The Auto Club Speedway of Southern California (formerly California Speedway) [1] is a two-mile (3 km), low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California, similar to its "sister track" Michigan International Speedway. The Auto Club Speedway is the only track owned by International Speedway Corporation to have naming rights sold. [edit] History [edit] Construction and location The track is located on the site of the former Kaiser Steel mill[2]. It is a relatively new race track, opening in early 1997, and has additional configurations and facilities to accommodate road races, motorcycle races, vehicle testing, and drag races (Auto Club Dragway). The racetrack is near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and Riverside International Raceway. After Riverside's closure in 1988, Southern California did not host a NASCAR race until California Speedway was opened. In addition to NASCAR, the raceway has also hosted open-wheel events from both CART and the Indy Racing League.  Main Grandstand at Auto Club Speedway Like many modern oval tracks, Auto Club Speedway also features an infield road course, which has been used by the Grand American Road Racing Association and by the Japanese Grand Touring Car Championship, with the JGTC race being unique as a night race. The Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series no longer races at Auto Club Speedway. The NASCAR West Series held its first race on the infield course, won by Jason Bowles. [edit] Configurations | | primary sports car layout | primary motorcycle layout | | [edit] Notable events During the 1999 Marlboro 500 CART race, Canadian driver Greg Moore was killed 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. This incident resulted in a major overhaul of the track, including the paving of the infield grass on the backstretch in time for the 2000 NASCAR event. On October 28, 2000, during CART qualifying, Gil de Ferran set the track record for fastest lap at 241.426 mph (388.537 km/h). This was also a world speed record for the fastest lap of a closed course. On November 3, 2002, Jimmy Vasser won the final 500 mile race in CART/Champ Car (now defunct) history. The race also set the track record (at the time) for average race speed at 197.995 mph (318.642 km/h). On September 21, 2003 during an IRL race, Sam Hornish, Jr. set the track record for fastest average speed during a race at 207.151 mph (333.377 km/h). In 2005, 20 year old Kyle Busch earned his first ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Auto Club Speedway. From 2005 until June 28, 2009 Kyle Busch held the record for being the youngest driver in Sprint Cup to win a race, which he won a Auto Club Speedway. The record was taken over by 19 year old Joey Logano for winning a rain shortened race at New Hampshire. [edit] Name change On February 21, 2008, the Automobile Club of Southern California became the title sponsor of the raceway, renaming the official name Auto Club Speedway of Southern California. The naming rights deal will last for ten years and is worth an estimated $50 to $75 million. In addition to naming rights, the ACSC will also have use of the facility for road tests for Westways Magazine and other consumer tests. The money will be used for capital improvements.[3] [edit] Usage in television shows, commercials and major film The facility is often used for filming television shows, commercials, and films. In 2000, portions of Charlie's Angels were filmed at the speedway, and in 2004, portions of Herbie: Fully Loaded were filmed there. In 2007, The Bucket List saw Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman drive Shelby Mustangs around the 2-mile (3.2 km) speedway. [edit] Track timeline - November 1, 1993: Initial discussions among Penske Speedways Inc. and Kaiser Ventures Inc. begin about making a speedway in California. The California Speedway is approximately 45 miles (72 km) east of Los Angeles, CA.
- April 20, 1994: Official announcement is made to the public about making a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) NASCAR track in California.
- July 18, 1994: CART signs on to officially run races at California Speedway in a multi-year deal.
- November 22, 1995: Initial construction for the 2.0-mile (3.2 km) speedway begins.
- May 30, 1996: NASCAR, ABC, and ESPN team up to sign a multi-year deal to televise the California race live.
- January 10, 1997: CART team Penske driver Paul Tracy is the first person to drive on California Speedway.
- March 24, 1997: Jay Sauter and Dave Marcis are the first to drive stock cars on the pavement of California Speedway, testing for IROC.
- May 5, 1997: First NASCAR Cup Series test session for California Speedway.
- June 20, 1997: Official opening of California Speedway.
- June 22, 1997: The first NASCAR Cup Series race at California Speedway, the California 500, is won by Jeff Gordon.
- September 28, 1997: Mark Blundell wins the first CART race at California Speedway.
- October 31, 1999: Greg Moore, racing in CART's Marlboro 500, is killed when his car spun off of the second turn and is tipped cockpit first into a concrete barrier on the inside of the back stretch of the track at a high rate of speed.
- February 21, 2000: The Back stretch infield is completely paved for safety as a response to Greg Moores death the previous year.
- February 9, 2001: A proposal is sent to San Bernardino County to build a quarter-mile drag strip at California Speedway for the NHRA to use.
- June 19, 2001: An official announcement is made that the California Dragway will be made, along with the plans of a road course integrated into the 2.0-mile (3.2 km) speedway.
