 Road Course (1965–1971) | |
| Location | Spring Valley,Nevada,United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°6′28″N115°15′9″W / 36.10778°N 115.25250°W /36.10778; -115.25250 |
| Owner | Stardust Racing Association |
| Broke ground | 25 July 1965; 60 years ago (1965-07-25) |
| Opened | November 1965; 60 years ago (1965-11) |
| Closed | October 1971; 54 years ago (1971-10) |
| Major events | NHRA (1967–1969, 1971) USAC Champ Car (1968) Can-Am (1966–1968) United States Road Racing Championship (1966–1967) Trans-Am (1967) |
| Road Course (1965–1971) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 3.000 mi (4.828 km) |
| Turns | 13 |
| Race lap record | 1:30.950 ( Bruce McLaren,McLaren M8A,1968,Can-Am) |
TheStardust International Raceway was an auto racing track in present-daySpring Valley,Nevada,United States, in theLas Vegas Valley. It featured a flat, 3.000 mi (4.828 km), 13-turnroad course, and a quarter-miledrag strip. Some track maps depicted the road course with 10 numbered turns.
Stardust International Raceway was developed in 1965 by the Stardust Racing Association, a Nevada corporation headed by the primary owner of theDesert Inn andStardust hotel-casinos.[1] The track was developed ostensibly to attracthigh rollers to the Stardust hotel.[2] The Stardust Racing Association also owned the property and functioned as event promoter.
In 1966 it began hosting the season finale of theCan-Am championship. In 1968 theUSAC Championship Car series held a race at Stardust. The drag strip hosted theNHRA Stardust National Open in 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1971.
The Stardust Racing Association was dissolved on April 1, 1968, 1 day after the USAC Stardust 150. The hotel and raceway were sold in January 1969 to the Parvin-Dohrmann Corporation, and the new ownership closed the track shortly thereafter.Larry Horton, the track's manager, re-opened the drag strip in August 1970 and randrag racing events until October 1971. Real estate developers Pardee Homes acquired the Stardust International Raceway property and related adjacent properties in August 1970 and built the Spring Valley community. Pardee commenced residential development on a portion of the property as drag racing events were still in operation directly adjacent. The track was replaced by theLas Vegas Speedrome, which opened in 1972 as a drag strip and road course. It was subsequently expanded in 1985 with a 3/8 mile paved oval, in 1996 with a 1.5 mile oval, when the circuits current name, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, was used, and in 2000 with the current drag strip location.
| Year | Driver | Entrant | Car | Distance/Duration | Championship | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 |  Hap Sharp | Chaparral Cars | Chaparral 2A-Chevrolet | 200 miles (320 km) | Competition Press &Autoweek Series | report |
| 1966 |  John Cannon | Dan Blocker | Genie Mk.10-Chevrolet | 180 miles (290 km) | United States Road Racing Championship | report |
| 1966 |  John Surtees | Team Surtees | Lola T70 Mk.2-Chevrolet | 210 miles (340 km) | Can-Am | report |
| 1967 | Mark Donohue | Roger Penske | Lola T70 Mk.3-Chevrolet | 183 miles (295 km) | United States Road Racing Championship | report |
| 1967 | John Surtees | Team Surtees | Lola T70 Mk.3-Chevrolet | 210 miles (340 km) | Can-Am | report |
| 1968 | Denny Hulme | Bruce McLaren Motor Racing | McLaren M8A-Chevrolet | 210 miles (340 km) | Can-Am | report |
| Year | Driver | Entrant | Car | Distance/Duration | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Mark Donohue | Roger Penske | Chevrolet Camaro | 350 miles (560 km) | report |
| Season | Date | Race Name | Winning driver | Chassis | Engine | Team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | March 31 | Stardust 150 | Bobby Unser | Eagle | Ford | Leader Cards Racing | report |
The fastest official lap records at Stardust International Raceway are listed as:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road Course: 4.820 km (1965–1971) | ||||
| Can-Am (Group 7) | 1:30.950[3] | Bruce McLaren | McLaren M6A | 1968 Stardust Grand Prix |
| Group 4 | 1:35.700[4] | John Surtees | Lola T70 Mk.2 | 1966 Stardust Grand Prix |
| Trans-Am | 1:50.900[5] | Jerry Titus | Ford Mustang | 1967 Las Vegas Trans-Am round |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
 | This article about amotor sport venue is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
This article about a sports venue in Nevada is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
