View source for Riverside International Raceway

{{Short description|Former motorsport track in Moreno Valley, California, US}}
{{Distinguish|text=[[Riverside International Speedway]] in Nova Scotia, or [[Riverside International Speedway (West Memphis, Arkansas)]]}}
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{{confusing|date=December 2016}}
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{{Use American English|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox motorsport venue
|name             = Riverside International Raceway
|nicknames         = The dusty place
|logo             = RIRLogo.jpg
|image            = [[File:Riverside International Raceway 1980 and 1967.svg|class=skin-invert|270px]]
|image_caption    =
|location         = California 60 and Day Street<br /> 22255 Eucalyptus Ave [[Moreno Valley, California]] 92388
|coordinates      = {{Coord|33|56|00.2|N|117|16|20.2|W|display=it}}
|broke_ground     = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1957|01}}
|opened           = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1957|09|22}}
|closed           = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1989|07|02}}
|owner            = West Coast Automotive Testing Corp (1957)<br />Ed Pauley, [[Bob Hope]], and Fred Levy (1958–1969)<br />American Raceways Inc. (1969–1971)<br />[[Fritz Duda]] (1971–1989)
|operator         = [[Les Richter]] (1959–1983) <br />[[Fritz Duda]] (1983–1989)
|construction_cost= [[United States dollar|$625,000]] (approx. $5,720,818.51 in 2020)
|architect        = [[William L. Duquette]]
|former_names     = Riverside International Motor Raceway (1957–1960)
|events           = [[NASCAR Cup Series|NASCAR Winston Cup]]<br />''[[Winston Western 500]]'' (1958, 1961, 1963–1987)<br />''[[Budweiser 400]]'' (1963, 1970–1988)<br />[[Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]] (1957–1973, 1975, 1979–1987)<br />[[Trans-Am Series]] (1966–1972, 1980, 1983–1984, 1986)<br />[[Budweiser 500K]] (1967–1969, 1981–1983)<br />[[SCCA National Championship Runoffs]] (1964, 1966, 1968)<br />[[Formula One]]<br />''[[United States Grand Prix]]'' (1960)
|capacity         = Varies by race and track layout
|miles_first      = true
|layout          = Long Grand Prix Road Course (1969–1989)
|length_km        = 5.311
|length_mi        = 3.300
|surface          = Asphalt
|turns            = 9
|record_time      = 1:30.656
|record_driver    = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Kevin Cogan]]
|record_car       = [[Penske PC-10]]
|record_year      = [[1982 CART PPG Indy Car World Series|1982]]
|record_class     = [[Championship Auto Racing Teams|CART]]
|layout2          = NASCAR Course (1969–1989)
|length2_km       = 4.216
|length2_mi       = 2.620
|surface2         = Asphalt
|turns2           = 9
|record_time2     = 
|record_driver2   = 
|record_car2      = 
|record_year2     = 
|record_class2    = 
|layout3          = Sports Car Short Course (1969–1989)
|length3_km       = 4.099
|length3_mi       = 2.547
|surface3         = Asphalt
|turns3           = 9
|record_time3     = 1:11.079
|record_driver3   = {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Michael Roe (racing driver)|Michael Roe]]
|record_car3      = [[VDS-004]]
|record_year3     = [[1984 Can-Am season|1984]]
|record_class3    = [[Can-Am]]
|layout4          = Original Grand Prix Road Course (1957–1968) 
|length4_km       = 5.230
|length4_mi       = 3.250
|surface4         = Asphalt
|turns4           = 9
|record_time4     = 1:40.400
|record_driver4   = {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Bruce McLaren]]
|record_car4      = [[McLaren M6A]]
|record_year4     = [[1967 Can-Am season|1967]]
|record_class4    = [[Can-Am]]
|layout5          = Sports Car Short Course (1957–1968)
|length5_km       = 4.176
|length5_mi       = 2.595
|surface5         = Asphalt
|turns5           = 9
|record_time5     = 1:20.000
|record_driver5   = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mark Donohue]]
|record_car5      = [[McLaren M6A]]
|record_year5     = [[1968 United States Road Racing Championship|1968]] 
|record_class5    = [[Can-Am]]
}}

'''Riverside International Raceway''' (sometimes known as '''Riverside''', '''RIR''', or '''Riverside Raceway''') was a motorsports [[race track]] and [[Road racing|road course]] established in the Edgemont area of [[Riverside County, California]], just east of the city limits of [[Riverside, California|Riverside]] and {{cvt|50|mi|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Los Angeles]], in 1957. In 1984, the raceway became part of the newly incorporated city of [[Moreno Valley, California|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.<ref name="track types-history">{{cite web |last1=Parker |first1=C. |title=One of America's finest tracks |url=http://www.racingcircuits.info/north-america/usa/riverside.html#.W_D4sIFKi02 |website=racingcircuirs.com |access-date=18 November 2018}}</ref> The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989, with the last race, The Budweiser 400,<ref name="last race Riverside">{{cite web |title=Budweiser 400 88 |url=https://www.racing-reference.info/race/1988_Budweiser_400/W |website=racingreference.com |access-date=17 November 2018}}</ref> won by [[Rusty Wallace]],<ref name="R.Wallace Stats">{{cite web |title=Racing Reference |url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver/Rusty_Wallace |website=racingreference.com |access-date=17 November 2018}}</ref> held in 1988. After that final race, a shortened version of the circuit was kept open for car clubs and special events until 1989.<ref name="rir closing cite">{{cite web |last1=Hansen |first1=B. |title=After the last race |url=http://www.racingcircuits.info/north-america/usa/riverside.html#.W_Bq9oFKi00 |website=racingcircuitsinfo.com}}</ref>

