California State Fairgrounds Race Track

California State Fairgrounds
LocationSacramento, California
Coordinates38°33′N 121°27′W / 38.550°N 121.450°W / 38.550; -121.450
Opened
  • 1906 (horse racing)
  • 1907 (auto racing)
  • 1968 (new track)
Closed1970 (first track)
Major eventsGolden State 100
AAA/USAC National Championship
Oval
SurfaceRice hulls[1]
Length0.99 mi (1.6 km)
Road course (1955–1969)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.1 mi (3.4 km)
Turns9

California State Fairgrounds Race Track has been the name of two dirt oval racing tracks located in Sacramento, California. The track was built in 1906 for horse racing on the site of the California Exposition. It was active for auto racing in 1907, 1912, and from 1946 until 1970.[1] The Exposition moved to a new site north of Downtown Sacramento in 1968, and the old fairgrounds were closed and sold for development in 1970. The final day of the track was marred by tragedy when three drivers were killed in the 100-lap super-modified caged sprint car competition.[2]

From 1949 to 1970, the track hosted the Golden State 100, a round of the AAA/USAC National Championship. The race was revived at the new Cal Expo site as a USAC Silver Crown race from 1989 until 2000. Motorcycle racing's Sacramento Mile continues to be held at the new California Exposition as part of the AMA Grand National Championship.

A 2.1-mile (3.4-km) road course was laid out in the parking lots surrounding the oval, and used for sports car racing between 1955 and 1969.[3][4] It hosted a SCCA National Sports Car Championship round in 1955.

In 2026, the original race track will be turned into a college football stadium for the Sacramento State Hornets. The original stands will still be intact once play begins that fall.

Golden State 100 winners

Golden State 100
AAA/USAC National Championship
LocationSacramento, California
First race1949
First race1970
Most wins (driver)A. J. Foyt (5)
Most wins (manufacturer)Meskowski & Watson (tied 5)
Circuit information
Length1.6 km (0.99 mi)
YearDateDriverCar
1949October 30United States Fred AgabashianKurtis-Offy
1950October 15United States Duke DinsmoreKurtis-Offy
1951–1952: not held
1953October 25United States Jimmy BryanKurtis-Offy
1954October 17United States Jimmy BryanKuzma-Offy
1955October 16United States Jimmy BryanKuzma-Offy
1956October 21United States Jud LarsonWatson-Offy
1957October 21United States Rodger WardLesovsky-Offy
1958October 26United States Johnny ThomsonKuzma-Offy
1959October 25United States Jim HurtubiseKuzma-Offy
1960October 30United States A. J. FoytMeskowski-Offy
1961October 29United States Rodger WardWatson-Offy
1962October 28United States A. J. FoytMeskowski-Offy
1963October 27United States Rodger WardWatson-Offy
1964October 25United States A. J. FoytMeskowski-Offy
1965October 24United States Don BransonWatson-Offy
1966October 23United States Dick AtkinsWatson-Offy
1967October 1United States A. J. FoytMeskowski-Offy
1968September 29United States A. J. FoytMeskowski-Offy
1969September 28United States Al UnserKing-Ford
1970October 4United States Al UnserKing-Ford
[5][6]

The race was revived in 1989 at the new Cal Expo mile track as a USAC Silver Crown event.

YearDateDriver
1989June 4United States George Snider[7]
1990June 3United States Jimmy Sills[8]
1991–1992: not held
1993October 9United States Jimmy Sills[9]
1994October 8United States Jimmy Sills[10]
1995October 7United States Donnie Beechler[11]
1996October 12United States Donnie Beechler[12]
1997October 11United States Dave Darland[13]
1998October 10United States J. J. Yeley[14]
1999October 9United States Jimmy Sills[15]
2000October 7United States Dave Darland[16]

NASCAR races

NASCAR Cup Series

Several NASCAR Grand National Series (today's NASCAR Cup Series) races were held on the dirt oval.

