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Track News and Info
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California Speedway
The grand opening of the California Speedway in 1997 marked the long-awaited, thrilling return of professional oval-track Indy and stock car racing to Southern California. The California Speedway succeeds Riverside Raceway as Southern California's most prestigious track.
The California 500 presented by NAPA was the NASCAR Winston Cup Series debut at the track. Jeff Gordon won the inaugural event after Joe Nemechek claimed the first Busch Pole Award there.
Penske Motorsports, Inc. and Kaiser Resources, Inc. initiated construction of the speedway in December 1995 at the historic 530-acre Kaiser Steel Mill site, located just 40 miles east of Los Angeles near the base of the San Bernardino mountains. A concrete water tower -- the lone remaining landmark from the old steel mill -- rises a majestic 128 feet from the center of the infield as both a reminder of the site's rich heritage and a harbinger of its towering future.
California Speedway will initially accommodate 80,000 race fans, with an ultimate capacity of 118,000 -- and not a bad seat in the house. It offers free parking for more than 32,000 vehicles. In fact, the speedway is adding 15,781 more seats in Turn 1, in addition to another concession building, restroom facility and elevator for the main grandstands.
Since the inception of the project, the local community has been an invaluable supporter of the speedway. It is estimated that the track will have an economic impact that exceeds $125 million annually to the area. California Speedway plans to eventually host as many as six major events.
Location: At the intersection of Interstates 10, 15 and 60. It is also 5 miles from Ontario International Airport.
Bud Pole Qualifying: Friday, April 30 at 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2 & MRN)
Bud Second-Round Qualifying: Saturday, May 1 at 1 p.m. ET
California 500 presented by NAPA: Sunday, May 2 at 2 p.m. (ABC & MRN)
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Winston Cup News
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SKINNER SEEKS REDEMRTION AT CALIFORNIA
Mike Skinner has a pair of wins in NASCAR exhibition events in Japan under his belt, but 1999 has truly been his coming out party. He's raced among the leaders all season, sat atop the NASCAR Winston Cup Series standings and made it clear that he will visit Victory Lane this season.
And the Susanville, Calif., native would like nothing better than to do it Sunday in the California 500 presented by NAPA at California Speedway. Another incentive for Skinner is an incident last week at Talladega that he'd like to forget. And he wouldn't mind if everyone else forgot about it, too.
JARRETT READY FOR STRETCH RUN
California Speedway, site of Sunday's California 500, looms as a roadblock for Dale Jarrett.
IRWIN ROLLS DICE WITH VEGAS SETUP AT FONTANA
Kenny Irwin and the No. 28 Texaco Havoline Ford team are taking a chance on the setup they'll use for this Sunday's California 500 presented by NAPA at California Speedway.
RAIN WASHES OUT BUD POLE QUALIFYING
Heavy rain in Southern California forced NASCAR to cancel Bud Pole Qualifying for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series California 500 presented by NAPA at California Speedway.
WINSTON CUP EXPANSION NOT LOST ON GIBBS
Perhaps no other speedway currently on the 34-race schedule exemplifies the growth of NASCAR Winston Cup racing better than California Speedway, site of Sunday's California 500 presented by NAPA. All of this growth is not lost on Joe Gibbs.
STAR-CROSSED GORDON COULD BE DUE IN CALIFORNIA
Three-time and defending NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon has the best overall performance after two races at California Speedway, heading into Sunday's third annual California 500 presented by NAPA at the two-mile oval.
NO BULL FANS, DRIVERS PAIRED FOR CHARLOTTE
Five of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series' biggest stars traded digital paint, competing against one another in a video game race Thursday afternoon for the right to represent five lucky fans as part of the Winston No Bull "They Win, You Win" fan sweepstakes.
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Winston Cup Points Standings, Qualifying, and Race Results
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POS DRIVER POINTS
1 Jeff Burton 1369
2 Dale Jarrett 1329
3 Mark Martin 1285
4 Bobby Labonte 1220
5 Jeff Gordon 1159
6 Rusty Wallace 1087
7 Tony Stewart 1082
8 Terry Labonte 1074
9 Dale Earnhardt 1054
10 Mike Skinner 1054
QUALIFYING FOR CALIFORNIA 500
1 N/A
2 N/A
3 N/A
4 N/A
5 N/A
6 N/A
7 N/A
8 N/A
9 N/A
10 N/A
RACE RESULTS FOR CALIFORNIA 500
1 N/A
2 N/A
3 N/A
4 N/A
5 N/A
6 N/A
7 N/A
8 N/A
9 N/A
10 N/A
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