==History==
The racetrack was originally called '''The Riverside International Motor Raceway''', and it was built in early 1957 by a company called West Coast Automotive Testing Corp. The head of West Coast Auto Testing was a retired race driver named Rudy Cleye, from Los Angeles, who had previously raced in Europe. However, the building of the raceway was met with funding difficulties early on and businessman John Edgar provided a much needed cash investment. This late investment prevented any halt in the track's construction.<ref name="latimes article-rir-history">{{cite news |last1=Glick |first1=Shav |title=RIR History |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-07-sp-405-story.html |access-date=17 November 2018 |publisher=L.A.Times |date=Aug 7, 1988}}</ref>

During the first weekend of scheduled races in September 1957, a California Sports Car Club event, John Lawrence of Pasadena, California, died. Lawrence, a former Cal Club member, piloting a 1500 cc Production champion, went off between Turns 5 and 6 . With no crash barrier in place, and no rollbar on the car, Lawrence's MGA went up the sand embankment, then rolled back onto the track. Though Lawrence survived the incident, and appeared only slightly injured, he died later at the hospital of a brain injury.<ref name="Brain injury cite">{{cite web |last1=Stahler |first1=Tom |title=First death at RIR |url=https://www.drivingline.com/articles/the-legend-of-riverside-raceway/ |website=drivingline.com |date=30 March 2012 |access-date=18 November 2018}}</ref>

The second major event at the track, in November 1957, was a sports car race featuring some of the top drivers of the day, including [[Carroll Shelby]], [[Masten Gregory]] and [[Ken Miles]]. Another driver entered was an inexperienced local youngster named [[Dan Gurney]], who had been offered the opportunity to drive a powerful but ill-handling 4.9-liter Ferrari after better-known drivers such as Shelby and Miles had rejected it. Shelby led early but spun and fell back. Gurney assumed the lead and led for much of the event. Shelby, driving furiously to catch up, finally overtook Gurney late in the race and won. Gurney's performance caught the eye of North American [[Ferrari]] importer [[Luigi Chinetti]], who arranged for Gurney to drive a factory-supported Ferrari at [[24 Hours of Le Mans|Le Mans]] in 1958, effectively launching the Californian's European career.<ref name='riverside_racingcircuits'>{{Cite web |url=https://www.racingcircuits.info/north-america/usa/riverside.html |title=Riverside - Racing Circuits |website=RacingCircuits.info |access-date=4 May 2022}}</ref>

Footage exists of classic races like the 1986 [[Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]] in which the [[Chevy Corvette]] of [[Doc Bundy]], attempting a three-wide pass going into turn 1, hit the [[Ford Probe]] of [[Lyn St. James]] and the [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar]] of [[Chip Robinson]]. St. James' car caught fire and Robinson nearly cartwheeled into the crowd. St. James survived the flames and Robinson escaped uninjured within the track bounds.<ref name="3rd parag. cite">{{cite web |last1=Cider |first1=Frank |title=Riverside International |url=http://oscarbyalpinestars.blogspot.com/2009/12/riverside-international-raceway.html |website=oscarbyalpinestars.com|date=17 December 2009 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.royhooper.com/gtpcrash.htm Riverside Raceway GTP Crash]</ref>

The track was known as a relatively dangerous course, with its long, downhill back straightaway and brake-destroying, relatively slow 180-degree Turn 9 at the end. During the 1965 Motor Trend 500 NASCAR race, IndyCar great [[A. J. Foyt]] suffered a brake failure at the end of the straight, shot off the road and went end-over-end through the infield at high speed. Crash crews assumed Foyt was dead at the scene, until fellow driver [[Parnelli Jones]] noticed a twitch of movement. Ford factory sports car driver Ken Miles was killed there in a testing accident in August 1966 when his Ford sports car prototype (known as the J-car) became aerodynamically unstable and flew out of control at the end of the back straight. In December 1968, American Formula 5000 champion [http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/drivers/lou-sell Dr. Lou Sell] crashed and overturned in Turn 9 on the first lap of the Rex Mays 300 Indianapolis-style race, suffering near-fatal burns. In January 1967, Canadian driver [[Billy Foster]] crashed at Turn 9 during a practice-session just prior to the start of qualifying for the Motor Trend 500 NASCAR race, his head striking the wall and causing fatal injuries. These accidents and others caused track management to reconfigure Turn 9, giving the turn a dogleg approach and a much wider radius (a water improvement also closed the raceway for a few months).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oscarbyalpinestars.blogspot.com/2009/12/riverside-international-raceway.html|title=OSCAR by Alpinestars: Riverside International Raceway|first=Frank|last=Sider|date=17 December 2009}}</ref>

In January 1964, Riverside also claimed the life of 1962–'63 NASCAR champion [[Joe Weatherly]], who refused to wear a shoulder harness and wore his lap belt loosely. Weatherly died when he lost control entering Turn 6, hitting the steel barrier almost broadside and had his head snapped out the window against the barrier.

