Los Angeles

A half-mile dirt oval was completed at the Los Angeles Fairgrounds in May 1957 on the site of a former city dump. Eddie Pagan was leading the following month’s NASCAR race by a lap when the 100-mile race had to be abandoned at three-quarter distance due to excessive dust and potholed track surface. It was renamed New Ascot Stadium in 1958 and Parnelli Jones won the rain-aborted 1959 race on a reduced 0.4-mile configuration. Owner/driver Eddie Gray won the third and final NASCAR race to be held at the once more renamed Ascot Park in 1961 as Fords filled the top nine finishing positions. The annual Turkey Night Grand Prix midget race at Thanksgiving was held at Ascot from 1960-74 and 1976-90. The track closed in November 1990 and is now an industrial estate.