilitated short-track events and automotive testing sessions for manufacturers; Ford and teams, among others, conducted vehicle development and tire evaluations there, such as Goodyear's 2019 test involving Cup Series drivers. Non-racing activities diversified the venue's use, emphasizing community engagement and entertainment. Driving schools, including Fast Lane Racing School programs, operated year-round, offering advanced training on the oval and road course to enthusiasts and professionals. The speedway served as a filming location for television and movies, with scenes from HBO's Entourage shot there in 2009 and action sequences in captured in 2000. Concerts and festivals added to its appeal, though specific major acts like in 2005 were not documented; instead, events included music festivals tied to race weekends until 2023. Community-oriented initiatives rounded out the facility's role, hosting auto shows such as the On Grid for Charity car show in 2018, which featured racecars, vendors, and live music to support local causes. Charity runs and laps events, like the annual Track Laps for Charity from 2022, allowed public participants to drive their personal vehicles on the track for donations benefiting the Auto Club Speedway Foundation and Foundation programs, including the Speediatrics Fun Day Festival for children with medical needs. These activities persisted until the track's final racing season in 2023, after which demolition began in 2024.

Records and statistics

Lap and speed records

Auto Club Speedway's 2-mile D-shaped oval configuration produced some of the highest speeds in closed-course history, particularly during the late and early when low-downforce setups and fresh asphalt enabled exceptional performance. The track's banking (14 degrees in turns 1-2, 11 degrees in 3-4) and long straights facilitated average lap speeds exceeding 240 mph in open-wheel qualifying. Speeds were officially measured using electronic timing loops embedded in the track surface, providing precise elapsed times converted to average speeds; GPS data was occasionally used in practice but not for official records. Multiple repaves, including major resurfacings in (initial opening), 2005 (boosting grip and speeds), and 2011 (to address wear), influenced record progression, with fresher surfaces typically allowing faster laps until progressive deterioration from heavy use reduced performance in later years, such as the bumpy conditions in 2022 that dropped qualifying speeds below 180 mph. The all-time fastest unofficial practice lap on the oval was set by Mauricio Gugelmin at 242.333 mph during CART preparations in 1997, showcasing the track's potential before official qualifying constraints. In official competition, Champ Car (CART) holds the benchmark qualifying record at 241.428 mph (30.255-second lap) by Gil de Ferran in the No. 8 Penske Reynard-Honda on October 28, 2000, during the Marlboro 500 weekend—a mark that remains the world closed-course record and stood unchallenged due to subsequent series rule changes limiting downforce. For the NTT IndyCar Series, Sam Hornish Jr. set the pole at 226.757 mph in 2003, while NASCAR Cup Series records are lower due to higher drag setups, with Kevin Harvick's 188.744 mph lap in 2018 qualifying (first round) representing the fastest single-lap effort, though Jimmie Johnson's official pole in 2016 was 188.482 mph.
SeriesRecord TypeDriverSpeed/TimeDateVehicle
Champ Car (CART)Qualifying (one lap)Gil de Ferran241.428 mph (30.255 s)Oct. 28, 2000Reynard-Honda
NTT IndyCarQualifying pole (one lap)226.757 mphSep. 21, 2003Dallara-Chevrolet
NASCAR CupFastest qualifying lap188.744 mphMar. 16, 2018
NASCAR CupOfficial pole188.482 mphMar. 20, 2016Chevrolet
The 2.4-mile road course configuration, incorporating parts of and infield turns, yielded lower but still competitive lap times for sports cars and motorcycles, with prototypes benefiting from the high-speed oval section. In WeatherTech SportsCar Championship events (formerly ), the prototype class lap record is 1:29.200 by Didier Theys in a Judd-powered SP1 during the 2004 Toyota support race, averaging approximately 113 mph over the layout's 19 turns. Motorcycle records on the dedicated 1.25-mile superbike road course (a tighter infield loop) were set in races, with Ben Spies posting a 1:23.789 lap in 2008 on a , reflecting the series' high cornering speeds on the 11-turn circuit. Other configurations included a short drag strip within the infield, where NHRA dragsters achieved elapsed times around 3.6 seconds over the quarter-mile, though no official national records were set there as major NHRA events occurred at nearby Pomona Dragstrip; local meets saw speeds exceeding 330 mph. The short dirt oval (approximately 0.4 miles) hosted USAC and events in the early , with lap times typically in the 15-18 second range for sprint cars, but no enduring official records were established due to its intermittent use.

