View source for Auto Club Speedway

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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
| colspan=2 style="padding:0; background:#808080; color:#fff; border-bottom:1px solid #999;" |[[Image:Auto Club Speedway (formerly California Speedway) - Speedway.png|290px]]
|- style="color:#fff; background:darkred; font-size:larger;"
! colspan=2 |'''Auto Club Speedway of Southern California'''
|-
|Nicknames         ||   Fontana 
|-
|Time              ||   GMT-8
|-
|Location          ||   {{flagiconUSA}} 9300 Cherry Avenue, [[Fontana, California]] 92335 
|-
|Capacity          ||   91,200 (NASCAR) 
|-
|Owner             ||   [[International Speedway Corporation]] 
|-
|Operator          ||   International Speedway Corporation 
|-
|Broke ground      ||   1995 
|-
|Opened            ||   1997 
|-
|Construction cost   ||   $100 million [[United States dollar|USD]]
|-
|Architect         ||   Paxton Waters Architecture<br>Penske Motorsports, Inc. 
|-
|Former_names      ||   California Speedway (1997-2007)
|-
|Events            ||  
'''[[NASCAR]] [[Sprint Cup Series]]'''<br>[[Auto Club 500]]<br>[[Pepsi 500]]<br>'''NASCAR [[Nationwide Series]]'''<br>[[Stater Brothers 300]]<br>[[Ameriquest 300|Camping World 300]] presented by RVs.com<br>'''NASCAR [[Craftsman Truck Series]]'''<br>[[San Bernardino County 200]]<br>'''[[AMA Superbike]]'''<br>Suzuki Superbike Challenge
|-
|Miles first      ||   True
|-
|Layout1          ||   D-shaped oval 
|-
|Surface          ||   asphalt 
|-
|Length km        ||   3.265 
|-
|Length mi        ||   2.029 
|-
|Turns            ||   
|-
|Banking          ||   Turns: 14 degrees<br>Frontstretch:11 degrees<br>Backstretch : 3 degrees
|-
|Record time      ||   241.426 [[miles per hour]] 
|-
|Record driver    ||   [[Gil de Ferran]] 
|-
|Record team      ||   [[Penske Racing]] 
|-
|Record year      ||   [[October 28]], [[2000]] 
|-
|Record class     ||   [[CART]] 
|-
|Layout2          ||   Infield Road Course 
|-
|Surface2         ||   asphalt 
|-
|Layout3          ||   Drag strip
|-
|Surface3         ||   asphalt
|}


The '''Auto Club Speedway of Southern California''' (formerly '''California Speedway''') is a two-mile, low-banked, D-shaped oval [[superspeedway]] in [[Fontana, California]], similar to its "sister track" [[Michigan International Speedway]].

== Configurations ==
<gallery>
Image:Auto Club Speedway (formerly California Speedway) - Speedway.png|<center><font color=black> Speedway
Image:Auto Club Speedway (formerly California Speedway) - Sports Car.png|<center><font color=black> Primary sports car layout
Image:Auto Club Speedway (formerly California Speedway) - Motorcycles.png|<center><font color=black> Primary motorcycle layout
Image:Auto Club Speedway (formerly California Speedway) - Interior Circuit.png|<center><font color=black> "Interior Circuit"
</gallery>

== History ==
[[Image:AutoClubGrandstand.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Main Grandstand at Auto Club Speedway]]

===Construction and location===


The track is located on the site of the former [[Kaiser Steel]] mill. 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 race]]s (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]] (GARRA) and by the [[JGTC|Japanese Grand Touring Car Championship]], with the JGTC race being unique as a night race. The GARRA 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]].

===Notable events===
During the 1999 [[CART]] race, [[Canada|Canadian]] driver [[Greg Moore (race car 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 {{convert|241.426|mi/h|km/h|3|abbr=on}}.  This was also a world speed record for the fastest lap of a closed course.

On September 21, 2003 during an IRL race, [[Sam Hornish, Jr.]] set the track record for fastest average speed during a race at {{convert|207.151|mi/h|km/h|3|abbr=on}}.

In 2005, 20 year old [[Kyle Busch]] earned his first ever NASCAR [[Sprint Cup Series]] win at Auto Club Speedway. He is to date the youngest driver to win a race in the Sprint Cup Series. 

===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.


===Usage in television shows, commercials and major film ===
The facility is often used for [[television]] shows and commercials, and for major films. In 2000, portions of ''[[Charlie's Angels (film)|Charlie's Angels]]'' were filmed at the speedway and in 2004, portions of ''[[Herbie: Fully Loaded]]'' were filmed there.


===Track timeline===
====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 45mi east of [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles, CA]]. 

*[[April 20]], [[1994]]: Official announcement is made to the public about making a 2.5mi 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 2.0mi speedway begins.

*[[May 30]], [[1996]]: NASCAR, [[American Broadcasting Company|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 [[Winston Cup]] Series (now Sprint 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 (racecar driver)|Mark Martin]].