Nevertheless, in 1983 Turn 9 was the site of the only fatality in [[IMSA]] GTP history. In the 1983 Times Grand Prix, [[Rolf Stommelen]]'s Joest-constructed [[Porsche 935]] lost its rear wing at the Dogleg and hit two freeway-type barriers sending it into a horrific roll at Turn 9.<ref name="gtplanet.net">{{cite web|url=https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/riverside-international-raceway-riverside-california.342098/|title=Riverside International Raceway (Riverside, California)|website=GTPlanet|date=2 February 2016 }}</ref>

Of the entire road course races run at RIR, there was one that was run in a counter-clockwise direction, sometime around 1960. In 1966 Dan Gurney tested his first Eagle racing car on a shorter, counter-clockwise version of the track tailored specifically for his car's Indianapolis-specific left-turn oiling system. The test caused Gurney to ask track president Les Richter to hold an Indianapolis-style race there. From 1967 to 1969 the Rex Mays 300 served as the season-ending [[United States Auto Club|USAC]] Indianapolis-car race.<ref name="cite">{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Joe |title=MNRL Season 1, Race 6 information- Riverside Int.(Jan 10th) |url=https://cmsracing.com/champion/forums/showthread.php?30510-MNRL-Season-1-Race-6-information-Riverside-Int-(Jan-10th) |website=cmsracing.com |access-date=24 November 2018 |archive-date=24 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124162534/https://cmsracing.com/champion/forums/showthread.php?30510-MNRL-Season-1-Race-6-information-Riverside-Int-(Jan-10th) |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[ESPN]] was live for the June 12, 1988, Budweiser 400 race at RIR and caught racer [[Ruben Garcia (NASCAR driver)|Ruben Garcia]] crashing hard off turn 9 and his car went through a tire/guardrail barrier and then went through the fence, destroying a cement barrier before coming to rest near a fence where the fans were sitting on the 32nd lap. He and the fans were unharmed, but the race was red flagged for 25 minutes to repair the wall by adding 2 [[Jersey barriers]].

After 14 years of NASCAR as a driver and later a car owner, [[Richard Childress]] won his first NASCAR race in 1983, when [[Ricky Rudd]] drove his #3 [[Piedmont Airlines (1948-1989)|Piedmont Airlines]] Chevrolet to victory in the 1983 Budweiser 400k.
[[File:RiversideInternationalRaceway 1988.jpg|thumb|left|The final NASCAR race at Riverside in 1988]]
From 1981 until 1987, NASCAR's championship race was at Riverside. The [[United States Auto Club|USAC]] Championship Trail also held their season ending race from 1967 to 1969.  Riverside was also home to track announcer [[Sandy Reed]] and (along with former LA Rams player [[Les Richter]]) [[Roy Hord Jr.]] Both NASCAR team owners [[Roger Penske]] and [[Rick Hendrick]] drove a select few races at Riverside in their own cars, with Penske winning a [[ARCA Menards Series West|Winston West]] race in 1963, while in the final NASCAR race in 1988, Hendrick got out of the car and let [[Elliott Forbes-Robinson]] take over.

The [[Winston Western 500]] came to be known as the signature event at the track.  Initially (1963-1981) this race was held in January as the season opener, but beginning in 1982 NASCAR elected to start the season with the [[Daytona 500]]. From 1981 to 1987 the Winston Western 500 was held in November as the final race of the season. Until 2020, when [[Darlington Raceway|Darlington]], [[Charlotte Motor Speedway|Charlotte]] and [[Daytona International Speedway|Daytona]] each hosted 3 races, 1981 was the only year in NASCAR history that one track held 3 Cup Series events in a single season (Riverside being the season opener, the season's halfway point, and the season finale). Riverside was the season finale in 1981 because [[Ontario Motor Speedway]] closed after their season ended in 1980.

Riverside also hosted [[drag racing]] events. Between 1961 and 1969, the [[Hot Rod Magazine Championship Drag Races]], "one of the most significant drag racing events" of that era, were held at RIR.<ref>Taylor, Thom.  Untitled item in ''Hot Rod Magazine'', February 2017, p. 11.</ref> The championship offered a US$37,000 prize, greater even than a [[National Hot Rod Association|NHRA]] national event prize at the time.<ref>Taylor, p. 11.</ref>

Carroll Shelby and [[Skip Barber]] had racing schools at Riverside to teach students on how to drive around the racetrack and show them the preferred line on how to enter and exit a corner. Barber was the last racing school to be at Riverside when it was closed in 1989.

==The Four Courses of Riverside==
The track could accommodate several configurations, depending on the series and race length. Generally, the three options were the long course ({{convert|3.300|mi|km|abbr=on}}), the short course ({{convert|2.547|mi|km|abbr=on}}), and the [[NASCAR]] ({{convert|2.620|mi|km|abbr=on}}) course. The fourth track configuration was a [[drag racing]] strip. Over the decades, various other configurations were used for off-road, Cal-Club and motorcycle events.<ref name="various layouts">{{cite web |last1=Kettle |first1=Tom |title=RIR configurations |url=http://www.racingcircuits.info/north-america/usa/riverside.html#.W_DQMoFKi00 |access-date=18 November 2018 |website=racingcircuits.info}}</ref> Track crews created the configurations by placing [[traffic cone|traffic pylons]] to close off sections of the track.

