Riverside International Raceway
Former motorsport track in Moreno Valley, California, US / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Riverside International Raceway (sometimes known as Riverside, RIR, or Riverside Raceway) was a motorsports race track and road course established in the Edgemont area of Riverside County, California, just east of the city limits of Riverside and 50 mi (80 km) east of Los Angeles, in 1957. In 1984, the raceway became part of the newly incorporated city of Moreno Valley. Riverside was noted for its hot, dusty environment, which was a dangerous challenge for drivers. It was also considered one of the finest tracks in the United States.[1] The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989, with the last race, The Budweiser 400,[2] won by Rusty Wallace,[3] held in 1988. After that final race, a shortened version of the circuit was kept open for car clubs and special events until 1989.[4]
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| Location | California 60 and Day Street 22255 Eucalyptus Ave Moreno Valley, California 92388 |
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| Coordinates | 33°56′00.2″N 117°16′20.2″W |
| Capacity | Varies by race and track layout |
| Owner | West Coast Automotive Testing Corp (1957) Ed Pauley, Bob Hope, and Fred Levy (1958–1969) American Raceways Inc. (1969–1971) Fritz Duda (1971–1989) |
| Operator | Les Richter (1959–1983) Fritz Duda (1983–1989) |
| Broke ground | January 1957 |
| Opened | 22 September 1957; 66 years ago (1957-09-22) |
| Closed | July 2, 1989; 34 years ago (1989-07-02) |
| Construction cost | $625,000 (inflated to $5,720,818.51 in 2020) |
| Architect | William L. Duquette |
| Former names | Riverside International Motor Raceway (1957–1960) |
| Major events | NASCAR Winston Cup Winston Western 500 (1974–1987) Budweiser 400 (1970–1988) IMSA Los Angeles Times Grand Prix Formula One United States Grand Prix (1960) IndyCar World Series AirCal 500 / L.A. Times 500 (1981–1983) |
| Long Grand Prix Road Course (1969–1989) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 3.300 miles (5.311 km) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Race lap record | 1:30.656 (Kevin Cogan, Penske PC-10, 1982, CART) |
| NASCAR Course (1969–1989) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.620 miles (4.216 km) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Race lap record | 1:19.800 (Ricky Rudd, Buick Regal, 1988, NASCAR) |
| Sports Car Short Course (1969–1989) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.547 miles (4.099 km) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Race lap record | 1:11.079 (Michael Roe, VDS-004, 1984, Can-Am) |
| Original Grand Prix Road Course (1957–1968) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 3.250 miles (5.230 km) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Race lap record | 1:40.400 (Bruce McLaren, McLaren M6A, 1967, Can-Am) |
| Sports Car Short Course (1957–1968) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 2.595 miles (4.176 km) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Race lap record | 1:20.000 (Mark Donohue, McLaren M6A, 1968, Can-Am) |