California State Fairgrounds Race Track

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
Length0.99 mi (1.6 km)
Road course (1955–1969)
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.1 mi (3.4 km)
Turns9

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. 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.

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. It hosted a SCCA National Sports Car Championship round in 1955.

In 2026, the original race track will be turned into a college football stadium for the Sacramento State Hornets. The original stands will still be intact once play begins that fall.

Golden State 100 winners

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)
YearDateDriverCar
1949 October 30United States Fred AgabashianKurtis-Offy
1950 October 15United States Duke DinsmoreKurtis-Offy
1951–1952: not held
1953 October 25United States Jimmy BryanKurtis-Offy
1954 October 17United States Jimmy BryanKuzma-Offy
1955 October 16United States Jimmy BryanKuzma-Offy
1956 October 21United States Jud LarsonWatson-Offy
1957 October 21United States Rodger WardLesovsky-Offy
1958 October 26United States Johnny ThomsonKuzma-Offy
1959 October 25United States Jim HurtubiseKuzma-Offy
1960 October 30United States A. J. FoytMeskowski-Offy
1961 October 29United States Rodger WardWatson-Offy
1962 October 28United States A. J. FoytMeskowski-Offy
1963 October 27United States Rodger WardWatson-Offy
1964 October 25United States A. J. FoytMeskowski-Offy
1965 October 24United States Don BransonWatson-Offy
1966 October 23United States Dick AtkinsWatson-Offy
1967 October 1United States A. J. FoytMeskowski-Offy
1968 September 29United States A. J. FoytMeskowski-Offy
1969 September 28United States Al UnserKing-Ford
1970 October 4United States Al UnserKing-Ford

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

YearDateDriver
1989 June 4United States George Snider
1990 June 3United States Jimmy Sills
1991–1992: not held
1993 October 9United States Jimmy Sills
1994 October 8United States Jimmy Sills
1995 October 7United States Donnie Beechler
1996 October 12United States Donnie Beechler
1997 October 11United States Dave Darland
1998 October 10United States J. J. Yeley
1999 October 9United States Jimmy Sills
2000 October 7United States Dave Darland

NASCAR races

NASCAR Cup Series

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

NASCAR Cup Series races
SeasonDate# of
racers		WinnerTrack
length
(mi)		Race
length
(mi)		Purse
($USD)		Pole
speed
(mph)		CautionsCaution
laps		Avg.
speed
(mph)		Lead
changes
DriverStart
pos.		Car
make/model
1956Jun 821Lloyd Dane15'56 Mercury1.0001004,28576.612––74.074–
1957Sep 827Danny Graves1'57 Chevrolet1.0001004,07578.007––68.6630
1958Sep 728Parnelli Jones1'56 Ford1.0001003,88577.922––65.550–
1959Sep 1326Eddie Gray19'59 Ford1.0001003,885–––54.753–
1960Sep 1123Jim Cook1'60 Dodge1.0001004,62578.450––70.6294
1961Sep 1032Eddie Gray–'61 Ford1.0001005,12579.260––0.0001

NASCAR West Series

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

NASCAR West Series races
SeasonDateRace nameAttendance# of
racers		WinnerTrack
length
(mi)		Race
length
(mi)		Purse
($USD)		Pole
speed
(mph)		CautionsCaution
laps		Avg.
speed
(mph)		Lead
changes		Ref
DriverStart
pos.		Car
make/model
1956Jun 8N/a21Lloyd Dane15'56 Mercury1.0001004,28576.612––74.074–
1957Sep 8N/a27Danny Graves1'57 Chevrolet1.0001004,07578.007––68.663–
1958 Sep 7 N/a 28 Parnelli Jones 1 '56 Ford 1.000 100 3,885 77.922 – – 65.550 –
1959 Sep 13 N/a 26 Eddie Gray 19 '59 Ford 1.000 100 3,885 – – – 54.753 –
1960 Sep 11 N/a 23 Jim Cook 1 '60 Dodge 1.000 100 4,625 78.450 – – 70.629 4
1961 Sep 10 N/a 32 Eddie Gray – '61 Ford 1.000 100 5,125 79.260 – – – 1
1962 Sep 9 N/a 25 Eddie Gray – '62 Ford 1.000 100 – – 7 – 63.818 –
1963 Sep 8 N/a 22 Bob Ross – '63 Mercury 1.000 100 – – – – 76.384 –
1964Oct 04Sacramento 1008,50024Bob Ross1'64 Mercury1.0001006,00085.6532–68.182–
1965Oct 03California 10026Bill Amick1'64 Mercury1.0001006,00082.2861675.5382
1966Oct 911th Annual California 1005,86025Don Noel5'64 Ford1.0001006,00085.71441562.9152
1969Apr 27Sacramento 1005,00028Marty Kinerk10'67 Chevrolet1.0001007,50089.02162378.8804
1970May 10Sacramento 1004,23528Tiny Lund1'69 Ford1.0001005,25090.47531185.6335

References

  1. 1 2 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. 1 2 "California State Fairgrounds". www.racing-reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  18. ↑ "1956 Pacific Coast Late Model Division Race 17 results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  19. ↑ "1957 Pacific Coast Late Model Division Race 23 results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  20. ↑ "1958 NASCAR Grand National Race 44 results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  21. ↑ "1959 NASCAR Grand National Race 39 results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  22. ↑ "1960 NASCAR Grand National Race 37 results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  23. ↑ "1961 NASCAR Grand National Race 45 results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  24. ↑ "1962 NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Series Race 9 results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  25. ↑ "1963 NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Series Race 8 results". The Third Turn. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  26. ↑ "1964 Sacramento 100 results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  27. ↑ "1965 California 100 results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  28. ↑ "1966 11th Annual California 100 results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  29. ↑ "1969 Sacramento 100 results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  30. ↑ "1970 Sacramento 100 results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 3, 2023.