From 1957 to 1968, the racetrack's long course had a {{convert|1.1|mi|km|adj=on}} backstretch. Brake failure when approaching Turn 9 caused several accidents, and in 1969, when a water problem required a redesign, Turn 9 was given a wider radius, banking, and a dogleg approach to reduce strain on brakes. The long course was used primarily for the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' Grand Prix and, in the mid-1980s, for [[American open-wheel car racing|Indy car racing]].

The short course used Turn 7A rather than 8, which shortened the back straight to just over one-half mile in length.

The NHRA drag strip ran south to north on the backstretch from the runoff to the Bosch Bridge (not shown in diagram), which crossed over the track about halfway between turns 8 & 9.

<gallery>
File:Riverside International Raceway 1980 and 1967.svg|Riverside International Raceway with & without dogleg.
File:Riverside International Raceway 1980.svg|Riverside International Raceway after the 1969 redesign of the track.
File:Riverside International Raceway 1985-07-28 NHAP84.png|Riverside International Raceway aerial view in 1985
</gallery>

==Movies and television==
Due to its proximity to the Southern California entertainment industry, RIR was a frequent filming location for racing for Hollywood movies, television series and commercials.

Scenes from the television shows ''[[The Rockford Files]]'', ''[[CHiPs]]'', ''[[Knight Rider (1982 TV series)|Knight Rider]]'' and ''[[Simon and Simon]]'' were shot on location at RIR.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pressenterprise.com/2019/07/11/riverside-international-raceway-closed-30-years-ago-this-month/ |title=Riverside International Raceway closed 30 years ago this month |last=Lech |first=Steve |newspaper=[[The Press-Enterprise]] |date=July 11, 2019 |access-date=August 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530015710/https://www.pressenterprise.com/2019/07/11/riverside-international-raceway-closed-30-years-ago-this-month/ |archive-date=May 30, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.drivingline.com/articles/the-legend-of-riverside-raceway/ |title=The Legend of Riverside Raceway |last=Stahler |first=Tom |website=Driving Line |date=March 30, 2012 |access-date=August 29, 2024}}</ref> Other shows filmed at RIR include ''[[The F.B.I. (TV series)|The F.B.I.]]'', ''[[Quincy, M.E.]]'', ''[[The Fall Guy]]'', ''[[Hardcastle & McCormick]]'' and the [[HBO]] program ''[[Super Dave Osborne]]''.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}} The [[Television film|television movie]] adaptation of ''[[Gemini Man (TV series)|Gemini Man]]'', ''Riding With Death'' (1976), featured as an experiment on the television show ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'', also contains footage of racing at Riverside.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/xseO3uX9Sv0 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120410031530/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xseO3uX9Sv0&feature=relmfu Wayback Machine]}}{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xseO3uX9Sv0| title = MST3k 814 - Riding with Death | website=[[YouTube]]| date = 15 May 2011 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

RIR was extensively featured in the 1961 telefilm "The Quick and the Dead", an episode of the series [[Route 66 (TV series)|''Route 66'']]. The episode stars [[Martin Milner]] and [[George Maharis]], and guest stars [[Frank Overton]], [[Harvey Korman]], [[Regis Toomey]] and [[Betsy Jones-Moreland]]. Milner races a 1960 powder-blue [[Chevrolet Corvette]] in the film.

A 1963 Plymouth-sponsored film called ''Return to Riverside'' was shot at RIR from November 26–29, 1962. The film highlighted various road tests between 1963 Plymouth, Chevrolet, and Ford passenger cars. It featured race car drivers Leroy Neumayer, Clem Proctor and [[Roger McCluskey]]. The film was hosted by [[Sid Collins (broadcaster)|Sid Collins]], the radio voice of the Indianapolis 500.

Film shoots at RIR included scenes from:  ''[[Good Guys Wear Black]]'' (1978) ''[[The Betsy]]'' (1978), ''[[Fireball 500]]'' (1966), ''[[Grand Prix (1966 film)|Grand Prix]]'' (1966), ''[[The Killers (1964 film)|The Killers]]'' (1964),  ''[[The Love Bug]]'' (1968), ''[[On the Beach (1959 film)|On the Beach]]'' (1959), ''[[Roadracers (1959 film)|Roadracers]]'' (1959), ''[[Speedway (1968 film)|Speedway]]'' (1968), ''[[Stacey (1973 film)|Stacey]]'' (1973), ''[[Thunder Alley (1967 film)|Thunder Alley]]'' (1967) and ''[[Winning (film)|Winning]]'' (1969).<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Rice |first=Jerry |year=2009 |title=Starring Role; Riverside's Location Just Outside Hollywood |magazine=Riverside Magazine |publisher=Fred H. Hamilton |volume=2 |issue=3 | page=26}}</ref>

===Use in gaming===
The track was used in [[Sierra Entertainment]]'s ''[[NASCAR Legends]]'' (1999) and ''[[NASCAR Heat]]'' (2000), and was later converted to ''[[NASCAR 4]]'' (2001), ''[[NASCAR Racing 2002 Season]]'' (2002), ''[[NASCAR Racing 2003 Season|2003]]'' (2003), ''[[rFactor]]'' (2005), ''[[Assetto Corsa]]'' (2013), and ''[[rFactor 2]]'' (2013).

