Galleries > Driving California Speedway (17)
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California Speedway
California Speedway in Fontana hosts NASCAR races twice a year, as well as racing schools such as the Mario Andretti Racing Experience, which I participated in. NASCAR cars were on the track during the same day I took part in the open-wheel sessions. The speedway seats more than 92,000 people for its two NASCAR races each year.
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Official portrait
Me in my official portrait before hitting California Speedway in Fontana driving a car similar to this. These are 600-horsepower open wheel cars. I didn't notice the graffiti on the inside of the pit wall until after the fact.
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The speedway
A map of the track, showing the 2-mile D=shaped oval, the interior road course and a kart track. The oval is 75 feet wide, with 11-degree banking on the front straight, 14-degree banking in the turns and 3-degree banking on the back straight.
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The racecar
These open-wheel cars ride just a few inches off the ground. The rear wings provide downforce that helps keep the car on the track at high speeds.
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Not many bells and whistles
Typical sparse interior of the open-wheel car. The only difference between this car and the car I drove were a 1-speed gearshift on the right-hand side, two simple gauges on the steering wheel for oil pressure and oil temperature and a radio button on the left side of the steering wheel allowing you to talk to your spotter. There was no speedometer: they said they didn't want drivers to be focused on watching the speedometer instead of the track.
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Sleek lines
The sleek nose of the car, with simple front wings to help with downforce, to help keep the car on the track at high speeds.
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Standing around
Looking for something to do in the minutes before getting into the car.
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Getting close
Heading out to my car after getting equipped with helmet and testing the radio earbuds that allowed me to communicate with my spotter -- a professional racer -- in an upper level that provided views of the entire track.
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Sliding in
Me sliding into the tight cockpit. Because of my size -- 6'2", 220 pounds -- they had to put me in a car set up for tall people. It was a tight fit, with my shoulders and knees jammed against the upper part of the cockpit.
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Final instructions
The crew dude gives me instructions and tightens my belts. The guy is part of a team that travels around the country with Andretti Racing Experience. At this moment, he was about 3 hours from flying to Charlotte, NC, then later to Talladega, for other track sessions.
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The lineup
Three other cars were on the track at any given time, two other similar "amateur" cars plus a two-seat much faster car in which a professional driver gave rides to passengers seeking a thrill at 180 mph.
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"Start your engine!"
Getting pushed off. I was in neutral at this point, then dropped the clutch to engage the engine in the single gear. Thankfully I didn't stall the car, as at least one other person did.
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Heading into Turn 1
Heading down the pit lane on the apron into Turns 1 and 2, then blending onto the track on the backstretch. I had a total of eight minutes on track. I don't have photos of the turns, but they were intense. My first entry at full speed had my eyes rolling back, but I got my head together and had no problems after that. But keeping the car turning at full throttle is a workout. I have read that the wheel pressure IndyCar drivers experience during a race is the equivalent of two 10-pound weights -- I believe it.
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The front stretch
Somehow Sandi's camera caught my blinding speed on the front straightaway. The cars were limited to 5,000 rpm and 150 mph. In other words, they were dumbed down to keep idiots like me from driving straight into the wall. But the rev limiter was frustrating because it was hard to find that "sweet spot" between high speed and hitting the limiter, which would cause the engine to short, and thus lower speed. But speeds were high enough I felt the air trying to pull my helmet off my head and some harsh G-forces through the turns.
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The backstretch
If you look close enough, you can see a flash of red on the backstretch. The infield road course is in the foreground, and was hosting a club-sportscar race that day.
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Eight minutes went by real fast
Coasting into the pit in neutral after, I think, 6 laps. Allie said I did three, but I know I did at least 6, if not seven.
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My official time
The official track certificate showing my best lap at 134 mph. I was disappointed I didn't go faster, but thrilled nonetheless. I thought I could have done better but my spotter told me, through the static of the in-helmet radio -- the engines are loud so it's very hard to hear -- that I had the faster two-seat car coming up on me. As a result, I moved over to the inside of the track so he could pass and was unable to build speed into the turns by riding high down the straight and diving down into the turns. I stayed low the whole time but the two-seater didn't pass me until my last lap. For sure that cost me time.
