View source for Altamont Raceway Park

{{Short description|Race track in Tracy, California, United States}}
{{Use American English|date = October 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = October 2019}}
{{Infobox motorsport venue
|  Name              = Altamont Raceway Park
|  Nicknames         = 
|  Image             = [[Image:Altamont Raceway Park.png|175px|center]]<br />[[Image:AltamontMSP.JPG|240px|center|2007 Dan Gamel RV Centers 200]] 
|  caption           = <!--Sept-->2007 Dan Gamel RV Centers 200 
|  coordinates       = {{coord|37.738<!--039-->|-121.563<!--249-->|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|  Location          = 17001 Midway Road<br>[[Tracy, California]], [[United States|U.S.]]<!-- 95376 (N37° 44' 18" W121° 33' 48")
| map              = USA#USA California
| map_label        = Altamount Raceway
| map_caption      = Location in the [[United States]]##Location in [[California]]
| map_relief       = yes
| map_label_position = 
| map_size         = 200 -->
|  Opened            = July 22, 1966
|  Closed            = October 2008
|  Demolished        = N/A
|  Owner             = Riverside Motorsports Park, LLC 
|  Operator          = Riverside Motorsports Park, LLC 
|  Former_names      = Altamont Raceway Altamont&nbsp;Speedway Altamont&nbsp;Raceway Park 
|  Events            = '''[[ARCA Menards Series West|NASCAR Camping World West Series]]'''<br />Dan Gamel RV Centers 200
<br>'''NASCAR [[Whelen All-American Series]]'''<!--<br />Weekly-->
| Capacity          = 7,500 ([[NASCAR]])
| Layout1           = 1/2 Mile Oval
| Miles_first       = True
| Length_km         = 0.8
| Length_mi         = 0.5
| Banking           = Turns – 12 degrees <br /> Straights – 4 degrees<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.racefan.com/results.asp?trackid=135&storyid=232478 |title=WhoWon.com ... The Internet Source for Motorsports News and Information<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2008-09-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317013228/http://www.racefan.com/results.asp?trackid=135&storyid=232478 |archive-date=2008-03-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| Layout2           = 1/4 Mile Oval
| Length_km2        = 0.4
| Length_mi2        = 0.25
| Layout3           = Road Course
| Length_km3        = 1.8
| Length_mi3        = 1.1 
}}

'''Altamont Raceway Park''' is a [[motorsport]]s [[race track]] in the [[western United States]], located in [[northern California]], west of [[Tracy, California|Tracy]].  It<!--first--> opened on July 22, 1966, and <!--has variously-->operated under the names '''Altamont Speedway''', '''Altamont Raceway''', '''Altamont Motorsports Park''', '''Altamont Raceway Park and Arena''', and '''Bernal Memorial Raceway'''. After 42 years' operation, the speedway closed in October 2008;<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/24/SPK317QG7N.DTL&type=newsbayarea|title=R.I.P. Altamont Raceway}}</ref> the site is just south of the junction of [[Interstate 205 (California)|Interstates 205]] and [[Interstate 580 (California)|580]].

== Description ==
[[Image:AltamontDiagram.PNG|150px|left|thumb|Diagram of Altamont Raceway Park.]]
The Raceway Park contained a variety of different racetrack configurations including a 1/2 mile oval, 1/4 mile oval, {{convert|1.1|mi|km|adj=on}} road course, and a [[Figure 8 racing|figure 8 track]]. The course was the state's largest oval racetrack north of Los Angeles.

The track featured a pit lane that was uncharacteristic when compared to larger ovals for the weekly events. The pit lane was located on the outside of the course on the opposite side of the oval from the start finish line. However, during Grand National West races, the pit lane was moved to the 1/4 mile oval so as to be inside the larger oval, as is customary for most oval tracks, since live pit stops are used during the higher-level NASCAR-sanctioned race.

== History ==
The park is well known for its December 6, 1969, hosting of the notorious and ill-fated [[Altamont Free Concert]], featuring [[Santana (band)|Santana]], [[Jefferson Airplane]], [[The Flying Burrito Brothers]], [[Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young]], and [[The Rolling Stones]]. During the Stones' set, [[Killing of Meredith Hunter|Meredith Hunter]], a concert-goer high on [[methamphetamine]] and brandishing his [[revolver]], was stabbed to death by a member of the [[Hells Angels]], which had been hired to provide security, in front of the stage as the band played. The death was captured on film and appears in the documentary ''[[Gimme Shelter (1970 film)|Gimme Shelter]]'' (1970).<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5934386/rock__rolls_worst_day/2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016171122/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5934386/rock__rolls_worst_day/2|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 16, 2008|title=Rock & Roll's Worst Day: The Aftermath of Altamont |last=Burks|first=John|date=1970-02-07|magazine=Rolling Stone|pages=2|access-date=2008-11-16}}</ref>

In 2004, the track appeared in an [[MythBusters (2004 season)#AC vs. Windows Down|episode]] of the popular [[Discovery Channel]] show ''[[MythBusters]]''. In the episode, the show's hosts [[Jamie Hyneman]] and [[Adam Savage]] used the track to test the myth that a car will have better fuel mileage with the air conditioner on and windows closed than it would with all of the windows down.

In 2006, the park came under the ownership of Riverside Motorsports Park, LLC. They initiated several upgrades to the park including fresh asphalt, the addition of the {{convert|1.1|mi|km|adj=on}} road course and the new Figure 8 track. Altamont staged a variety of motorsports events, including [[NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series|NASCAR Whelen All-American Series]] raced weekly as the schedule permitted for the California State and Whelen National Championships.

The park also played host to a race on the [[ARCA Menards Series West|NASCAR Camping World West Series]] schedule, the Dan Gamel RV Centers 200 in the fall. Additionally, Formula 4, Sprint Cars, Motorcycle races and the [[24 Hours of Lemons|24 Hours of LeMons]] were held at the racetrack, the latter being a play on the famous [[24 Hours of Le Mans]]. However, in the place of top dollar racing machines, the 24 Hours of LeMons features cars with a maximum price of $500 (excluding safety gear, brakes and tires), hence the title '[[Lemon (automobile)|lemons]]'.

Since 2020 the track has been used to test autonomous electric cars by the company [[Zoox (company)|Zoox]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=McNicoll |first=Ron |date=2024-01-10 |title=Altamont Speedway Drives into Future as a Test Track for Cars that are AIl Electric |url=https://www.independentnews.com/news/altamont-speedway-drives-into-future-as-a-test-track-for-cars-that-are-ail-electric/article_1bdccbe6-6c49-11e9-9c05-d31ba38f927c.html |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-15 |title='Robocab' Tested At Altamont Unveiled |url=https://patch.com/california/livermore/robocab-tested-altamont-unveiled |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=Livermore, CA Patch |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
* {{Racing-Reference track|Altamont_Speedway}}
* {{Racing-Reference track|Altamont_Motorsports_Park|Altamont Motorsports Park}}

{{NASCAR K&N Pro Series racetracks}}
{{NASCAR Elite Division Southwest racetracks}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in San Joaquin County, California]]
[[Category:Motorsport venues in California]]
[[Category:Defunct motorsport venues in the United States]]
[[Category:NASCAR tracks]]
[[Category:Tracy, California]]
[[Category:1966 establishments in California]]
[[Category:2008 disestablishments in California]]
[[Category:Figure 8 Motorsport venues]]