History of Tucson Speedway
The track was built in 1968 by TACRA (Tucson Auto Club Racing Association) a group of local families that wanted a place to race stock cars and jalopies. It was a dirt/clay track named Raven Speedway. It was later called Corona speedway and was about a ½ mile oval –larger than the current layout. In 1982 International Speedway Corporation leased the track. In 1990, son of the original NASCAR Founder, Wild Bill France, Brian France was sent to Tucson to manage the track. The track was paved in its current configuration in 1993. The track was shortened to 3/8 mile and re-named Tucson Raceway Park. In 1995 the track hosted the second-ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race – the Racing Champions 200. This race was run again in Tucson in 1996 and 1997 under the direction of Brian France and NASCAR. The track was also the home of televised racing – the Winter Heat Series, which ran during NASCAR’S offseason from 1994-95 and 1998 to 1999. This series launched the racing careers of drivers Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch; Matt Crafton, Ron Hornaday and others. NASCAR left Tucson in 1999 and the next series of managers struggled with a lack of national caliber drivers and the advertising and showmanship that NASCAR could command. The track closed in 2010. In 2012, a group of local Tucson racing enthusiasts took over the lease and spent six months repairing
the track and facilities and re-naming the track Tucson Speedway. Racing divisions grew and now include NASCAR and INEX (Legend and Bandolero) sanctioned racing. The 2022 racing season marks the 10th Anniversary of the asphalt stock car racing – with over 250 races held with the support of the Tucson business community and the 330 race families that annually compete in the 8 racing divisions. Regional racing draws the best racers from American and Canada to the CHILLY WILLY 150 (late January) and the TURKEY SHOOT (Thanksgiving weekend). It takes 65 employees and volunteers to hold a race. From ticket takers to track cleanup personnel, to race director and race scoring and tech inspection to security and concessions help – it takes a small army.
And YES – we do paint the track walls before every race!
SOME STATISTICS:
• $450,000 Racer Purse money each year
• 55,000 annual attendance
• 22,000 visit our www.tucsonspeedway.com web
site
• 110,000 reached by our social media
• 94 local businesses support the racing
WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE RACING AND FACILITIES AT TUCSON SPEEDWAY. VISIT OFTEN!