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California State Fairgrounds Race Track

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California State Fairgrounds Race Track has been the name of two dirt oval racing tracks located in Sacramento, California. The track was built in 1906 for horse racing on the site of the California Exposition. It was active for auto racing in 1907, 1912, and from 1946 until 1970.[1] The Exposition moved to a new site north of Downtown Sacramento in 1968, and the old fairgrounds were closed and sold for development in 1970. The final day of the track was marred by tragedy when three drivers were killed in the 100-lap super-modified caged sprint car competition.[2]

California State Fairgrounds
LocationSacramento, California
Coordinates38°33′N 121°27′W / 38.550°N 121.450°W / 38.550; -121.450
Opened
  • 1906 (horse racing)
  • 1907 (auto racing)
  • 1968 (new track)
Closed1970 (first track)
Major eventsGolden State 100
AAA/USAC National Championship
Oval
SurfaceRice hulls[1]
Length1 miles (1.6 km)
Road course (1955–1969)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.1 miles (3.4 km)
Turns9

From 1949 to 1970, the track hosted the Golden State 100, a round of the AAA/USAC National Championship. The race was revived at the new Cal Expo site as a USAC Silver Crown race from 1989 until 2000. Motorcycle racing's Sacramento Mile continues to be held at the new California Exposition as part of the AMA Grand National Championship.

A 2.1-mile (3.4-km) road course was laid out in the parking lots surrounding the oval, and used for sports car racing between 1955 and 1969.[3][4] It hosted a SCCA National Sports Car Championship round in 1955.

Golden State 100 winners

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Golden State 100
AAA/USAC National Championship
LocationSacramento, California
First race1949
First race1970
Most wins (driver)A. J. Foyt (5)
Most wins (manufacturer)Meskowski & Watson (tied 5)
Circuit information
Length1.6 km (0.99 mi)
Year Date Driver Car
1949 October 30   Fred Agabashian Kurtis-Offy
1950 October 15   Duke Dinsmore Kurtis-Offy
1951–1952: not held
1953 October 25   Jimmy Bryan Kurtis-Offy
1954 October 17   Jimmy Bryan Kuzma-Offy
1955 October 16   Jimmy Bryan Kuzma-Offy
1956 October 21   Jud Larson Watson-Offy
1957 October 21   Rodger Ward Lesovsky-Offy
1958 October 26   Johnny Thomson Kuzma-Offy
1959 October 25   Jim Hurtubise Kuzma-Offy
1960 October 30   A. J. Foyt Meskowski-Offy
1961 October 29   Rodger Ward Watson-Offy
1962 October 28   A. J. Foyt Meskowski-Offy
1963 October 27   Rodger Ward Watson-Offy
1964 October 25   A. J. Foyt Meskowski-Offy
1965 October 24   Don Branson Watson-Offy
1966 October 23   Dick Atkins Watson-Offy
1967 October 1   A. J. Foyt Meskowski-Offy
1968 September 29   A. J. Foyt Meskowski-Offy
1969 September 28   Al Unser King-Ford
1970 October 4   Al Unser King-Ford
[5][6]

The race was revived in 1989 at the new Cal Expo mile track as a USAC Silver Crown event.

Year Date Driver
1989 June 4   George Snider[7]
1990 June 3   Jimmy Sills[8]
1991–1992: not held
1993 October 9   Jimmy Sills[9]
1994 October 8   Jimmy Sills[10]
1995 October 7   Donnie Beechler[11]
1996 October 12   Donnie Beechler[12]
1997 October 11   Dave Darland[13]
1998 October 10   J. J. Yeley[14]
1999 October 9   Jimmy Sills[15]
2000 October 7   Dave Darland[16]

NASCAR races

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NASCAR Cup Series

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Several NASCAR Grand National Series (today's NASCAR Cup Series) races were held on the dirt oval.

