California State Fairgrounds Race Track
Encyclopedia
California State Fairgrounds Race Track was a dirt oval racing track
Dirt track racing
Dirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks. It began in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 30s. Two different types of racecars predominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South...

 located in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...

. The track was built in 1906 for horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 on the site of the California Exposition
California Exposition
The California Exposition is an independent state agency established by law and governed primarily by the California Department of Food and Agriculture codes. Governed by an appointed Board of Directors, daily operations are managed by a permanent staff of 100...

. It was active for auto racing in 1907, 1912, and from 1946 until 1970. A 2.1-mile (3.4-km) road course was laid out in the parking lots surrounding the oval, and used for sports car racing
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....

 between 1955 and 1969. The Exposition moved to a new site north of Downtown Sacramento in 1968, and the old fairgrounds were closed and sold for development in 1970.

From 1949–1970, the track hosted the Golden State 100, a round of the AAA
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...

/USAC National Championship
American Championship Car Racing
Since 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...

. The race was revived at the new Cal Expo site as a USAC Silver Crown race from 1989 until 2000.

Golden State 100 winners

Year Date Driver Car
1949
1949 AAA Championship Car season
The 1949 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 14 races, beginning in Arlington, Texas on April 24 and concluding in Del Mar, California on November 6. There were also two non-championship events...

October 30   Fred Agabashian
Fred Agabashian
Fred Agabashian was an Armenian-American racer of midget cars and Indy cars.-Midget car:...

 
Kurtis
Kurtis Kraft
Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars....

-Offy
1950
1950 AAA Championship Car season
The 1950 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Darlington, South Carolina on December 10. There were also two non-championship events...

October 15   Duke Dinsmore
Duke Dinsmore
Duke Dinsmore was an American racecar driver.-Indy 500 results:* Shared driver with Rodger Ward and Andy Linden...

 
Kurtis
Kurtis Kraft
Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars....

-Offy
1951–1952: not held
1953
1953 AAA Championship Car season
The 1953 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 11. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion was Sam Hanks, and the Indianapolis 500...

October 25   Jimmy Bryan
Jimmy Bryan
James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:...

 
Kurtis
Kurtis Kraft
Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars....

-Offy
1954
1954 AAA Championship Car season
The 1954 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 14. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania...

October 17   Jimmy Bryan
Jimmy Bryan
James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:...

 
Kuzma
Kuzma (constructor)
Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines....

-Offy
1955
1955 AAA Championship Car season
The 1955 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 11 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 6. There was also one non-championship event in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Bob Sweikert...

October 16   Jimmy Bryan
Jimmy Bryan
James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:...

 
Kuzma
Kuzma (constructor)
Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines....

-Offy
1956
1956 USAC Championship Car season
The 1956 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 12. There were also three non-championship events. The USAC National Champion was Jimmy Bryan and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Pat Flaherty...

October 21   Jud Larson
Jud Larson
Clarence Walter Larson was an American racecar driver....

 
Watson
A. J. Watson
A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder....

-Offy
1957
1957 USAC Championship Car season
The 1957 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 11. There were also five non-championship events...

October 21   Rodger Ward
Rodger Ward
Rodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:...

 
Lesovsky
Lesovsky
Lesovsky was a racing car constructor. Lesovsky cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1950 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:...

-Offy
1958
1958 USAC Championship Car season
The 1958 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on March 30 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 11. There were also five non-championship events...

October 26   Johnny Thomson
Johnny Thomson
Johnny Thomson was an American racecar driver. Thomson was nicknamed "the Flying Scot."-Midget cars:...

 
Kuzma
Kuzma (constructor)
Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines....

-Offy
1959
1959 USAC Championship Car season
The 1959 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Daytona Beach, Florida on April 4 and concluding in Sacramento, California on October 25. There were also three non-championship events...

October 25   Jim Hurtubise
Jim Hurtubise
In 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would race 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.-Award:...

 
Kuzma
Kuzma (constructor)
Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines....

-Offy
1960
1960 USAC Championship Car season
The 1960 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 10 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 20. There were also two non-championship events at Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and Pikes Peak, Colorado. This was the final year that the...

October 30   A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...

 
Meskowski
Meskowski
Meskowski was a racing car constructor. Meskowski cars competed in one FIA World Championship race - the Indy 500.-World Championship Indy 500 results:...

-Offy
1961
1961 USAC Championship Car season
The 1961 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 9 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 19. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was A. J...

October 29   Rodger Ward
Rodger Ward
Rodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:...

 
Watson
A. J. Watson
A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder....

-Offy
1962
1962 USAC Championship Car season
The 1962 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 8 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 18. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado...

October 28   A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...

 
Meskowski
Meskowski
Meskowski was a racing car constructor. Meskowski cars competed in one FIA World Championship race - the Indy 500.-World Championship Indy 500 results:...