Riverside has also been featured in ''[[Indianapolis 500: Evolution]]'' (2009) for the [[Xbox 360]] and can be downloaded into ''rFactor'' with all three options.

==Closure and transformation into a shopping mall==
[[File:RivRaceModern.jpg|thumb|Former location of Riverside International Raceway placed over modern day map]]
RIR was managed by former [[Los Angeles Rams]] player [[Les Richter]], who sold the property to real estate developer Fritz Duda in 1971 after American Raceways Inc. (which also owned [[Texas World Speedway]], [[Atlanta Motor Speedway|Atlanta International Raceway]], [[Michigan International Speedway]] and [[Trenton Speedway]]) declared bankruptcy. Duda had once been a turn announcer for NASCAR's broadcasting arm [[Motor Racing Network]] plus the raceway's radio network (along with [[Ralph Lawler]]) and many felt racing would long be a part of the Riverside landscape.

During this time, Riverside County and the newly incorporated Moreno Valley area had a growth spurt; new residents started enclosing in on the raceway and became hostile about the raceway's noise levels but, furthermore, the land the raceway was on was becoming more and more valuable such that the track was almost unable to survive. However, with protests from both residents and environmentalists, Riverside's continued existence was impossible. (During this time, track president Dan Greenwood, who succeeded Richter in 1983, was trying to search for Riverside's replacement in nearby [[Perris, California|Perris]] and [[Corona, California|Corona]].)
[[File:Riverside Regional Raceway 1989-08-15 NAPP.jpg|thumb|1989 photo of Riverside Regional Raceway|left]]
1988 was the final year of professional racing for Riverside. On June 12, 1988, NASCAR held its final Winston Cup race at RIR; the [[1988 Budweiser 400]] was won by [[Rusty Wallace]] (a caution flag, later red flag, was out for [[Ruben Garcia (NASCAR driver)|Ruben Garcia]] when he came off Turn 9 and lost control of his car and hit a wall, barely missing the grandstands, on lap 29). [[SCORE International]] held its last race on August 14, 1988.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-14-sp-936-story.html End of the road: Off-Road World Championships are Riverside International Raceway’s last show] - Pat Ray, Los Angeles Times, 14 August 1988</ref> In 1989, the track was modified from turn 7 to near the dogleg after a section of the backstretch and turn 7A near the Bosh Bridge was severed for Towngate Blvd. and Eucalyptus Ave. The modified track, '''Riverside Regional Raceway,''' continued to be used for club events. After 31 years of racing, Riverside closed on July 2, 1989, with the final Cal-Club event (which, ironically, ended the way it started with the death of racer Mark Verbofsky on July 1, 1989).

Duda (along with [[Homart Development Company]]) turned the "House that [[Dan Gurney]] built" (which had him quoting in an episode in ''SpeedWeek'' "''I'm glad to see it gone''"<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGlOEOl-30E History of Riverside Raceway, ESPN SpeedWeek 1988</ref>) into a [[shopping mall]] which opened in 1992. The [[Moreno Valley Mall|Moreno Valley Mall at Towngate]] is on the northern end of the former raceway property and homes now occupy what was the southern end of the racetrack. In a 1994 aerial view of RIR, the remains of Riverside's Turn 9, the original backstretch, the 1969 aligned backstretch from the kink to the entrance to Turn 9, part of the pit entrance and front stretch wall were still visible along with the Administration Building.  However, today nothing is left of RIR except for [[Souvenir|memorabilia]] from the racetrack. The old Administration Building remained until 2005, when it was torn down to make way for a complex of townhouses.

Numerous streets in the neighborhood to the east of the Moreno Valley Mall off Frederick Street are named after racers that raced at Riverside, such as [[Cale Yarborough|Yarborough]] Drive, [[Dan Gurney|Gurney]] Place, [[Mark Donohue|Donohue]] Court, [[John Surtees|Surtees]] Court, [[Geoff Brabham|Brabham]] Street, [[Mario Andretti|Andretti]] Street and [[Roger Penske|Penske]] Street.

When Riverside closed in 1989, it followed in the footsteps of [[Ontario Motor Speedway]] (in nearby [[Ontario, California|Ontario]]), which closed in 1980, and was followed by [[Ascot Park (speedway)|Ascot Park]] in [[Gardena, California|Gardena]] in 1991.  In the 1990s, two new circuits opened: [[Auto Club Speedway]] in nearby [[Fontana, California|Fontana]] in 1997, and [[Irwindale Event Center|Toyota Speedway at Irwindale]] (now the Irwindale Event Center) in 1999. Auto Club closed in February 2023 and Irwindale closed in December 2024. Both tracks, like Riverside, were used for filming.

In 2003, the remainder of the old Riverside International Raceway was torn up. The sign that was at [[California State Route 60|State Route 60]] and Day Street was removed to make way for both a [[Lowe's]] warehouse and a new pair of on/off ramps and Turn 9 of the old track is now home to houses.

