Dean Case
06-09-2011, 04:08 PM
For those of you visiting California for the first time, there are LOTS of automotive/motorsports attractions in the area. If, and I know that’s a big “IF”, you have any spare time, consider the following:
Wednesday Night Speedway Motorcycles at Industry Speedway. This is 30 miles from Auto Club Speedway (which means over an hour in LA traffic on a Wednesday evening). Speedway bikes are not the same as flat track bikes. These are alcohol fueled 500cc singles racing on an 1/8 mile dirt track. There are typically 40+ four-lap races in an evening, each race under a minute long. http://www.industryspeedway.com/ Admission is $10 for students.
Depending upon how late the awards go, there is Saturday night at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale http://www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com/ This is about 35 miles from Fontana. This is a ˝ mile paved oval – It’s almost a scale model of the track in Fontana. A first-class venue.
The Wally Parks Motorsports Museum (aka the NHRA Museum) at the LA County Fairgrounds. http://www.museum.nhra.com/ This is a wonderful collection of racer cars – not just drag racers either. Open Wednesday-Sunday, 10 am – 5:00 pm. Each year, the L.A. Roadsters puts on one of the largest roadster shows, swap meets, and commerical vendor shows in Southern California. ??In 2011, the 47th Annual Show will be held on Father's Day Weekend June 18th and 19th in Pomona, CA (adjacent to the Wally Parks Musuem). http://www.laroadsters.com/
For anyone flying into SoCal via LAX, there is a great car museum about five minutes from the airport, the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo. http://www.automobiledrivingmuseum.org/ Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 am – 4:00 pm.
Looking for non-car events that affordable? The Los Angeles event calendar and guide to what's hip, happening and affordable can be found at http://www.laintheknow.com/
The Riverside International Automotive Museum covers the history of racing in Southern California, and has an outstanding collection of Maseratis. http://www.riversideinternational.org/
Other links/locations worth checking out:
• Porsche Owners Club and Drifting at http://www.willowspringsraceway.com
• Chumpcar at http://www.buttonwillowraceway.com/
• Indoor karting at http://www.k1speed.com/ontario-location.html
• Vintage cars http://nethercuttcollection.org/
• Biggest bookstore devoted to car books http://www.autobooks-aerobooks.com/
• Like vintage aircraft? http://www.planesoffame.org/
• Another car museum… http://www.petersen.org/
• Toyota has a nice corporate collection that is open to the public (hours vary as it is often used for group events, but it is free) http://toyota50th.com/pdf/toyusamusbroch.pdf
• Motocross in nearby Perris. http://www.perrismx.com/
• And more motocross at Glen Helen http://www.glenhelen.com/
• Art Deco cars at http://www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com/
• If visting the OC http://www.marconimuseum.org/
• Get your kicks on Route 66… http://www.califrt66museum.org/
• Not the closest motorcycle shop to Fontana, but Malcolm Smith is a legend in the sport, and he has a mini museum of his career upstairs from the showroom. http://www.malcolmsmith.com/
Hmmm, better plan a car geek vacation in SoCal……Safe travels. See you in Fontana.
Wednesday Night Speedway Motorcycles at Industry Speedway. This is 30 miles from Auto Club Speedway (which means over an hour in LA traffic on a Wednesday evening). Speedway bikes are not the same as flat track bikes. These are alcohol fueled 500cc singles racing on an 1/8 mile dirt track. There are typically 40+ four-lap races in an evening, each race under a minute long. http://www.industryspeedway.com/ Admission is $10 for students.
Depending upon how late the awards go, there is Saturday night at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale http://www.toyotaspeedwayatirwindale.com/ This is about 35 miles from Fontana. This is a ˝ mile paved oval – It’s almost a scale model of the track in Fontana. A first-class venue.
The Wally Parks Motorsports Museum (aka the NHRA Museum) at the LA County Fairgrounds. http://www.museum.nhra.com/ This is a wonderful collection of racer cars – not just drag racers either. Open Wednesday-Sunday, 10 am – 5:00 pm. Each year, the L.A. Roadsters puts on one of the largest roadster shows, swap meets, and commerical vendor shows in Southern California. ??In 2011, the 47th Annual Show will be held on Father's Day Weekend June 18th and 19th in Pomona, CA (adjacent to the Wally Parks Musuem). http://www.laroadsters.com/
For anyone flying into SoCal via LAX, there is a great car museum about five minutes from the airport, the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo. http://www.automobiledrivingmuseum.org/ Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 am – 4:00 pm.
Looking for non-car events that affordable? The Los Angeles event calendar and guide to what's hip, happening and affordable can be found at http://www.laintheknow.com/
The Riverside International Automotive Museum covers the history of racing in Southern California, and has an outstanding collection of Maseratis. http://www.riversideinternational.org/
Other links/locations worth checking out:
• Porsche Owners Club and Drifting at http://www.willowspringsraceway.com
• Chumpcar at http://www.buttonwillowraceway.com/
• Indoor karting at http://www.k1speed.com/ontario-location.html
• Vintage cars http://nethercuttcollection.org/
• Biggest bookstore devoted to car books http://www.autobooks-aerobooks.com/
• Like vintage aircraft? http://www.planesoffame.org/
• Another car museum… http://www.petersen.org/
• Toyota has a nice corporate collection that is open to the public (hours vary as it is often used for group events, but it is free) http://toyota50th.com/pdf/toyusamusbroch.pdf
• Motocross in nearby Perris. http://www.perrismx.com/
• And more motocross at Glen Helen http://www.glenhelen.com/
• Art Deco cars at http://www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com/
• If visting the OC http://www.marconimuseum.org/
• Get your kicks on Route 66… http://www.califrt66museum.org/
• Not the closest motorcycle shop to Fontana, but Malcolm Smith is a legend in the sport, and he has a mini museum of his career upstairs from the showroom. http://www.malcolmsmith.com/
Hmmm, better plan a car geek vacation in SoCal……Safe travels. See you in Fontana.