Ocean Speedway

The track was the brainchild of retired driver Bert Moreland and a small group of others in late 1959.{{cite news|title=Watsonville Speedway Hall Of Fame|date=March 15, 2015|url=http://dcrrbook.blogspot.com/2015/02/watsonville-speedway-hall-of-fame-1997.html|access-date=February 2, 2016}} They came up with a plan to put a 1/4 mile race track in the infield of the existing 1/2 mile horse track. The first race took place May 27, 1960 and was won by Art Eaton. Figure 8 racing was introduced to the area at the speedway in 1964 and was popular with fans and drivers.{{cite news|title=Speedway celebrates 54 years of racing|date=June 2, 2014|url=http://www.register-pajaronian.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=16572&page=74|access-date=January 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107064959/http://www.register-pajaronian.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0|archive-date=January 7, 2016|url-status=dead}} Ray Elder was one of the most notable drivers to compete at Watsonville Speedway in its early days.{{cite news|title=Broken Axle Snaps Elder's Win Streak At Speedway|date=September 3, 1965|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/59739869/|access-date=February 2, 2016}} The track then turned to stock cars in the 1970s. Future NASCAR driver and Daytona 500 winner Ernie Irvan was turned away by the track for having illegal parts on his car, so he turned his attention to pavement-racing elsewhere.{{cite news|title=Jayski's Ernie Irvan Site|date=September 21, 2000|url=http://www.jayski.com/ernie/99einews.htm|access-date=January 28, 2016}} In the 1980s, the NASCAR late model stock cars were the feature division and were a part of the Winston Racing Series, where drivers could compete for national and regional points.{{cite news|title=California results, 15–16 July|date=1994-05-08|url=http://www.motorsport.com/nascar/news/california-results-15-16-july/|access-date=February 2, 2016}}{{cite news|last=O'Dell|first=Ron|title=May 22; Watsonville Speedway|date=May 25, 1992|url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.autos.sport/x_HmfwebvbM|access-date=February 2, 2016}} Another NASCAR legend, Bobby Allison, raced at the track once, in 1983, in a late model.{{cite news|title=Allison is to compete in Watsonville Friday|date=June 2, 1983|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/62702246/|access-date=February 14, 2016}} The Grand American Modifieds made their debut in 1990. Ken Schrader, Kenny Wallace, Geoff Bodine, Ernie Irvan and his father, Vic, ran a "Race of Champions" against each other in the modifieds in 1999 while they were in the area for the NASCAR race in Sonoma.{{cite news|title=Jayski's Ernie Irvan Site|date=September 21, 2000|url=http://www.jayski.com/ernie/99einews.htm|access-date=January 28, 2016}}{{cite news|title=Sears Point Will Offer Plenty of Twists, Turns|date=June 25, 1999|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jun-25-sp-50144-story.html|access-date=February 2, 2016}} A year later, Mike Skinner, Sterling Marlin, Jimmy Spencer, Vic Irvan, and track sponsor John Prentice competed in the second edition of the event. Super modifieds made sporadic appearances at the speedway in the 1960s and 1970s. Sprint cars also made appearances at the track on a staggered basis with local series, including the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) and the Golden State Challenge/King of California Series.{{cite news|title=Winged 410s: Major Changes for 2000|date=January 2000|url=http://www.chucko.com/racing/cal-scene-new.html|access-date=January 28, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The annual Trophy Cup was held once at the speedway in 2000.{{cite news|title=2000 Trophy Cup Results (Watsonville Speedway)|url=http://nwsprintcarhistory.com/historical-results/california/trophy-cup-results/2000-trophy-cup-results-watsonville-speedway/|access-date=November 30, 2017}}