*[[June 22]], [[1997]]: The first [[Winston 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 240.942mi/h. 

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

*[[October 18]], [[1997]]: The first NASCAR [[Craftsman Truck Series]] (Now Camping World 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 strech of the track at a high rate of speed. His blue open wheel car was smashed literally into pieces.

====2000s====
*[[?]], [[2000]]: The Back strech 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 blazing 241.428mi/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 2.0mi speedway.

*[[September 8]], [[2001]]: The first weekend for the [[Street-legal vehicle|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|road course]] integrated into California Speedway.

*[[November 21]], [[2001]]: An announcement is made to let the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S [[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|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 Chevy Trucks U.S. 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 5]], [[2004]]: The first race under the lights is run at California Speedway, a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series (now Sprint 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]]: Guest stars Zack and Cody show up to wave the green flag.

*[[September 7]], [[2007]]: Race car driver Ricky Rud breaks his hand in a big wreck at the front curve a away.

*[[September 7]], [[2007]]: Race car driver Robby Gordon sets the fastest speed at the finishline while going backwards at 141.231 MPH.

*[[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 Sprint Cup car is used for a race at the track.

*[[February 24]], [[2008]]: First time a NASCAR Sprint cup car flips upsidedown 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 Sprint 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.

*[[February 25]], [[2008]]: First time a race winner does not do a burn out at the track. (Race car driver Carl Edwards won the race and did a back flip off his car instead)

*[[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 300 (Fontana)|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 fist time ever that the track has lowered a ticket price. Reduction was due to bad Economy).

== Current races ==
* NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: [[Auto Club 500]], [[Pepsi 500]]
* NASCAR Nationwide Series: [[Stater Bros. 300]], [[Camping World 300]]
* NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: [[San Bernardino County 200]]
* Shell [[Eco-marathon]] Americas

== NASCAR Sprint Cup Series statistics ==
===NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Records===
<small>(As of 02/25/08)</small>
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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
| Most wins    ||   3 || [[Jeff Gordon]], [[Jimmie Johnson]]
| Most Top 5s  ||   8 || [[Jeff Gordon]]
| Most Top 10s ||   9 || [[Matt Kenseth]]
| Starts       ||  16 || ''5 drivers''
| Poles        ||   3 || [[Kurt Busch]]
| Laps led     || 525 || [[Jeff Gordon]]
| Avg. start*  || 8.6 || [[Kasey Kahne]]
| Avg. finish  || 6.4 || [[Jimmie Johnson]]
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> <small>from minimum 5 starts.</small>

===NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Winners===
* - Race extended due to Green-White-Checker Finish
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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
! Season
! Date
! Official Race Name
! Winning Driver
! Car #
! Sponsor
! Make
! Distance
! Avg Speed
! Margin of Victory
|-
|-
|-
| [[1997 in NASCAR|1997]]
| [[June 22]]
| '''California 500'''
| [[Jeff Gordon]]
| 24
| [[DuPont]]
| [[Chevrolet Monte Carlo]]
| 500 mi
| {{convert|155.012|mi/h|km/h|3|abbr=on}}
| 1.074 sec
|-
| [[1998 in NASCAR|1998]]
| [[May 3]]
| '''California 500 presented by NAPA'''
| [[Mark Martin (racecar driver)|Mark Martin]]
| 6
| [[Valvoline]]
| [[Ford Taurus]]
| 500 mi
| 140.22mi/h
| 1.287 sec
|-
| [[1999 in NASCAR|1999]]
| [[May 2]]
| '''California 500 presented by NAPA'''
| [[Jeff Gordon]]
| 24
| [[DuPont]]
| [[Chevrolet Monte Carlo]]
| 500 mi
| 150.276mi/h
| 4.492 sec
|-
| [[2000 in NASCAR|2000]]
| [[April 30]]
| '''NAPA Auto Parts 500'''
| [[Jeremy Mayfield]]
| 12
| [[Mobil 1]]
| [[Ford Taurus]]
| 500 mi
| 149.378mi/h
| 0.300 sec
|-
| [[2001 in NASCAR|2001]]
| [[April 29]]
| '''NAPA Auto Parts 500'''
| [[Rusty Wallace]]
| 2
| [[Miller Lite]]
| [[Ford Taurus]]
| 500 mi
| 143.118mi/h
| 0.27 sec
|-
| [[2002 in NASCAR|2002]]
| [[April 28]]
| '''NAPA Auto Parts 500'''
| [[Jimmie Johnson]]
| 48
| [[Lowes]]
| [[Chevrolet Monte Carlo]]
| 500 mi
| 150.088mi/h
| 0.620 sec
|-
| [[2003 in NASCAR|2003]]
| [[April 27]]
| '''Auto Club 500'''
| [[Kurt Busch]]
| 97
| [[Rubbermaid]]
| [[Ford Taurus]]
| 500 mi
| 140.111mi/h
| 2.294 sec
|-
| [[2004 in NASCAR|2004]]
| [[May 2]]
| '''Auto Club 500'''
| [[Jeff Gordon]]
| 24
| [[DuPont]]
| [[Chevrolet Monte Carlo]]
| 500 mi
| 137.268mi/h
| 12.871 sec
|-
| [[2004 in NASCAR|2004]]
| [[September 5]]
| '''Pop Secret 500'''
| [[Elliott Sadler]]
| 38
| [[M&Ms]]
| [[Ford Taurus]]
| 500 mi
| 128.324mi/h
| 0.263 sec
|-
| [[2005 in NASCAR|2005]]
| [[February 27]]
| '''Auto Club 500'''
| [[Greg Biffle]]
| 16
| [[Post-It]]/[[National Guard of the United States|National Guard]]
| [[Ford Taurus]]
| 500 mi
| 139.697mi/h
| 0.231 sec
|-
| [[2005 in NASCAR|2005]]
| [[September 4]]
| '''Sony HD 500'''
| [[Kyle Busch]]
| 5
| [[Kelloggs]]
| [[Chevrolet Monte Carlo]]
| 508 mi *
| 136.356mi/h
| 0.554 sec
|-
| [[2006 in NASCAR|2006]]
| [[February 26]]
| '''Auto Club 500'''
| [[Matt Kenseth]]
| 17
| [[DeWalt]]
| [[Ford Fusion]]
| 502 mi *
| 147.852mi/h
| 0.338 sec
|-
| [[2006 in NASCAR|2006]]
| [[September 3]]
| '''Sony HD 500'''
| [[Kasey Kahne]]
| 9
| [[Dodge|Dodge Dealers]]/[[UAW]]
| [[Dodge Charger]]
| 500 mi
| 144.462mi/h
| 3.427 sec
|-
| [[2007 in NASCAR|2007]]
| [[February 25]]
| '''Auto Club 500'''
| [[Matt Kenseth]]
| 17
| [[DeWalt]]/[[Carhartt]]
| [[Ford Fusion]]
| 500 mi
| 138.451mi/h
| 0.679 sec
|-
| [[2007 in NASCAR|2007]]
| [[September 2]]
| '''Sharp AQUOS 500'''
| [[Jimmie Johnson]]
| 48
| [[Lowes]]
| [[Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS]]
| 500 mi
| 131.502mi/h
| 1.868 sec
|-
| [[2008 in NASCAR|2008]]
| [[February 25]]
| '''Auto Club 500'''
| [[Carl Edwards]]
| 99
| [[Dish Network]]
| [[Ford Fusion]]
| 500 mi
| 132.704mi/h
| UC
|-
| [[2008 in NASCAR|2008]]
| [[August 31]]
| '''Pepsi 500'''
| [[Jimmie Johnson]]
| 48
| [[Jimmie Johnson Foundation]]/[[Lowe's]]
| [[Chevrolet Impala]]
| 500 mi
| 
| UC
|-
|}

== 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: Jeff Gordon (3) and [[Matt Kenseth]] (2). 
* 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]]
* NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying: [[David Reutimann]], 40.228 sec. (178.980 mph), 2006
* NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race (200 miles): [[Ted Musgrave]], 1 hr. 22 min. 14 sec. (145.926 mph), [[September 20]], [[2003]]
* CART Qualifying (one lap): [[Gil de Ferran]], {{convert|241.426|mi/h|km/h|3|abbr=on}}, [[October 28]], [[2000]].
* CART Race (500 miles): [[Jimmy Vasser]], {{convert|197.995|mi/h|km/h|3|abbr=on}}, [[November 3]], [[2002]].
* Indy Racing League Qualifying (one lap): [[Helio Castroneves]], {{convert|226.757|mi/h|km/h|3|abbr=on}}, [[September 20]], [[2003]].
* IRL Race (400 miles): [[Sam Hornish, Jr.]], {{convert|207.151|mi/h|km/h|3|abbr=on}}, [[September 21]], [[2003]].


==External links==
* [http://www.autoclubspeedway.com/ Auto Club Speedway Official Site]
* [http://www.nascar.com/races/tracks/cal/index.html California Speedway Page] on [http://www.nascar.com NASCAR.com]
* [http://www.gnextinc.com/nascar/track/cs.html GNEXTINC.com: California Speedway Page] - Local area information, track specs, mapping, news and more.
* [http://jayski.com/pages/tracks/california.htm Jayski's California Speedway Page] - Current and Past California Speedway News
* [http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/California_Speedway Trackpedia guide to driving this track]
* [http://racing.ballparks.com/California/index.htm Caliifornia Speedway Page] on [http://www.ballparks.com/ Ballparks by Munsey & Suppes]
* Super High Resolution image from [http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=34.08633~-117.500078&style=o&lvl=2&scene=709497 Windows Live Local]

<br>
[[Image:FontanaPanorama.JPG|700px|center|thumb|Auto Club Speedway during August 2008 Nationwide Series raceday]]
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