Race winners by series

The NASCAR Cup Series has held 33 races at Auto Club Speedway since the track's debut event in 1997, with the final race occurring in 2023 before the facility's reconfiguration into a shorter oval. holds the record for most victories with six, achieved between 2002 and 2016, while follows with five wins from 2005 to 2023. Jeff Gordon secured three triumphs, including the inaugural race in 1997. The series' most recent winner was in the 2023 Pala Casino 400, marking his first victory with after 15 seasons with .
YearDateRace NameWinnerCar No.MakeMargin of Victory
1997June 22California 500Jeff Gordon24Chevrolet1.587 seconds
1998May 3California 500Mark Martin6Ford0.382 seconds
1999May 2California 500Jeff Gordon24Chevrolet1.134 seconds
2000April 30California 500Jeremy Mayfield12Ford1.051 seconds
2001April 29NAPA Auto Parts 500Rusty Wallace2Ford1.323 seconds
2002April 28California Rebate 500Jimmie Johnson48Chevrolet1.309 seconds
2003April 27Auto Club 500Kurt Busch97Ford0.100 seconds
2004May 2Auto Club 400Jeff Gordon24Chevrolet0.820 seconds
2004September 5Pop Secret 500Elliott Sadler38Ford1.774 seconds
2005February 27Auto Club 500Greg Biffle16Ford0.370 seconds
2005September 4Sony HD 500Kyle Busch5Chevrolet0.607 seconds
2006February 26Auto Club 500Matt Kenseth17Ford1.365 seconds
2006September 3Sony HD 500Kasey Kahne9Dodge0.483 seconds
2007February 25Auto Club 500Matt Kenseth17Ford0.724 seconds
2007September 2Sharp AQUOS 500Jimmie Johnson48Chevrolet1.312 seconds
2008February 24Auto Club 500Carl Edwards99Ford9.267 seconds
2008August 31Pepsi 500Jimmie Johnson48Chevrolet3.335 seconds
2009February 22Auto Club 500Matt Kenseth17Ford0.707 seconds
2009October 11Pepsi 500Jimmie Johnson48Chevrolet0.646 seconds
2010February 21Auto Club 500Jimmie Johnson48Chevrolet0.285 seconds
2010October 10Pepsi Max 400Tony Stewart14Chevrolet2.643 seconds
2011March 27Auto Club 400Kevin Harvick29Chevrolet1.241 seconds
2012March 25Auto Club 400Tony Stewart14Chevrolet3.250 seconds
2013March 24Auto Club 400Kyle Busch18Toyota1.206 seconds
2014March 23Auto Club 400Kyle Busch18Toyota1.323 seconds
2015March 22Auto Club 400Brad Keselowski2Ford1.807 seconds
2016March 20Auto Club 400Jimmie Johnson48Chevrolet6.547 seconds
2017March 26Auto Club 400Kyle Larson42Chevrolet0.943 seconds
2018March 18Auto Club 400Martin Truex Jr.78Toyota0.454 seconds
2019March 17Auto Club 400Kyle Busch18Toyota0.341 seconds
2020March 1Auto Club 400Alex Bowman88Chevrolet15.568 seconds
2022February 27Wise Power 400Kyle Larson5Chevrolet0.927 seconds
2023February 26Pala Casino 400Kyle Busch8ChevroletUnder caution
Kurt Busch holds the record for most poles with four, while Jimmie Johnson led a single-race high of 283 laps during the 2007 Sharp AQUOS 500. The Champ Car World Series and later the IndyCar Series contested 14 events at Auto Club Speedway from 1997 to 2015, primarily as 500-mile races on the 2-mile oval. Sam Hornish Jr. and Adrián Fernández each claimed two victories in Champ Car, with Hornish's wins coming in the 2002 Yamaha Indy 400 and 2003 Toyota Indy 400. Jimmy Vasser also secured two triumphs, in 1998 and 2002. The final IndyCar event, the 2015 MAVTV 500, was won by Graham Rahal, who led 163 of 250 laps in a caution-free race that lasted under an hour.
YearDateRace NameWinnerTeamChassis/Engine
1997September 28Marlboro 500 Presented by MercedesReynard-Mercedes
1998November 1The 500 Presented by Team RahalReynard-Honda
1999October 31 500 Presented by Reynard-Ford
2000October 29 500 Presented by Reynard-Ford
2001November 4 500 Presented by Lola-
2002March 24Yamaha Indy 400Sam Hornish Jr.Reynard-Chevrolet
2002November 3The 500 Presented by Reynard-
2003September 21 Indy 400Sam Hornish Jr.G-Force-
2004October 3 Indy 400Fernández RacingPanoz-
2005October 16 Indy 400Andretti Green RacingPanoz-Honda
2012September 15MAVTV 500 Presented by Ed CarpenterDallara-Chevrolet
2013October 19MAVTV 500Dallara-Chevrolet
2014August 30MAVTV 500Dallara-Chevrolet
2015June 27MAVTV 500Dallara-Honda
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, 33 races were held at the track from 1997 to 2023, with Kyle Busch dominating with six victories from 2008 to 2013. Matt Kenseth recorded four wins, while Joey Logano, Greg Biffle, and Kevin Harvick each claimed three. The series' last event in 2023 was won by John Hunter Nemechek, who led 95 laps en route to victory. Other series, such as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, also featured prominently, with 13 events from 1997 to 2009 and Ron Hornaday Jr. securing four wins. The track hosted occasional NHRA drag racing exhibitions in its top categories, where John Force achieved multiple victories in Funny Car, though primary NHRA national events occurred at the nearby Pomona dragstrip.