NASCAR Cup Series races[17]
Season Date # of
racers		 Winner Track
length
(mi)		 Race
length
(mi)		 Purse
($USD)		 Pole
speed
(mph)		 Cautions Caution
laps		 Avg.
speed
(mph)		 Lead
changes
Driver Start
pos.		 Car
make/model
1956 Jun 8, 1956 21 Lloyd Dane 15 '56 Mercury 1.000 100 4,285 76.612 – – 74.074 –
1957 Sep 8, 1957 27 Danny Graves 1 '57 Chevrolet 1.000 100 4,075 78.007 – – 68.663 0
1958 Sep 7, 1958 28 Parnelli Jones 1 '56 Ford 1.000 100 3,885 77.922 – – 65.550 –
1959 Sep 13, 1959 26 Eddie Gray 19 '59 Ford 1.000 100 3,885 – – – 54.753 –
1960 Sep 11, 1960 23 Jim Cook 1 '60 Dodge 1.000 100 4,625 78.450 – – 70.629 4
1961 Sep 10, 1961 32 Eddie Gray – '61 Ford 1.000 100 5,125 79.260 – – 0.000 1

NASCAR West Series

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Several NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Division/NASCAR Winston West Series (today's ARCA Menards Series West) races were held on the dirt oval.

NASCAR West Series races[17]
Season Date Race name Attendance # of
racers		 Winner Track
length
(mi)		 Race
length
(mi)		 Purse
($USD)		 Pole
speed
(mph)		 Cautions Caution
laps		 Avg.
speed
(mph)		 Lead
changes
Driver Start
pos.		 Car
make/model
1956 Jun 8, 1956 — 21 Lloyd Dane 15 '56 Mercury 1.000 100 4,285 76.612 – – 74.074 – [18]
1957 Sep 8, 1957 — 27 Danny Graves 1 '57 Chevrolet 1.000 100 4,075 78.007 – – 68.663 – [19]
1964 Oct 04, 1964 Sacramento 100 8,500 24 Bob Ross 1 '64 Mercury 1.000 100 6,000 85.653 2 – 68.182 – [20]
1965 Oct 03, 1965 Sacramento 100 26 Bill Amick 1 '64 Mercury 1.000 100 6,000 82.286 1 6 75.538 2 [21]
1966 Oct 9, 1966 Sacramento 100 5,860 25 Don Noel 5 '64 Ford 1.000 100 6,000 85.714 4 15 62.915 2 [22]
1969 Apr 27, 1969 Sacramento 100 5,000 28 Marty Kinerk 10 '67 Chevrolet 1.000 100 7,500 89.021 6 23 78.880 4 [23]
1970 May 10, 1970 Sacramento 100 4,235 28 Tiny Lund 1 '69 Ford 1.000 100 5,250 90.475 3 11 85.633 5 [24]

References

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  1. ^ a b Galpin, Darren. "Sacramento". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  2. ^ "3 Racing Drivers Killed in Calif.", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 26, 1970, p1
  3. ^ di Carli, Guido. "Sacramento Fairgrounds". Circuiti Nel Mondo. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  4. ^ McPartland, Tam. "Sacramento Fairgrounds Racecourse". Tam's Old Race Car Site. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  5. ^ "California State Fairgrounds". Champ Car Stats. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  6. ^ "California State Fairgrounds". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  7. ^ "Golden State 100 worth the wait for Snider". The Sacramento Bee. June 5, 1989. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  8. ^ "Sills races to win at Cal Expo". The Sacramento Bee. June 4, 1990. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  9. ^ "Placerville's Sills wins USAC race". The Sacramento Bee. October 10, 1993. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  10. ^ "Three in a row for Sills". The Sacramento Bee. October 9, 1994. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  11. ^ "Nalbandian out..." The Fresno Bee. October 10, 1995. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  12. ^ "Beechler squeezes into Silver Crown 100 win". The Sacramento Bee. October 13, 1996. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  13. ^ "Darland wins; his series lead grows". The Sacramento Bee. October 12, 1997. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  14. ^ "Yeley, Tiner win races at Cal Expo". The Sacramento Bee. October 11, 1998. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  15. ^ "Sills wins Silver Crown 100". The Sacramento Bee. October 11, 1999. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  16. ^ "Sacramento Results". Motorsport.com. October 7, 2000. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  17. ^ a b "California State Fairgrounds". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  18. ^ "1956-17". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  19. ^ "1957-23". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  20. ^ "1964 Sacramento 100". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  21. ^ "1965 Sacramento 100". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  22. ^ "1966 11th Annual Sacramento 100". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  23. ^ "1969 Sacramento 100". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  24. ^ "1970 Sacramento 100". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
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