| | | | | | | | | | California Speedway | California Dreamin' |
| | Fontana, CA The dazzling California Speedway is relative newcomer to the world of NASCAR. The 568-acre facility opened in 1997 bringing a 2-mile d-shaped oval track to Southern California. What is now the home of Southern California's grandest sporting venue was once a thriving steel mill. Kaiser Steel Mill developed the metal that helped create the Liberty ships used by the Allies to win WWII. But after declaring bankruptcy, the mill shut its doors in 1983, leaving 11,000 people without jobs and crippling the town's economy. Over years of neglect the mill became a dismal sight. The graveyard of decaying buildings, corroding smokestacks, and chokes of debris and rubble made a perfect site for filming movies such as Terminator 2. But the ruined site was about to undergo a facelift.
In 1994, the announcement was made that a track would be constructed there in Southern California. Through the ruins a 568-acre modernized motor racing facility was born. Today the site boasts 300 palm trees, and exotic plants and flowers cover the green landscape. It took over $110 million dollars and nineteen months to build the facility. In 1997 the restitution of NASCAR Winston Cup racing was a dream come true for the 90,000 fans that came to watch the Inaugural California 500. Those who couldn't make it to the track watched the inauguration from their homes during the live television broadcast.
Many of NASCAR's greats have driven here. Mark Martin earned a IROC win at the California Speedway the day before Jeff Gordon won the track's first Cup race in 1997. Kyle Busch won his first NASCAR Nextel Cup here in 2005 as well as the record qualifying time of 34.248 seconds.
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