Chuckwalla Valley Raceway

{{Sources exist|date=September 2023}}

{{short description|Motorsport venue in California. United States}}

{{Motorsport venue

|Name = Chuckwalla Valley Raceway

|Time = GMT-8

|Location = 25300 Rice Road
Desert Center, California 92239

|Coordinates = {{Coord|33|45|13|N|115|19|11|W|type:landmark_region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}

|Image =

|Image_caption =

|Capacity =

|Owner =

|Operator =

|Broke_ground =

|Opened = 2010

|Construction_cost =

|Architect = Ed Bargy

|Former_names =

|Events =

|Miles_first = True

|Layout1 = Combined track

|Surface = Asphalt

|Length_km =

|Length_mi = 2.68

|Turns = 17

|}}

Chuckwalla Valley Raceway (often referred to simply as Chuckwalla) is a motorsports road course located in Desert Center near Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California that first opened in 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/chuckwalla-valley-raceway.39023/|title=Chuckwalla Valley Raceway|date=January 19, 2021|website=RaceDepartment}}

The track is a paved surface {{convert|2.68|mi|km}} in length consisting of 17 turns. It is run in both clockwise and counter-clockwise configurations and the track contains numerous elevation changes.{{cite web|url=https://lapmeta.com/en/track/variation/26|title=Chuckwalla Valley Raceway (CW) Lap Times|website=lapmeta.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.motortrend.com/features/1308-chuckwalla-valley-raceway-track-review/|title=Chuckwalla Valley Raceway - Track Review|first=David|last=Pratte|date=September 20, 2013}}

History

The 1,000 acre dry-lakebed property was formerly part of a training ground for General George Patton's soldiers during World War II. The track resides on the former main air supply depot. The transcontinental radio beacon tower still remains. After the war, the property was used as farmland and there were plans to convert the land into a waterskiing and wakeboarding facility with waterfront real estate however those plans were eliminated during the Great Recession. It was subsequently turned into a road course which opened in 2010.https://www.motortrend.com/news/chuckwalla-valley-raceway-history-about-info/

References

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