Ascot


The first Ascot circuit, Ascot Park, was a 1 mile dirt oval between Central, Slauson and Avalon. It was active from 1908 to 1919, and was later replaced by a Goodyear tyre plant.


A 5/8 mile banked oval, the Ascot Speedway, was built in 1924 on Valley Boulevard/Soto Street, and it was operational until 1927. In 1929 it reopened as Legion Ascot, and in around 1934 a half-mile oval was built inside the old track. A 1.385 mile road course was laid out in the hills behind the oval for 1934. However, after several fatal accidents the track was forced to close in February 1936.


Ascot Park, opened in 1957 by Agajanian Enterprises, was built on a former land fill site at Vermont Avenue and 182nd Street in LA. The track featured a 1/2 mile dirt oval, a 1/4 mile dirt oval and a 3/8 mile dirt figire eight. Racing halted in November 1990 when the lease on the venue ran out. However, another developer purchased the rights to the land and closed the circuit, but due to its former use as a land fill site, the area remained vacant for many years.