Additional topics

Transportation and accessibility

Auto Club Speedway was situated at 9300 Cherry Avenue in , roughly 40 miles east of , with geographic coordinates of 34°05′20″N 117°30′04″W. The nearest major airport was LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT), located less than 10 miles away and providing convenient access for visitors, while (LAX) lay approximately 60 miles to the west. During major events, shuttle services operated from both airports to transport fans directly to the venue, often in coordination with race organizers to ease . Highway access to the speedway was facilitated by (San Bernardino Freeway) and (Ontario Freeway), with primary entry points including the Cherry Avenue exit from I-10 or the Fourth Street exit from I-15. was provided free of charge across approximately 27,000 spaces on the 522-acre site, with logistics designed to manage large crowds through color-coded passes and incentives for carpooling, such as preferred closer-in lots for vehicles with multiple occupants. Public transit options centered on the Metrolink rail system, which featured a dedicated station behind the backstretch for direct access during events; special weekend trains from stations across Southern California, including Los Angeles Union Station, were scheduled for race days at a subsidized fare of around $10 round-trip. Event-day bus services, primarily via Omnitrans routes like Line 61 from nearby Fontana stations, supplemented rail access for local attendees. Following the speedway's final event in 2023 and subsequent closure, demolition began in early 2024, rendering the site inaccessible as of November 2025; the property, now under redevelopment for industrial use, is privately owned and closed to the public.

Incidents and fatalities

Over the history of Auto Club Speedway, several fatalities have occurred during on-track activities, primarily involving participants in racing or track day events. The first major incident resulting in death took place on October 31, 1999, during the FedEx Championship Series' Marlboro 500, when Canadian driver Greg Moore lost control of his Reynard 99i-Mercedes on the backstretch, slid through the infield grass, became airborne, and struck a concrete wall at approximately 220 mph before disintegrating upon impact with another barrier. Moore, aged 24, suffered fatal head and internal injuries and was pronounced dead at shortly after being airlifted from the scene. This crash highlighted the dangers of the high-banking, high-speed oval configuration and prompted initial discussions on barrier enhancements, though widespread changes like SAFER barriers were not yet implemented track-wide. Subsequent fatalities involved non-professional events. On August 7, 2004, police officer John Barr, 35, died in a single-motorcycle crash during an open track day on the speedway's infield road course between turns 8 and 9. Barr lost control at low speed, was thrown from his bike, and succumbed to his injuries at the scene despite immediate medical response. Less than a year later, on June 2, 2005, during a private Ferrari Club of America track day, driver Benjamin Miles Keaton, 39, and passenger Corey Nicholas Rudl, 34, both from , , were killed when their 2005 veered off the track, struck a barrier at high speed, and erupted in flames. Keaton had swerved to avoid another vehicle, leading to the loss of control; both occupants died from impact-related injuries at . These incidents underscored risks during non-sanctioned sessions, prompting stricter oversight for club events. Another participant death occurred on October 15, 2010, when Ashley Sara Phalen, a 24-year-old from , crashed a replica Indy car into a wall during the Racing Experience program on the oval. Phalen, driving at high speed around 9:32 a.m., lost control, struck the barrier, and overturned; she was pronounced dead at Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Fontana from blunt force trauma. The event, which simulates professional racing, continued after a brief suspension, but it renewed scrutiny of amateur driving programs' safety protocols. Among notable non-fatal incidents, the 2015 MAVTV 500 in the featured a dramatic multi-car wreck on the final lap involving over 10 vehicles, triggered when squeezed , causing Briscoe to flip violently through the air and land on his roof after multiple rolls. Briscoe walked away uninjured, as did others involved, including Carlos Huertas and Justin Wilson, thanks to the track's existing energy-absorbing barriers and the series' adoption of the , mandated since 2001. This crash, while spectacular, demonstrated improved survivability on the 2-mile oval. Drag strip activities have seen occasional fires, such as engine compartment blazes in NHRA dragsters during qualifying runs, but these have typically been contained without injuries due to rapid fire crew response. In response to these events, Auto Club Speedway implemented significant safety upgrades, including the installation of barriers along the frontstretch and backstretch walls starting in March 2015, following a review of high-impact crashes. These soft walls, composed of steel tubing and foam padding, absorb to reduce driver risk, covering approximately 25% of the track's perimeter by 2016. Earlier modifications after the 1999 Moore crash included localized tire barriers in high-risk areas, contributing to lower rates compared to pre-2004 baselines, though comprehensive statistical tracking remains limited to series-specific reports.