In 2003, plans were announced to build a {{convert|3|mi|km|adj=on}} road course with a similar design to the famed Riverside layout in [[Merced, California]]. The track would have been known as the [[Riverside Motorsports Park]], but the project was abandoned in 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mercedsunstar.com/167/story/967136.html=Merced|title=Riverside Motorsports Park CEO says plan for track is dead|date=2009-07-24|author=Reilly, Corinne}}{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Coachella Valley==

In 2023, an [[IndyCar Series]] test was held in the [[Coachella Valley]] area of Riverside County at [[Thermal Club|The Thermal Club]], a country club style private circuit in [[Thermal, California]] {{convert|75|miles}} southeast of the former circuit.  At the end of the 2023 season, the [[2024 $1 Million Challenge|$1 Million Challenge]] was announced to be held in March 2024, marking a return to major circuit racing in Riverside County.  The race was elevated to full championship status in 2025.

==Events==

* [[AMA Superbike Championship]] (1976–1977, 1982–1984)
* [[Can-Am]]
** ''[[Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]]'' (1966–1973)
* [[Championship Auto Racing Teams]]
** ''[[Budweiser 500K]]'' (1981–1983)
* [[Atlantic Championship Series|Formula Atlantic]] (1983–1986, 1988)
* [[Formula One]]
** ''[[United States Grand Prix]]'' (1960)
* [[IMSA GT Championship]]
** ''[[Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]]'' (1975, 1979–1987)
* [[International Race of Champions]] (1973–1979, 1988)
* [[NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series|NASCAR Southwest Series]] (1986–1988)
* [[NASCAR Cup Series|NASCAR Winston Cup]]
** ''[[Budweiser 400]]'' (1963, 1970–1988)
** ''[[Winston Western 500]]'' (1958, 1961, 1963–1987)
* [[ARCA Menards Series West|NASCAR Winston West Series]] (1964–1972, 1974–1988)
* [[SCCA Continental Championship|SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship]] (1969–1976)
* [[SCCA National Championship Runoffs]] (1964, 1966, 1968)
* [[SCCA National Sports Car Championship]]
** ''[[Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]]'' (1957)
* [[Trans-Am Series]] (1966–1972, 1980, 1983–1984, 1986)
* [[United States Road Racing Championship]] (1964–1968)
* [[United States Auto Club#USAC Championship Car Series|USAC Championship Car Series]]
** ''[[Budweiser 500K|Rex Mays 300]]'' (1967–1969)
* [[USAC Road Racing Championship]]
** ''[[Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]]'' (1958–1962)
* [[World Sportscar Championship]] (1981)

==Race lap records==

The fastest official all-time track record set during a race weekend is 1:10.050, set by [[Elliot Forbes-Robinson]] in a [[Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo|Nissan GTP ZX-T]] during qualifying for the [[1987 IMSA GT Championship|1987]] [[Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]].<ref name='riverside_1987_imsa_500'>{{cite web |title=Riverside 500 Kilometres 1987 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Riverside-1987-04-26.html |date=26 April 1987 |access-date=4 May 2022}}</ref> The fastest official race lap records at Riverside International Raceway for different classes are listed as:

{| class="wikitable"
!Category!!Time!!Driver!!Vehicle!!Event
|-
! colspan=5 | Long Grand Prix Road Course (with Dogleg): 5.311&nbsp;km (1969–1989)<ref name='riverside_racingcircuits' /><ref name='riverside_msportmagazine'>{{cite web |title=Riverside - Motor Sport Magazine |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/circuits/riverside/ |website=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport Magazine]] |access-date=4 May 2022}}</ref>
|-
| [[Championship Auto Racing Teams|CART]] || '''1:30.656'''<ref>{{cite web |title=1982 Riverside Champ Cars in CART at the Riverside circuit - Full information |url=https://autosportworld.info/en/cart/seasons/1982/riverside-champ-cars/ |date=29 August 1982 |access-date=4 May 2022}}</ref> || [[Kevin Cogan]] || [[Penske PC-10]] || [[1982 CART PPG Indy Car World Series|1982 Budweiser 500K]]
|-
| [[Group 7 (motorsport)|Group 7]] || '''1:34.030'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Can-Am Riverside 1972 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1972-10-29.html |date=29 October 1972 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> || [[George Follmer]] || [[Porsche 917#1972–1973 Can-Am|Porsche 917/10 TC]] || [[1972 Can-Am season|1972 Riverside Can-Am round]]
|-
| [[IMSA GT classes#Grand Touring Prototype|IMSA GTP]] || '''1:35.610'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Riverside 6 Hours 1986 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1986-04-27.html |date=27 April 1986 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> || [[John Paul Jr. (racing driver)|John Paul Jr.]] || [[March 85G]] || [[1986 IMSA GT Championship|1986 Los Angeles Times/Ford Grand Prix of Endurance Riverside]] 
|-
| [[IMSA GT classes#Grand Touring Experimental|IMSA GTX]] || '''1:40.710'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Riverside 6 Hours 1981 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1981-04-26.html |date=26 April 1981 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> || [[John Paul Jr. (racing driver)|John Paul Jr.]] || [[Porsche 935|Porsche 935 JLP-3]] || [[1981 IMSA GT Championship|1981 Los Angeles Times/Toyota Grand Prix of Endurance Riverside]]
|-
| [[Formula Atlantic]] || '''1:41.350'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Riverside International Raceway, 23 Avril 1983 - CASC / SCCA Formula Mondial North American Cup - Round 2 |url=http://www.autocourse.ca/archives/usa/fatlantic/1983-fatlantic.htm |date=23 April 1983 |access-date=3 June 2022}}</ref> || [[John David Briggs]] || [[Ralt RT4|Ralt RT-4]] || [[Atlantic Championship|1983 Riverside Formula Atlantic round]]
|-
| [[IMSA GT classes#Grand Touring Over|IMSA GTO]] || '''1:44.701'''<ref name='imsa_riverside_1985'>{{cite web |title=Riverside 600 Kilometres 1985 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1985-04-28.html |date=28 April 1985 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> || [[Wally Dallenbach Jr.]] || [[Ford Mustang#Circuit racing|Ford Mustang]] || [[1985 IMSA GT Championship|1985 Los Angeles Times/Nissan Grand Prix]]
|-
| [[IMSA GT classes#Grand Touring Prototype|IMSA GTP Lights]] || '''1:47.507'''<ref name='imsa_riverside_1985' /> || [[Kelly Marsh]] || [[Argo JM16]] || [[1985 IMSA GT Championship|1985 Los Angeles Times/Nissan Grand Prix]]
|-
| [[IMSA GT classes#Grand Touring Under|IMSA GTU]] || '''1:51.850'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Riverside 6 Hours 1984 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1984-04-29.html |date=29 April 1984 |access-date=15 May 2022}}</ref> || [[Elliot Forbes-Robinson]] || [[Porsche 924|Porsche 924 Carrera]] || [[1984 IMSA GT Championship|1984 Los Angeles Times/Nissan Grand Prix]]
|-
! colspan=5 | Sports Car Short Course: 4.090&nbsp;km (1969–1989)<ref name='riverside_racingcircuits' /><ref name='riverside_msportmagazine' />
|-
| [[Can-Am]] || '''1:11.079'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Can-Am Riverside 1984 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1984-10-07.html |date=7 October 1984 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> || [[Michael Roe (racing driver)|Michael Roe]] || [[VDS-004]] || [[1984 Can-Am season|1984 Riverside Can-Am round]]
|-
| [[Formula 5000|F5000]] || '''1:12.922'''<ref>{{cite web |title=1976 Riverside F5000 |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/races/1976-riverside-f5000/ |date=17 October 1976 |access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> || [[Jackie Oliver]] || [[Shadow DN6|Shadow DN6B]] || [[1976 SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship|1976 Riverside F5000 round]]
|-
| [[IMSA GT classes#Grand Touring Prototype|IMSA GTP]] || '''1:13.080'''<ref name='riverside_1987_imsa_500' /> || [[Sarel van der Merwe]] || [[Chevrolet Corvette GTP]] || [[1987 IMSA GT Championship|1987 Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]]
|-
| [[Trans-Am]] || '''1:19.880'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Trans-Am Riverside 1972 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1972-10-29t.html |date=29 October 1972 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> || [[Bobby Allison]] || [[Datsun 510]] || [[1972 Trans-American Sedan Championship|1972 Riverside Trans-Am round]]
|-
| [[IMSA GT classes#Grand Touring Prototype|IMSA GTP Lights]] || '''1:21.270'''<ref name='riverside_1987_imsa_500' /> || [[Jeff Kline (racing driver)|Jeff Kline]] || [[Spice Engineering|Spice]] [[Pontiac Fiero]] GTP || [[1987 IMSA GT Championship|1987 Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]]
|-
| [[IMSA GT classes#Grand Touring Over|IMSA GTO]] || '''1:22.200'''<ref name='riverside_1987_imsa_300'>{{cite web |title=Riverside 300 Kilometres 1987 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1987-04-26g.html |date=26 April 1987 |access-date=4 May 2022}}</ref> || [[Chris Cord]] || [[Toyota Celica Turbo IMSA GTO|Toyota Celica Turbo]] || [[1987 IMSA GT Championship|1987 Riverside 300 Kilometers]]
|-
| [[IMSA GT classes#Grand Touring Under|IMSA GTU]] || '''1:28.660'''<ref name='riverside_1987_imsa_300' /> || [[Tommy Kendall|Tom Kendall]] || [[Mazda RX-7]] || [[1987 IMSA GT Championship|1987 Riverside 300 Kilometers]]
|-
! colspan=5 | Short Oval Circuit: 0.805&nbsp;km (1960–1988)<ref name='riverside_racingcircuits' /> 
|-
| [[Sports car racing|Sports car]] || '''0:27.700'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Riverside [EM+FM+GM+HM] 1961 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1961-08-12-19880.html |date=12 August 1961 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> || [[Art Snyder]] || [[Lola Mk1]] || 1961 Riverside Sports Car race
|-
! colspan=5 | Original Grand Prix Road Course (without Dogleg): 5.230&nbsp;km (1957–1968)<ref name='riverside_racingcircuits' /><ref name='riverside_msportmagazine' />
|-
| [[Can-Am]] || '''1:40.400'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Can-Am Riverside 1967 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1967-10-29.html |date=29 October 1967 |access-date=4 May 2022}}</ref> || [[Bruce McLaren]] || [[McLaren M6A]] || [[1967 Can-Am season|1967]] [[Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]]
|-
| [[Formula One]] || '''1:56.300''' || [[Jack Brabham]] || [[Cooper T53]] || [[1960 United States Grand Prix]]
|-
| [[Group 4 (motorsport)|Group 4 sports car]] || '''2:01.000'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Grand Prix Riverside 200 Miles 1961 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1961-10-15.html |date=15 October 1961 |access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> || [[Bruce McLaren]] || [[Cooper T57|Cooper T57 Monaco]] || [[1961 USAC Road Racing Championship|1961 United States Grand Prix for Sports Cars]] 
|-
! colspan=5 | Sports Car Short Course: 4.176&nbsp;km (1957–1968)<ref name='riverside_racingcircuits' /><ref name='riverside_msportmagazine' />
|-
| [[Group 7 (motorsport)|Group 7]] ([[Can-Am]]) || '''1:20.000'''<ref>{{cite web |title=USRRC Riverside 1968 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1968-04-28.html |date=28 April 1968 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> || [[Mark Donohue]] || [[McLaren M6A]] || [[1968 United States Road Racing Championship|1968 Riverside USRRC round]]
|-
| [[Group 4 (motorsport)|Group 4]] || '''1:26.400'''<ref>{{cite web |title=USRRC Riverside 1967 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1967-04-30.html |date=30 April 1967 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> || [[Mark Donohue]] || [[Lola T70|Lola T70 Mk.II]] || [[1967 United States Road Racing Championship|1967 Riverside 300]]
|-
| [[Sports car racing|Sports car]] || '''1:26.800'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Riverside 200 Miles 1965 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1965-10-31.html |date=31 October 1965 |access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> || [[Bruce McLaren]] || [[McLaren]] [[Elva (car manufacturer)|Elva MkII]] || [[Los Angeles Times Grand Prix#Results|1965 Los Angeles Times Grand Prix]] 
|-
| [[Group 3 (motorsport)|Group 3]] || '''1:36.500'''<ref>{{cite web |title=USRRC Riverside - GT Race 1965 |url=https://www.racingsportscars.com/race/Riverside-1965-05-02g.html |date=2 May 1965 |access-date=15 June 2022}}</ref> || [[Ed Leslie (racing driver)|Ed Leslie]] || [[Shelby Cobra]] || [[1965 United States Road Racing Championship|1965 Riverside USRRC round]] 
|-
|}

