It’s technically a “Superspeedway” — the classification reserved for a two-mile course. The Auto Club Speedway in Fontana is shaped like the letter D, and while the track has sloping banks, they’re low banks. But for Southern California’s racing fans, one of the favorite features is the “Auto Club Speedway Walk of Fame.” It’s a tradition that dates back to 1998, after a successful celebration for Jeff Gordon’s victory at the speedway’s 1997 inaugural NASCAR Cup event. The track had just been constructed on the site of a steel mill, according to Wikipedia, and racing fans welcomed its arrival. Southern California hadn’t hosted a NASCAR race in over a decade, since the Riverside International Raceway closed in 1988 (to be converted into a shopping mall). It was built to accommodate motorcycle and drag races, as well as vehicle testing. But it’s most famous as a NASCAR racing track. Wikipedia also offers a handy graph diagramming the speedway’s four main configurations. As a speedway, it uses the full D-shaped width of the speedway, but there’s also an intricate pattern with tight curves for sports cars and motorcyles. There’s even a narrow “interior circuit”. But it’s also been used to represent the typical sunny professional raceway in movies. It’s appeared in major motion pictures like The Bucket List, Charlie’s Angels, and Herbie: Fully Loaded. And it’s one of the race tracks featured in the animated Pixar movie Cars Fans are often treated to an overhead appearance by the Blue Angels, since they’re currently performing their winter training at the Naval Air Facility El Centro. (In February, the show featured a spectacular Delta formation of six blue and gold F/A-18 Hornets.) But hardcore racing fans appreciate a benefit that’ s even more practical: often there’s free parking. And to make the speedway even more NASCAR-friendly, there’s a special rule. “Guests 17 years old and under get in free for NASCAR Sunday race pits.” The Riverside International Raceway had experienced a death on the track in both its first weekend of operation and its last, so the Fontana Auto Club Speedway was watched nervously for the same milestone. But it wasn’t until 1999 when the first driver lost his life — Greg Moore, racing on Halloween. On the second turn, his car spun off the track on the second turned, and smashed into an inside concrete barrier for the track’s back stretch. Here’s some interesting trivia about the Auto Club Speedway: You can rent it. According to the stadium’s official web site, local organizations rent the speedway for their events, and it’s also been used to film commercials, TV shows, and movies. If you’re interested, just callin their phone number. It’s 800-944-RACE. Category:Home › Other • Pomegranates: A newly discovered superfood • Where did the joke why did the chicken cross the road come from and why is it funny? • Can mothers diagnosed with bipolar disorder make good parents? • Spiritual evolution of human consciousness • Tips for getting a college basketball scholarship • Living with Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) • Caring for the caregiver • Technologys impact on society