California Speedway was built by Roger Penske’s speedway corporation on the site of the disused Kaiser steel works in Fontana at an estimated cost of $110m. The concrete water tower on the infield is the only reminder of the former site, which was so bleak that it served as the set for futuristic films such as Terminator 2, Robocop and Independence Day. The circuit was a near-copy of the Michigan Speedway that Penske also owned, but the shallower 14 degree turns resulted in world record speeds including Gil de Ferran qualifying for the 2000 Champ Car race at 241.428 mph. The backstretch was also raised to provide a better view for the 86,439 spectators. Penske sold his speedways to the International Speedway Corporation in 1999 and that year’s race was marred by the death of emerging Canadian star Greg Moore. It was closed for redevelopment as a high-banked short oval after the 2023 NASCAR race although those plans have stalled.