==Fatalities at Riverside==
From September 21, 1957, to July 2, 1989, 21 people died (19 drivers, 1 spectator and 1 pit crew member) in the track's 31-year history:
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* John Lawrence (Sept. 21, 1957)
* Pedro van Dory (April 3, 1960)
* Bruce Johnston (Aug. 21, 1961)
* Pete Hessler (March 11, 1962)
* Pat Pigott (Oct. 14, 1962)
* Stuart Dane (Feb. 2, 1963)
* [[Joe Weatherly]] (Jan. 19, 1964)
* George Koehne Jr. (Oct. 11, 1964)
* Jim Ladd (Nov. 15, 1964)
* Ronald Pickle (spectator) (Jan. 17, 1965)
* [[Ken Miles]] (Aug. 17, 1966)
* [[Billy Foster]] (Jan. 20, 1967)
* Vic Tandy (Jan. 27, 1968)
* Mel Andrus (April 25, 1971)
* Bill Spencer (Jan. 18, 1975)
* Lynwood "Sonny" Easley and Douglas Grunst (pit crewman) (Jan. 15, 1978)
* Tim Williamson (Jan. 12, 1980)
* [[Rolf Stommelen]] (April 24, 1983)
* John Goss (Oct. 17, 1983)
* Mark Verbofsky (July 1, 1989)
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[Riverside International Automotive Museum]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*''Riverside Raceway, Palace Of Speed'' by [[Dick Wallen (Book author)|Dick Wallen]]
*''Riverside International Raceway'' by Pete Lyons
* Motorsport Memorial entry on Rolf Stommelen (2005), [http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=228 motorsportmemorial.org]. Retrieved February 1, 2005.
* Motorsport Memorial entry on Billy Foster (1966), [http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=464 motorsportmemorial.org]
* Articles about Riverside Int'l Raceway: {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20101114081453/http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/riverside-international-raceway]}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Riverside International Raceway}}
*[http://riversideintlautomuseum.org/ Riverside International Automotive Museum] (Now Closed)
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20081211054132/http://www.legendsofriverside.com/ Riverside International Automotive Museum's Annual Film Festival & Gala]}}
*[http://www.fsheff.com/ Riverside International Raceway's Picture Pages from Frank Sheffield, a former RIR corner worker]
*[https://www.racing-reference.info/tracks/Riverside_International_Raceway NASCAR track history]

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[[Category:Motorsport venues in California]]
[[Category:Defunct drag racing venues]]
[[Category:Defunct motorsport venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct sports venues in California]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Riverside, California]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Riverside, California]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1957]]
[[Category:1957 establishments in California]]
[[Category:1989 disestablishments in California]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in Greater Los Angeles]]
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[[Category:International Race of Champions tracks]]
[[Category:NASCAR races at Riverside International Raceway]]
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[[Category:Demolished sports venues in California]]
[[Category:Sports venues in the Inland Empire]]