- October 4, 2001: An announcement with the Rolex Sports Car Series is made for a several year agreement to race at the new road course integrated into California Speedway.
- February 6, 2002: IRL runs a pre-season test session on the road course section of the track.
- April 6, 2002: Anthony Gobert wins the first AMA Superbike Championship at California Speedway.
- November 3, 2002: Last CART race at California Speedway is won by Jimmy Vasser.
- April 24, 2003: An announcement is made that lights will be installed in the raceway sometime during 2004.
- September 21, 2003: During the IRL race (Toyota Indy 400), Sam Hornish, Jr. sets the track record for fastest average speed during a race at 207.151 mph (333.377 km/h). This is still the current track record
- September 5, 2004: The first race under the lights is run at California Speedway, a NASCAR Cup Series race won by Elliott Sadler.
- October 16, 2005: Dario Franchitti wins last IRL race held at California Speedway. Dario will be inducted to the California Speedway Walk of Fame at Gate 14, which honors the winners of Champ Car and IRL at the track, during the 2008 Auto Club 500 weekend.
- December 11, 2005: Japan's Super GT starts their only race on American soil at California Speedway
- April 12-April 14, 2007: The Shell Eco-marathon returns to the United States with the Eco-marathon Americas at the California Speedway.
- September 7, 2007: Race car driver Ricky Rudd breaks his hand after hitting the front stretch wall at 180 MPH.
- September 7, 2007: Race car driver Robby Gordon sets the fastest speed at the finishline while going backwards at 141.231 mph (227.289 km/h).
- February 21, 2008: A deal is made with the Automobile Club of Southern California to change the track's name from California Speedway to Auto Club Speedway of Southern California.
- February 24, 2008: First time the COT car is used for a race at the track.
- February 24, 2008: First time a NASCAR Cup car flips upside-down at the track. (Casey Mears in the 5 car)
- February 24, 2008: First NASCAR race to be rained out at the track.
- February 25, 2008: First time a NASCAR Cup race is run on a Monday at the track.
- February 25, 2008: First time in NASCAR were a caution is caused by a race track light falling into the track surface.[citation needed]
- February 25, 2008: First time a Nationwide race is run on a Monday at the track.
- January, 2009: Auto Club Speedway lowers the ticket price of the front five rows of the main grand stands from $45 to $35 dollars (The first time ever that the track has lowered a ticket price.
- February 22, 2009: Matt Kenseth wins the Auto Club 500 making him only the fifth driver to win the first two events of the season in the NASCAR Cup Series.
[edit] Current races [edit] NASCAR Sprint Cup Series statistics [edit] NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Records (As of 10/13/09) * from minimum 5 starts. [edit] NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Winners - - Race extended due to Green-White-Checker Finish
[edit] Records - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying: Kyle Busch, 38.248 sec. (188.245 mph), 2005
- NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race (500 miles): Jeff Gordon, 3 hrs. 13 min. 32 sec. (155.012 mph), June 22, 1997
- NASCAR (Nextel Cup Series) Fastest Speed while going backwards(Recorded at finish line: Robby Gordon,(141.231 mph), September 2, 2007
- Most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories: Jimmie Johnson (4).
- NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying: Tony Stewart, 38.722 sec. (185.941 mph), 2005
- NASCAR Nationwide Series Race (300 miles): Hank Parker, Jr., 1 hr. 55 min. 25 sec. (155.957 mph), April 28, 2001
- Most NASCAR Nationwide Series victories: Matt Kenseth (4)
- NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying: David Reutimann, 40.228 sec. (178.980 mph), 2006
- NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race (200 miles): Ted Musgrave, 1 hr. 22 min. 14 sec. (145.926 mph), September 20, 2003
- Most NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victories: Ted Musgrave (3)
- CART Qualifying (one lap): Gil de Ferran, 241.426 mph (388.537 km/h), October 28, 2000.
- CART Race (500 miles): Jimmy Vasser, 197.995 mph (318.642 km/h), November 3, 2002.
- Indy Racing League Qualifying (one lap): Helio Castroneves, 226.757 mph (364.930 km/h), September 20, 2003.
- IRL Race (400 miles): Sam Hornish, Jr., 207.151 mph (333.377 km/h), September 21, 2003.
[edit] Video game appearances and simulations -
[edit] References [edit] External links Coordinates: 34°05′19″N 117°30′00″W / 34.08858°N 117.50000°W / 34.08858; -117.50000
 Auto Club Speedway during August 2008 Nationwide Series raceday | Links to related articles | | | D1 Grand Prix courses | | | Current Courses (2008) | | | D1SL Courses
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