RIP: Race Tracks & Drag Strips in Southern California
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Kalifornia
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RIP: Race Tracks & Drag Strips in Southern California
RIP:
You can add one more to the list:
- Perris Auto Speedway (Drag Strip) I just called their office to ask about the racing jacket requirement, and they told me that they were not running until next year. Site says Nov 10th ? So when I pushed further, stating that I wasn't asking about the schedule, just the protective clothing/NHRA rules, they said "we don't have a drag strip anymore, it's gone."
====and the rest====
- Los Angeles County Raceway, Palmdale (although Motox will continue for now)
- Irwindale Raceway (Where Miller Brewing now is, east of the 605 off the 210)
- Orange County Airport (Santa Ana, well the a/p did grow up)
- Lions Dragstrip (Wilmington, Calif.)
- Orange County Int'l Raceway (Irvine)
- Ontario Motor Speedway (not to be confused with Cali Speedway)
- Riverside International Speedway (60fwy & Day, now the Moreno Valley Mall at Towngate & a housing development)
- Ascot Park, Gardena (now a car pool / park 'n ride transit lot)
You can add one more to the list:
- Perris Auto Speedway (Drag Strip) I just called their office to ask about the racing jacket requirement, and they told me that they were not running until next year. Site says Nov 10th ? So when I pushed further, stating that I wasn't asking about the schedule, just the protective clothing/NHRA rules, they said "we don't have a drag strip anymore, it's gone."
====and the rest====
- Los Angeles County Raceway, Palmdale (although Motox will continue for now)
- Irwindale Raceway (Where Miller Brewing now is, east of the 605 off the 210)
- Orange County Airport (Santa Ana, well the a/p did grow up)
- Lions Dragstrip (Wilmington, Calif.)
- Orange County Int'l Raceway (Irvine)
- Ontario Motor Speedway (not to be confused with Cali Speedway)
- Riverside International Speedway (60fwy & Day, now the Moreno Valley Mall at Towngate & a housing development)
- Ascot Park, Gardena (now a car pool / park 'n ride transit lot)
Last edited by SoCalTed; 11-01-2007 at 08:14 PM.
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#5
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Originally Posted by SoCalTed
Pomona still runs every once in a blue moon... but mostly it only hosts the NHRA Winter Finals.
Ya, I forgot about Carlsbad....it closed in 2004 and is now The Carlsbad Raceway Business Park.
Ya, I forgot about Carlsbad....it closed in 2004 and is now The Carlsbad Raceway Business Park.
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Tons of reasons...
Historically, tracks are built in the middle of nowhere. then urban sprawl makes it the middle of somewhere. Homeowner's start complaining about noise, and the cities create new ordinances for noise or traffic. Or insurance companies sock it to them on the premiums.
Many of the newer generation of racers would rather run on the street than at a track, because tracks charges $. Then racers get caught on the street and it gives tracks a bad name because in the eyes of joe-citizen, RACEtracks condone the act of racing.
It could also be that land leases run out (LACR), or that track guys just give up trying to promote something that really isn't profitable, and discover that their land is very desireable to developers. Remember, a lot of these guys started back in the 60's & 70's and want to retire.
Here's my recommendation - and this goes for local shops as well as tracks. Support your local garages and tracks, even if it costs you a little extra $$. You won't know how good you had it until its gone.
Historically, tracks are built in the middle of nowhere. then urban sprawl makes it the middle of somewhere. Homeowner's start complaining about noise, and the cities create new ordinances for noise or traffic. Or insurance companies sock it to them on the premiums.
Many of the newer generation of racers would rather run on the street than at a track, because tracks charges $. Then racers get caught on the street and it gives tracks a bad name because in the eyes of joe-citizen, RACEtracks condone the act of racing.
It could also be that land leases run out (LACR), or that track guys just give up trying to promote something that really isn't profitable, and discover that their land is very desireable to developers. Remember, a lot of these guys started back in the 60's & 70's and want to retire.
Here's my recommendation - and this goes for local shops as well as tracks. Support your local garages and tracks, even if it costs you a little extra $$. You won't know how good you had it until its gone.
#14