Ascot Park, California

Motorsport venue
Name = Ascot Park | Nicknames =
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Location = Los Angeles, California
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Capacity = 7500
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Opened = before 1932
Closed = 1990
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Events = NASCAR Grand National

AMA Grand National

USAC events | Layout1 = outer oval track
Surface = dirt
Length_mi = 0.5
Length_km = 0.8
Miles_first = True
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Layout2 = inner oval
Surface2 = dirt
Length_mi2 = 0.4
Length_km2 = 0.6
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Ascot Park, Gardena, California, was a famous dirt racetrack located near Los Angeles, California. The track was built on the site of a former city dump. Before it was closed in 1990, it hosted the United States Auto Club championship series, and was used in movies like the original Gone in 60 Seconds, A Very Brady Christmas, and CHiPs. Ascot was also the site of the annual USAC Turkey Night Grand Prix midget race on Thanksgiving.

With seating for only 7,500, Ascot Park was smaller than the other famous tracks of the era, such as Riverside International Raceway (closed in 1989) and Ontario Motor Speedway (closed in 1981). Yet, the park was equally well-known, because its location was surrounded by freeways, 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 dramatic sprint car racing. Other motorsports events, such as Figure 8 racing and motorcycle flat track and TT racing, were also held at Ascot.

It remained unused after a failed development project occupied the former site for a number of years. The park was later replaced by commercial buildings and paved over for parking.

Notable weekly series alumni

*Eddie Gray
*Danny Oakes

NASCAR race results

Three NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) events were held at the track. The 1957 event was held on the 0.5 mile track. It won by Eddie Pagan. The second NASCAR event was a 500 lap event on the 0.4 mile track, and it was won by Parnelli Jones. The final event was held in 1961 on the 0.5 mile track. Eddie Gray lapped the field for the win. [ [http://racing-reference.info/tracks?id=012 Ascot Stadium] NASCAR results, Retrieved November 27 2007]

ee also

*Christopher J.C. Agajanian

References

External links

* [http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=4&S=11&Z=11&X=952&Y=9369&W=2 Current view of Ascot Park] terraserver-usa.com
* [http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?t=2&s=11&x=951&y=9369&z=11&w=1 Drawing overlay of the Ascot Park track] terraserver-usa.com