Auto Club Speedway

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Auto Club Speedway of Southern California

Fontana
Track map showing mainly the speedway itself
Location	9300 Cherry Avenue, Fontana, California 92335
Time zone	GMT-8
Capacity	91,200 (NASCAR)
Owner	International Speedway Corporation
Operator	International Speedway Corporation
Broke ground	1995
Opened	1997
Construction cost	$100 million USD
Architect	Paxton Waters Architecture Penske Motorsports, Inc.
Former names	California Speedway (1997-2007)
Major events	NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 500 Pepsi 500 NASCAR Nationwide Series Stater Brothers 300 Copart 300 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series San Bernardino County 200 AMA Superbike Suzuki Superbike Challenge
D-shaped oval
Surface	asphalt
Length	2.0 mi (3.23 km)
Banking	Turns: 14 degrees Frontstretch:11 degrees Backstretch : 3 degrees
Lap record	241.426 miles per hour (Gil de Ferran, Penske Racing, October 28, 2000, CART)
Infield Road Course
Surface	asphalt
Drag strip
Surface	asphalt

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.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Construction and location 1.2 Configurations 1.3 Notable events 1.4 Name change 1.5 Usage in television shows, commercials and major film 1.6 Track timeline 1.6.1 1990s 1.6.2 2000s 2 Current races 3 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series statistics 3.1 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Records 3.2 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Winners 4 Records 5 Video game appearances and simulations 6 References 7 External links

[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.

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

Speedway

primary sports car layout

primary motorcycle layout

"Interior Circuit"

[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).^{[citation needed]} This was also a world speed record for the fastest lap of a closed course.^{[citation needed]}

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

[edit] 1990s

• 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.

• April 26, 1995: San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approves for construction of the track.

• 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 21, 1997: The very first race at California Speedway, the Auto Club 200, a Winston West Series race, is won by Ken Schrader. The first IROC race is also ran and won by Mark Martin.

• June 22, 1997: The first NASCAR Cup Series race at California Speedway, the California 500, is won by Jeff Gordon.

• September 27, 1997: Maurício Gugelmin sets CART world speed record at California, with a speed of 240.942 mph (387.759 km/h).

• September 28, 1997: Mark Blundell wins the first CART race at California Speedway.

• October 18, 1997: The first NASCAR Truck Series event at California Speedway is won by Mike Bliss.

• October 19, 1997: The first NASCAR Busch Series (now Nationwide Series) event at California is won by Todd Bodine.

• 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.

[edit] 2000s

• February 21, 2000: The Back stretch infield is completely paved for safety as a response to Greg Moores death the previous year.

• October 28, 2000: Gil de Ferran, during a closed track session, tops Maurício Gugelmin's track record with a 241.428 mph (388.541 km/h).

• 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.

• September 8, 2001: The first weekend for the street-legal Friday night at California Dragway is run.

• 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.

• November 21, 2001: An announcement is made to let the AMA Superbike Championship to run the road course at California Speedway for rounds 2 and 3.

• February 6, 2002: IRL runs a pre-season test session on the road course section of the track.

• March 23, 2002: Didier Theys and Fredy Leinhard Jr. win the first Rolex Sports Car Series event at California Speedway.

• March 24, 2002: Sam Hornish Jr. wins the first IRL race at California Speedway by 0.0281 seconds over Jaques Lazier.

• 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.

• August 30, 2008: Kyle Busch becomes the first driver to ring the "Mobell" which is a new tradition, after he dominated the field to lead 144 of 150 laps in the Camping World RV Service 300 presented by Coleman.

• 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 21, 2009: Kyle Busch makes NASCAR history by winning two national series event in the same day when he won the San Bernardino County 200 and the Stater Bros. 300.

• 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.