Cultural impact and legacy

Auto Club Speedway has left a significant mark on media representations of motorsports, frequently serving as a filming location for Hollywood productions that capture the thrill of high-speed . Portions of the 2000 action-comedy film were shot at the track, utilizing its expansive oval for chase scenes involving the protagonists. Similarly, the 2005 Disney film featured sequences filmed there, highlighting the speedway's infrastructure in a automotive adventure. More recently, the 2019 biographical drama incorporated scenes at Auto Club Speedway to depict period-accurate environments, drawing on the venue's modern facilities to evoke the intensity of 1960s competitions. These appearances underscore the track's versatility as a backdrop for cinematic in the . Beyond films, the speedway has been prominently featured in video games and television broadcasts, embedding it in interactive and live media experiences for fans. It appears in the NASCAR Heat video game series, including titles like NASCAR Heat Evolution (2016), NASCAR Heat 3 (2018), and NASCAR Heat 4 (2019), where players can race its 2-mile oval configuration, simulating real-world strategies and track characteristics. On television, races at Auto Club Speedway were broadcast on networks such as the Speed Channel in the early 2000s, which dedicated extensive coverage to motorsports and helped popularize West Coast events among national audiences; later broadcasts shifted to Fox and NBC, amplifying the track's visibility during high-profile NASCAR Cup Series weekends. These media integrations have helped sustain the speedway's presence in gaming and viewing culture even after its operational closure. In popular culture, Auto Club Speedway—often referred to simply as "Fontana" due to its location in Fontana, California—has become synonymous with the excitement of Southern California racing, attracting celebrity involvement that bridged motorsports and entertainment. Notable figures like WWE superstar Rey Mysterio served as the honorary pace car driver for the 2019 Auto Club 400, waving the green flag to start the race and engaging with fans in the infield. Other appearances included YouTube personality Logan Paul mingling with drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr. during events, and singer Adrienne Houghton performing the national anthem at the 2019 race, enhancing the event's star-studded appeal. These moments fostered a crossover allure, positioning the track as a cultural hub where sports and celebrity intersected. The legacy of Auto Club Speedway lies in its pivotal role in expanding NASCAR's footprint on the West Coast, hosting 27 Cup Series events from 1997 to 2023 and drawing large crowds that established as a key market for . As one of the few intermediate tracks with low banking (14 degrees), it promoted side-by-side racing and influenced subsequent designs by demonstrating how progressive banking and wide layouts could enhance competition without excessive restrictor-plate restrictions. Following its closure after the February 2023 race and subsequent demolition to make way for , the speedway has emerged as a symbol of NASCAR's evolving priorities amid urban land pressures, with fans launching nostalgia-driven petitions in 2023 to preserve its original 2-mile configuration. However, as of November 2025, plans for a new short track have been paused indefinitely due to escalating costs and logistical issues, with the majority of the site now developed as an industrial and warehouse complex. Ongoing fan mourning and social media tributes through 2025 reflect deep sentimental attachment, while the site's transformation highlights broader shifts in the sport toward shorter s and mixed-use developments. Although it did not directly host NASCAR Hall of Fame inductions, the track featured celebratory events tied to hall-of-famers, such as special ticket packages honoring Richard Petty's milestone birthday in 2018.

References

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