IndyCar Series at Auto Club Speedway




American open-wheel car races had been hosted at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California since its inauguration in 1997 until 2015, under both CART/Champ Car and modern-day IndyCar Series sanctioning, representing a continuous lineage of American open-wheel oval racing in the Southern California-area that dates back to 1970.
For many years in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the race served as the season finale for the CART series. From 2012 to 2014, when it was sponsored by MAVTV, it served as the finale for the IndyCar Series.
In 2015, the race was moved to June. Despite several journalists calling the 2015 edition one of the best IndyCar races, the race did not return on the schedule for 2016, ending the lineage of Southern California open-wheel oval races.

History

CART

renewed the 500-mile oval race in 1997 at the newly built California Speedway in Fontana, California. The new track was built just from the previous Ontario Motor Speedway where the California 500 was held between 1970 and 1980. Indy car races were also held at nearby Riverside, but only from 1967 to 1969 and again from 1981 to 1983.
The Fontana race was held under the moniker Marlboro 500, and served as the CART season finale. This event was held through 2002. The race became known for closed-course record speeds, and fast and competitive racing, owing much to the track's width.
The 1999 race is considered a tragic day in the history of CART, after the fatal crash of Greg Moore. The 2003 event was cancelled due to the Old Fire.
Along with the popular Long Beach Grand Prix, the Southern California area featured two major open wheel CART races annually for a time.

Indy Racing League / IndyCar

In 2002, the IRL IndyCar Series added a 400-mile race to the facility. Fontana became the first facility to host races from both rival open wheel series, although the race distance was different. The Toyota Indy 400 was held through 2005. However, crowds dwindled, and the event was removed from the calendar.
The now-unified IndyCar Series returned to Fontana for the 2012 season with a 500-mile fall night race under the lights. The race served as the season finale from 2012 to 2014. For 2015, the race was moved to June.

Closed-course speed records

Two world closed course speed records were established in qualifying for the CART event. Maurício Gugelmin, driving a Reynard/Mercedes established a one-lap time of 30.316 seconds for a dozen years. The record stood until the 2014 Pocono 500.
  • The 2003 IRL/IndyCar race was the fastest circuit race ever in motorsport history, with an average speed of 207.151 mph over 400 miles.

    Race results

  • 2000: Race started on Sunday but finished on Monday due to rain.
  • 2001: Race started late because of rain and was shortened because of darkness.

    Firestone Indy Lights

  • 2001: Race shortened due to time limit.