2010s

• January 13, 2010: NASCAR announces that Auto Club Speedway's October Chase event will be shortened from 500 to 400 miles. The race will be called the Pepsi Max 400

[edit] Current races

• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Auto Club 500, Pepsi 500
• NASCAR Nationwide Series: Stater Bros. 300, Camping World 300
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: San Bernardino County 200
• Shell Eco-marathon Americas

[edit] NASCAR Sprint Cup Series statistics

[edit] NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Records

(As of 10/13/09)

Most wins	4	Jimmie Johnson
Most Top 5s	10	Jeff Gordon
Most Top 10s	11	Matt Kenseth
Starts	19	4 drivers
Poles	3	Kurt Busch
Laps led	723	Jimmie Johnson
Avg. start*	8.6	Kasey Kahne
Avg. finish	5.8	Jimmie Johnson

* from minimum 5 starts.

[edit] NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Winners

• - Race extended due to Green-White-Checker Finish

Season	Date	Official Race Name	Winning Driver	Car #	Sponsor	Make	Distance	Avg Speed	Margin of Victory
1997	June 22	California 500	Jeff Gordon	24	DuPont	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	Valvoline	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	DuPont	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	Mobil 1	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	Miller Lite	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	Lowe's	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	Rubbermaid	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	DuPont	Chevrolet Monte Carlo	500 mi (800 km)	137.268 mph (220.911 km/h)	12.871 sec
2004	September 5	Pop Secret 500	Elliott Sadler	38	M&Ms	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	Post-It/National Guard	Ford Taurus	500 mi (800 km)	139.697 mph (224.821 km/h)	0.231 sec
2005	September 4	Sony HD 500	Kyle Busch	5	Kelloggs	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	DeWalt	Ford Fusion	502 mi (808 km) *	147.852 mph (237.945 km/h)	0.338 sec
2006	September 3	Sony HD 500	Kasey Kahne	9	Dodge Dealers/UAW	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	DeWalt/Carhartt	Ford Fusion	500 mi (800 km)	138.451 mph (222.815 km/h)	0.679 sec
2007	September 2	Sharp AQUOS 500	Jimmie Johnson	48	Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe's	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	Dish Network	Ford Fusion	500 mi (800 km)	132.704 mph (213.566 km/h)	UC
2008	August 31	Pepsi 500	Jimmie Johnson	48	Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe's	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	Carhartt	Ford Fusion	500 mi (800 km)	135.839 mph (218.612 km/h)	1.463
2009	October 11	Pepsi 500	Jimmie Johnson	48	Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowe's	Chevrolet Impala	500 mi (800 km)	143.908 mph (231.597 km/h)	1.603

[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

Simulation / Video Game	Year	Configuration
		Speedway	Sports Car	Motorcycle	Interior Cart World Series 1997 Speedway
CART Precision Racing	1998	Y
NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition	1999	Y
NASCAR Racing 3	1999	Y
NASCAR Heat	2000	Y
NASCAR Racing 4	2001	Y
NASCAR Racing 2002 Season	2002	Y
NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona	2001	Y
NASCAR Racing 2003 Season	2003	Y
NASCAR Thunder 2004	2003	Y
NASCAR Chase For The Cup 2005	2004	Y
NASCAR 06: Total Team Control	2005	Y
NASCAR SimRacing	2005	Y
Cars (Disney-Pixar)	2005	Y
NASCAR 07	2006	Y
NASCAR 08	2007	Y
Indy Cars Series	2007	Y
NASCAR 09	2008	Y
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli	2008		Y
Supercar Challenge	2009		Y

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Auto Club Speedway Official Site
• California Speedway Page on NASCAR.com
• GNEXTINC.com: California Speedway Page - Local area information, track specs, mapping, news and more.
• Jayski's California Speedway Page - Current and Past California Speedway News
• Trackpedia guide to driving this track
• Caliifornia Speedway Page on Ballparks by Munsey & Suppes
• Super High Resolution image from Windows Live Local

Coordinates: 34°05′19″N 117°30′00″W / 34.08858°N 117.50000°W / 34.08858; -117.50000

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