 Ascot Park Speedway (1972) | |
| Coordinates | 33°51′52″N118°17′21″W / 33.86444°N 118.28917°W /33.86444; -118.28917 |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 7,500 |
| Owner | Max Ziegler |
| Operator | J. C. Agajanian (1976–1984) |
| Opened | 1957 |
| Closed | November 22, 1990 |
| Former names | Los Angeles Speedway (1957) New Ascot Stadium (1958–1960) |
| Major events | CRA NASCARGrand National AMA Grand National Championship USAC events |
| outeroval track | |
| Surface | dirt |
| Length | 0.50 mi (0.8 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| inner oval | |
| Surface | dirt |
| Length | 0.25 mi (0.4 km) |
Ascot Park, first namedLos Angeles Speedway and laterNew Ascot Stadium, was adirt racetrack located nearGardena, California. Ascot Park was open between 1957 and 1990. The track held numerousUnited States Auto Club (USAC) national tour races and threeNASCAR Grand National (nowNASCAR Cup Series) races. TheTurkey Night Grand Prix was held at the track for several decades.
Ascot Park was the fourth of four Ascot sites in Los Angeles after the original one-mile Ascot Speedway at Central & Florence was open between 1907 and 1919.[1] A second site namedLegion Ascot Speedway held races between 1924 and 1936.[2] Legion Ascot closed after 24 drivers died while racing at the track.[1] A third site named Southern Ascot held races between 1937 and 1942 in South Gate on a half mile dirt oval.[1]
Los Angeles Speedway opened in 1957,[3] on the site of a formercity dump. It was built less than 1 mile (1.6 km) from the former site of Carrell Speedway, which had been closed in late 1954 to make way for theArtesia Freeway. The track was renamed to New Ascot Stadium in October 1958 as part of a management change.[4] The track assumed the name it held until its closure, Ascot Park in 1961.J. C. Agajanian promoted major races at the venue, and later leased the track from 1976 until his death in 1984, when his family continued operating the venue. His radio advertisements ended with the phrase "Come to Ascot, where the 110, the 405 and the 91 freeways collide!".[2]
With seating for only 7,500, Ascot Park was smaller than the other tracks of the area including theOntario Motor Speedway (closed in 1980), and theRiverside International Raceway (closed in 1989). However, the park was equally well-known, due to its being surrounded by freeways for easy access, its regularly scheduled races, and its heavy radio advertising.
The half-mile course featured tight semi-banked turns, long straight-ways, and a tacky surface that was conducive to dramaticsprint car racing. Other motorsport events, such asFigure 8 racing and motorcycle flat track, TT racing and motocross, were also held at Ascot.
The dirt racetrack hosted races in theUnited States Auto Club (USAC) sprint car championship, theAMA Grand National Championship motorcycle series. Ascot was also the site of the annual USACTurkey Night Grand Prixmidget race on Thanksgiving.
Though he began doing stunt jumps in 1966 at small venues such as fairs and carnivals,Evel Knievel (Robert Craig Knievel) gained international attention with his first televised jump onABC’s Wide World of Sports at Ascot Park Raceway on March 25, 1967, successfully clearing 15 cars.[5]
The racetrack was also used in movies and TV shows like the originalGone in 60 Seconds,A Very Brady Christmas,Pit Stop,T J Hooker andCHiPs.
The 50th annual Turkey Night Grand Prix for USACmidget cars became the last of more than 5,000 main events held since the track opened. Ascot Park was closed in November 1990.[2] It remained unused after a failed development project occupied the former site for a number of years. The track site was later replaced by Insurance Auto Auctions building and storage yard.
ESPN was hosting live races ofThursday Night Thunder sprint car racing from 1988 to the track's closing in 1990 and later went over toIndianapolis Raceway Park and the show was later moved to Saturday night. Some of the most famous drivers to race at Ascot wereJeff Gordon,Sleepy Tripp, andDick Mann, among others.
ThreeNASCARGrand National Series events were held at the track. The 1957 event was held on the 0.5-mile (0.80 km) track. It was won byEddie Pagan. The second NASCAR event was a 500 lap event on the 0.4-mile (0.64 km) track, and it was won byParnelli Jones. The final event was held in 1961 on the 0.5-mile (0.80 km) track.Eddie Gray lapped the field for the win.[6]