Saugus Speedway
| LA's place to race | |
|---|---|
Saugus Speedway in 2007
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| Location | Saugus, Santa Clarita, California |
| Broke ground | 1927 |
| Opened | 1939 |
| Closed | July 19, 1995 |
| Major events | |
| Asphalt Oval | |
| Length | 0.54 km (0.333 mi) |
| Banking | flat |
| Asphalt Figure 8 infield | |
Saugus Speedway is a 1/3 mile racetrack in Saugus, California on a 35-acre (140,000 m2) site. The track hosted one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event in 1995, which was won by Ken Schrader. Schrader became the first NASCAR driver to win in a race in all three of the sanctioning body's major series, following previous wins in the Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series.
The track started out as a rodeo arena called Baker Ranch Stadium in 1927. Its construction was announced in December 1926. It was owned by Roy Baker, brother of shoe businessman C. H. Baker. The stadium held 18,000 spectators. During the Great Depression, it was sold in 1930 to Cowboy actor Hoot Gibson. He used the stadium for movie sets. The stadium was sold to Paul Hill in 1934. The valley that the stadium was in got flooded in 1937. Debris from the flood was too much for Hill to deal with, so the bank got the property.
William Bonelli purchased it and renamed Bonelli Stadium. In 1939, Bonelli started hosting open wheel racing on the flat dirt surface. Crowds of 10,000 to 12,000 watched drivers such as Walt Faulkner, Mel Hansen, Allen Heath, Johnny McDowell, Jack McGrath, Danny Oakes, Troy Ruttman, and Bill Vukovich. The track was part of the United Racing Association in 1940 and 1941. The last race during World War II was held on June 30, 1942. The track was unused in 1943 and 1944, like all racetracks in the United States. The track was the first circuit on the West Coast of the United States to host a post-war race when it reopened on September 9, 1945.Bill Vukovich won the race. Nine races were held that season, and Vukovich was crowned the champion.
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