NASCAR Cup Series races[17]
SeasonDate# of
racers		WinnerTrack
length
(mi)		Race
length
(mi)		Purse
($USD)		Pole
speed
(mph)		CautionsCaution
laps		Avg.
speed
(mph)		Lead
changes
DriverStart
pos.		Car
make/model
1956Jun 8, 195621Lloyd Dane15'56 Mercury1.0001004,28576.612––74.074–
1957Sep 8, 195727Danny Graves1'57 Chevrolet1.0001004,07578.007––68.6630
1958Sep 7, 195828Parnelli Jones1'56 Ford1.0001003,88577.922––65.550–
1959Sep 13, 195926Eddie Gray19'59 Ford1.0001003,885–––54.753–
1960Sep 11, 196023Jim Cook1'60 Dodge1.0001004,62578.450––70.6294
1961Sep 10, 196132Eddie Gray–'61 Ford1.0001005,12579.260––0.0001

NASCAR West Series

Several NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Division/NASCAR Winston West Series (today's ARCA Menards Series West) races were held on the dirt oval.

NASCAR West Series races[17]
SeasonDateRace nameAttendance# of
racers		WinnerTrack
length
(mi)		Race
length
(mi)		Purse
($USD)		Pole
speed
(mph)		CautionsCaution
laps		Avg.
speed
(mph)		Lead
changes
DriverStart
pos.		Car
make/model
1956Jun 8, 1956—21Lloyd Dane15'56 Mercury1.0001004,28576.612––74.074–[18]
1957Sep 8, 1957—27Danny Graves1'57 Chevrolet1.0001004,07578.007––68.663–[19]
1964Oct 04, 1964Sacramento 1008,50024Bob Ross1'64 Mercury1.0001006,00085.6532–68.182–[20]
1965Oct 03, 1965Sacramento 10026Bill Amick1'64 Mercury1.0001006,00082.2861675.5382[21]
1966Oct 9, 1966Sacramento 1005,86025Don Noel5'64 Ford1.0001006,00085.71441562.9152[22]
1969Apr 27, 1969Sacramento 1005,00028Marty Kinerk10'67 Chevrolet1.0001007,50089.02162378.8804[23]
1970May 10, 1970Sacramento 1004,23528Tiny Lund1'69 Ford1.0001005,25090.47531185.6335[24]

References

  1. ^ a b Galpin, Darren. "Sacramento". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  2. ^ "3 Racing Drivers Killed in Calif.", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 26, 1970, p1
  3. ^ di Carli, Guido. "Sacramento Fairgrounds". Circuiti Nel Mondo. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  4. ^ McPartland, Tam. "Sacramento Fairgrounds Racecourse". Tam's Old Race Car Site. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  5. ^ "California State Fairgrounds". Champ Car Stats. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  6. ^ "California State Fairgrounds". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  7. ^ "Golden State 100 worth the wait for Snider". The Sacramento Bee. June 5, 1989. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  8. ^ "Sills races to win at Cal Expo". The Sacramento Bee. June 4, 1990. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  9. ^ "Placerville's Sills wins USAC race". The Sacramento Bee. October 10, 1993. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  10. ^ "Three in a row for Sills". The Sacramento Bee. October 9, 1994. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  11. ^ "Nalbandian out..." The Fresno Bee. October 10, 1995. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  12. ^ "Beechler squeezes into Silver Crown 100 win". The Sacramento Bee. October 13, 1996. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  13. ^ "Darland wins; his series lead grows". The Sacramento Bee. October 12, 1997. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  14. ^ "Yeley, Tiner win races at Cal Expo". The Sacramento Bee. October 11, 1998. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  15. ^ "Sills wins Silver Crown 100". The Sacramento Bee. October 11, 1999. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  16. ^ "Sacramento Results". Motorsport.com. October 7, 2000. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  17. ^ a b "California State Fairgrounds". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  18. ^ "1956-17". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  19. ^ "1957-23". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  20. ^ "1964 Sacramento 100". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  21. ^ "1965 Sacramento 100". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  22. ^ "1966 11th Annual Sacramento 100". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  23. ^ "1969 Sacramento 100". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  24. ^ "1970 Sacramento 100". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
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