Saugus Speedway, Race track

Saugus Speedway was a 1/3-mile flat dirt and asphalt oval racetrack on a 35-acre site in Saugus, Santa Clarita, California. It had grandstands seating 18,000 spectators, some of which were moved from Gilmore Stadium in 1950. The track surface was paved in 1946 and again in 1956, and the circuit was razed by September 2025, leaving only a scar on the ground.

The site originated in 1927 as a rodeo arena called Baker Ranch Stadium, later purchased by cowboy actor Hoot Gibson who used it as a film set. In the 1930s it transformed into a racing venue with dirt oval events and grew into a major racing center by the 1950s with a paved surface.

The speedway served as a community gathering place for generations, where families and friends came together to watch races. Beyond racing events, it also hosted swap meets, car shows, and concerts, making it a popular spot for local gatherings and celebrations.

The site is closed: racing ended on July 19, 1995, the condemned grandstands were torn down, and the swap meet held its last day on September 27, 2024. The property was sold to a developer in January 2025, and by September 2025 the track had been razed entirely. What remains is the scar in the ground marking where the 1/3-mile oval ran.

The flat 1/3-mile dirt-and-asphalt oval appeared in The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, Knight Rider, CHiPs and Dynasty, among other productions. Its final racing record, a 15.95-second Super Late Model lap, was set by Nick Joanides. The track was razed in 2025, but a scar in the ground still marks where it ran.