California State Fairgrounds Race Track

California State Fairgrounds

Location	Sacramento, California
Coordinates	38°33′N121°27′W / 38.550°N 121.450°W / 38.550; -121.450
Opened	1906 (horse racing) 1907 (auto racing) 1968 (new track)
Closed	1970 (first track)
Major events	Golden State 100 AAA/USAC National Championship
Oval
Surface	Rice hulls [1]
Length	0.99 mi (1.6 km)
Road course (1955–1969)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	2.1 mi (3.4 km)
Turns	9

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]

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.

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
Location	Sacramento, California
First race	1949
First race	1970
Most wins (driver)	A. J. Foyt (5)
Most wins (manufacturer)	Meskowski & Watson (tied 5)
Circuit information
Length	1.6 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

NASCAR Cup Series

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

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

1. 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. "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.