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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Motor racing is a great way for the family to spend time together. The kids love it, mom loves it (when she gives it a chance), and dads love it. The drivers & crew are friendly and everybody has a great time
Southern California has always been associated with the car and is now starting to come back into it's own as a racing mecca. There has been some rough years for the sport here (we lost such venues as Ontario Motor Speedway, Riverside International, and Lyons Drag Strip to name but a few) but we're coming back! The new California Speedway is being built in Fontana by Roger Penske and will open up this year. New local tracks have been opened and more are planned. Pomona has returned to it's roots with a road course that hosts AMA road racing each year. And the Long Beach Grand Prix each April has kept world-class racing linked to Southern California.
I used to do a weekly wrap up of the local racing schedule here in SoCal on Robert Heathcote's outstanding Autosports BBS (which, unfortunately, no longer exists) and a track listing for the area. Below is a list of Motorsports facilities in the Southern California area. This is not complete yet, more tracks will be added as I can get more details & information. (If you want to see schedule information for racing events, click here.)
- PICK OF THE MONTH:
Come see NASCAR's second tier series, the Busch Grand National and the Craftsman Supertruck series hit the high banked pavement of the brand new 2 mile oval at California Speedway in Fontana.
This is the race for the rest of us than can't afford Roger Penske's ticket prices to his Indy Car and Winston Cup races...tickets start at $15. Unfortunately, we have to miss it because we will be out of the country during that weekend. Click on the link above for more information on how to get tickets.
Brotherhood Raceway Park,
being built in Fontana by Roger Penske, is the region's ticket for it's return to big-time oval racing. A 2-mile tri-oval, high-banked oval (modeled on Michigan International Speedway) will be host for up to 6 major racing events each year including NASCAR Winston Cup and the CART Indycar Series. The inaugural race will be the California 500 Winston Cup race on June 22, 1997. You can reach the ticket office and be placed on their mailing list at (800) 944-RACE. Handy tip: When the speedway opens traffic will be a real mess (even with road widening going on there). Avoid it by taking Metrolink's LA - San Bernadino line. There will be a station right at the track.
California Speedway,Carlsbad Raceway,
is a 3/8 mile paved/banked oval located 18 miles east of San Diego. This track runs assorted classes of stock cars, midgets, and is a stop on NASCAR's Southwest Tour and Winston West Tour. This track is is the only facility outside of Carlsbad for the San Diego area. There are different admission prices for each side of the grandstands with the east side being cheaper. Advance tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Take Interstate 8 east from San Diego to Highway 67 in El Cajon. Take 67 to the Bradley exit and turn left.
Handicapped parking is located behind the eastside grandstands. A wheelchair viewing platform is located in the first row of the grandstands and
provides a good view. Accessible restrooms are located behind the grandstands.
home to the L.A. County Fair is also home to NHRA Drag Racing and AMA Motorcycle racing. The NHRA starts it's season with the Winternationals here in February and ends it with the Winston Finals in October. There is also an AMA race weekend each spring with the L.A. Grand Prix for road racing on the 2.1 mile road course and flat track racing on the 1/2 mile oval inside the fairgrounds. Located 25 miles east of downtown L.A. Take Interstate 10 east to Fairplex Drive. Turn left & go over the hill. Fairplex Drive ends at the park.
Handicapped parking is located in the infield of the road course, which is connected via a bridge to the streets. There are wheelchair viewing
areas throughout the road course. There are also wheelchair viewing platforms located in several of the grandstands at the drag strip. Portable accessible restrooms are
brought in for each race. Be forewarned that the noise is excessively loud during the drag races, especially when the top fuel dragsters and funny cars are running. If
your ears are sensitive to this, bring protection such as ear plugs or shooters headphones.
Glen Helen Raceway,
is run once a year on the streets surrounding the Long Beach Convention Center. CART indy cars are the main event featuring top drivers with last names like Unser & Andretti. See the events page for more information.
Perris Speedway
Handicapped parking is located to the left of the main gate. It is not paved, but is solid enough for wheelchairs. The
access trail leads to the top of the grandstands where there is plenty of wheelchair locations to sit. It is not steep, but it is a little long.
Track staff members will assist chair users to the top if needed. Accessible restrooms are located next to the snack bar.
is a 1/3 mile clay oval located 180 miles north of L.A. This track runs assorted classes of stock cars, modifieds, and sprint cars. This track is the closest that the World of Outlaws comes to L.A. (in September). Nice track & well run. Can get very cold at night. Take Highway 101 north to Santa Maria to Highway 166. Exit & turn left, under the freeway. Turn right on Hutton Rd. Track will be on your left.
Handicapped parking is located to the left of the main gate. It is not paved, but is solid enough for wheelchairs. The
access trail leads to the top of the grandstands where there is plenty of wheelchair locations to sit. It is not steep, but it is a little long.
Track staff members will assist chair users to the top if needed. Accessible restrooms are located next to the snack bar.
Ventura Raceway,
2.5 mile road course can challenge many other world class tracks. It is also home to another road course, the Streets of Willow, a 1/4 mile paved oval (Kern County Raceway), and 1/3 mile clay oval used for AMA flat track. It's only problem is it's located 100 miles away from where most of the people are. The facility hosts stock cars, Indy cars, AMA motorcycles, sports cars, midgets, vintage racers, etc., etc. Take the 14 Freeway north from L.A.'s Interstate 5 past Palmdale & Lancaster. Exit at Rosamond Bl. and turn left. The track will be on your right after about 5 miles.
Handicapped parking is located behind the track office on the edge of the pit area. The pits & the areas around it are accessible.
There are also areas around the track where parking terraces have been built where fans can watch from their cars & have tailgate parties. These are also accessible.
Accessible restrooms are located to the west of the cafeteria and souvenir shop and also at the Budweiser Terrace on top of the hill.