-Offy
1963
1963 USAC Championship Car season
The 1963 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 12 races, beginning in Trenton, New Jersey on April 21 and concluding in Phoenix, Arizona on November 17. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion was A. J. Foyt, and the Indianapolis 500...

October 27   Rodger Ward
Rodger Ward
Rodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:...

 
Watson
A. J. Watson
A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder....

-Offy
1964
1964 USAC Championship Car season
The 1964 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 13 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 22 and concluding at the same location on November 22. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was A. J...

October 25   A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...

 
Meskowski
Meskowski
Meskowski was a racing car constructor. Meskowski cars competed in one FIA World Championship race - the Indy 500.-World Championship Indy 500 results:...

-Offy
1965
1965 USAC Championship Car season
The 1965 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 18 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 28 and concluding at the same location on November 21. The USAC National Champion was Mario Andretti and the Indianapolis 500 winner was Jim Clark....

October 24   Don Branson
Don Branson
Don Branson was an American racecar driver.Born in Rantoul, Illinois, Branson was killed in a racing crash at Ascot Park in Gardena, California. He drove in the USAC Championship Car series and also in sprint cars, racing champ cars in the 1956-1966 seasons with 129 starts, including the...

 
Watson
A. J. Watson
A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder....

-Offy
1966
1966 USAC Championship Car season
The 1966 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 16 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 20 and concluding at the same location on November 20. There was also one non-championship event at Fuji Speedway in Japan...

October 23   Dick Atkins  Watson
A. J. Watson
A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder....

-Offy
1967
1967 USAC Championship Car season
The 1967 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 21 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on April 9 and concluding in Riverside, California on November 26. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was A. J. Foyt.-Schedule and results:...

October 1   A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...

 
Meskowski
Meskowski
Meskowski was a racing car constructor. Meskowski cars competed in one FIA World Championship race - the Indy 500.-World Championship Indy 500 results:...

-Offy
1968
1968 USAC Championship Car season
The 1968 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 28 races, beginning in Hanford, California on March 17 and concluding in Riverside, California on December 1. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Bobby Unser.-Schedule and results:...

September 29   A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...

 
Meskowski
Meskowski
Meskowski was a racing car constructor. Meskowski cars competed in one FIA World Championship race - the Indy 500.-World Championship Indy 500 results:...

-Offy
1969
1969 USAC Championship Car season
The 1969 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 24 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 30 and concluding in Riverside, California on December 7. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Mario Andretti.-Schedule and results:...

September 28   Al Unser
Al Unser
Alfred "Al" Unser is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser, Jr....

 
King-Ford
1970
1970 USAC Championship Car season
The 1970 USAC Championship Car season consisted of 18 races, beginning in Avondale, Arizona on March 28 and concluding at the same location on November 21. There was also one non-championship event at Pikes Peak, Colorado. The USAC National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Al Unser...

October 4   Al Unser
Al Unser
Alfred "Al" Unser is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser, Jr....

 
King-Ford


The race was revived in 1989 at the new Cal Expo mile track as a USAC Silver Crown event.
Year Date Driver
1989 June 4   George Snider
George Snider
George "Ziggy" Snider is a retired American race car driver. A longtime driver in the United States Automobile Club Silver Crown series, Snider is also a 22-time starter of the Indianapolis 500, the most starts without winning the race. His best finish was eighth in the 1975 Indianapolis 500...

1990 June 3   Jimmy Sills
1991–1992: not held
1993 October 9   Jimmy Sills
1994 October 8   Jimmy Sills
1995 October 7   Donnie Beechler
Donnie Beechler
Donnie Beechler , is a former driver in the Indy Racing League. He was born in Springfield, Illinois.Beechler raced in the 1998-2001 seasons with 36 career starts, including 4 Indianapolis 500 showings...

1996 October 12   Donnie Beechler
Donnie Beechler
Donnie Beechler , is a former driver in the Indy Racing League. He was born in Springfield, Illinois.Beechler raced in the 1998-2001 seasons with 36 career starts, including 4 Indianapolis 500 showings...

1997 October 11   Dave Darland
Dave Darland
David Lee Darland in Kokomo, Indiana, is an American auto racing driver who was the 1997 USAC Silver Crown Champion, 1999 USAC National Sprint Car Champion, and 2001 and 2002 USAC National Midget Champion, making him one of only five drivers to claim all three USAC National Championships...

1998 October 10   J. J. Yeley
J. J. Yeley
Christopher Beltram Hernandez Yeley is a NASCAR driver. Nicknamed "J. J." , he is currently a competitor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driving for Front Row Motorsports.-Open wheel:Yeley initially made a mark for himself in the world of auto racing when he took the Hoosier state by...

1999 October 9   Jimmy Sills
2000 October 7   Dave Darland
Dave Darland
David Lee Darland in Kokomo, Indiana, is an American auto racing driver who was the 1997 USAC Silver Crown Champion, 1999 USAC National Sprint Car Champion, and 2001 and 2002 USAC National Midget Champion, making him one of only five drivers to claim all three USAC National Championships...

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