Former street stock and dwarf car driver Prentice took over operation of the track in 2006 and renamed it "Ocean Speedway", in alliance with the Ocean Chevrolet and Honda dealerships located in Santa Cruz County, where he worked as the general manager.{{cite news|last=Gumz|first=Jondi|title=Steve John sells Ocean Honda to Michigan dealer|date=August 24, 2010|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/ZZ/20100824/NEWS/100827979|access-date=February 1, 2016}} Several years after Prentice acquired the track, a lawsuit was filed against the speedway and the fairgrounds by a neighborhood group called the Community Alliance for Fairgrounds Accountability, or CAFA, alleging the track was a nuisance due to the noise the cars produced.{{cite news|last=Pierce|first=Jacob|title=Santa Cruz County Fair Fight|date=August 10, 2011|url=http://www.santacruz.com/news/santa_cruz_county_fair_fight.html|access-date=February 1, 2016}} After being stayed three times while both parties looked for common ground, the lawsuit was dropped and races were allowed to continue with stricter sound rules and an earlier curfew.{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Donna|title=Ocean Speedway gets green light in lawsuit settlement|date=February 25, 2014|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/ZZ/20140225/NEWS/140227745|access-date=February 1, 2016}}{{cite news|last=Jacquez|first=Monica|title=Races resume at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville|date=April 10, 2015|url=http://www.kionrightnow.com/news/local-news/races-resume-at-ocean-speedway-in-watsonville/32315304|access-date=February 1, 2016}} The track currently hosts a weekly 360 sprint car championship along with other divisions including IMCA modifieds and sportmods,{{cite news|title=IMCA MODIFIEDS, NORTHERN SPORTMODS ADDED AT WATSONVILLE, CHOWCHILLA|date=March 15, 2012|url=http://frontstretch.com/2012/03/15/imca-modifieds-northern-sportmods-added-at-watsonville-chowchilla/|access-date=January 28, 2016}} midgets, dwarf cars, hobby stocks, and four-cylinders. The track also holds around six "police-N-pursuit" races a year, in which police officers, detectives, and other officials representing local agencies compete to raise money for Special Olympics of Northern California.{{cite news|last=Karis|first=Tony|title=Ocean Speedway: Mutoza, CHP sweep Police-N-Pursuit event|date=July 19, 2014|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/ZZ/20140719/NEWS/140717427/|access-date=February 8, 2016}} In 2017, the group raised $34,000 for the charity.{{cite news|last=Karis|first=Tony|title=Ocean Speedway: CHP's Mueller takes opening Police-N-Pursuit race|date=April 22, 2017|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/NE/20170422/SPORTS/170429883/|access-date=August 21, 2017}} Travelling series that visit the track include the NARC/King of the West 410 sprint cars. The start of the 2020 season was delayed until June 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news|title=Watsonville closes recreation programs, cancels events - COVID-19 closures|date=March 12, 2020|url=https://pajaronian.com/watsonville-closes-recreation-programs-cancels-events-covid-19-closures/|access-date=March 21, 2020}} The 2020 season was affected once more because of the CZU Lightning Complex fires burning nearby, cancelling races in August.{{cite news|last=Seimas|first=Jim|title=Saturday night's Johnny Key Classic canceled - Local Roundup|date=August 22, 2020|url=https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2020/08/22/saturday-nights-johnny-key-classic-canceled-ocean-speedway/|access-date=August 23, 2020}}

Some notable drivers who have made appearances at Ocean Speedway over the years include World of Outlaws champions Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Mark Kinser, Danny Lasoski, Donny Schatz, Daryn Pittman, and Brad Sweet. Indianapolis 500 competitor, Bryan Clauson made his winged sprint car debut at the track in 2011.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bryanclauson.com/news/?i=9054|title = Website Coming Soon!}} Current NASCAR driver Kyle Larson, former NASCAR drivers Kasey Kahne, Rico Abreu, Kraig Kinser, Tayler Malsam, and Tyler Walker have also raced at the track, along with Cheryl Glass, Doug McCoun, Ron Shuman, Lance Norick, Gio Scelzi, Jesse Love, Logan Seavey, Tanner Thorson, Shane Golobic, James Bondurant, David Gravel, Jac Haudenschild, Kerry Madsen, Joey Saldana, Lucas Wolfe, Dale Blaney, Johnny Herrera, Cory Kruseman, Brady Bacon, Brandon “bud” Kaeding, Brent Kaeding, Michael Pickens, and Olympic athlete Josh Lakatos. 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer won at the track in a USAC Jr. Ford Focus midget in 2011. Super Bowl XXIII champion linebacker, Sam Kennedy, races at the track in the hobby stocks on a now-and-then basis.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/70668442/|title=Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California on January 1, 1989 · Page 23}}

Track championships have been awarded since the track opened in 1960 in the Claimer Division. The division was discontinued in 1964 in favor of the sportsman class.{{cite news|title=Auto Racing Legends Of California - Watsonville|date=2012|url=http://www.autoracinglegendsofcalifornia.com/watsonville-speedway/|access-date=January 28, 2016}} The micro 600s was a short-lived division at the track, awarding championships from 2008 to 2012. Champions in the division were: Devon Ostheimer in 2008, Orval Burke Jr. in 2009–10, Tomas Bray in 2011, and Alexander Mead in 2012.

• List of dirt track ovals in the United States
• West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame
• Dirt track racing

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{citation

| last = Mattish

| first = Dennis

| year = 2012

| title = History of Watsonville and Salinas Auto Racing

| publisher=Dennis Mattish Photos

| isbn = 9780988186101 }}

• [http://www.woosprint.com/news/race-reports/40-2008-race-reports/291-race-report-steve-kinser-wins-at-ocean-speedway/ RACE REPORT: Steve Kinser Wins at Ocean Speedway]
• [http://usacracing.com/news/sprint-car/item/1673-kruseman-wins-ocean-speedway-cra-classic-30-lapper/ KRUSEMAN WINS OCEAN SPEEDWAY CRA/CLASSIC 30-LAPPER]
• [http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20111129/ocean-speedways-prentice-invited-to-speak-at-race-promoters-workshop/ Ocean Speedway's Prentice invited to speak at race promoters workshop]
• [http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/racing-nation/west/10th-season-for-ocean-sprints-in-2016/ 10th Season for Ocean Sprints in 2016]
• [http://napavalleyregister.com/eagle/sports/berryhill-racing-brings-gold-home-to-american-canyon/article_01bc314d-9f40-5e82-8389-d84c0dedce4d.html/ Berryhill Racing brings gold home to American Canyon]
• [http://www.motorsport.com/woo/news/watsonville-speedway-results/ Watsonville Speedway results]

• [https://www.oceanspeedway.com/ Official Website]

{{World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series race venues}}

Category:Dirt oval race tracks in the United States

Category:Motorsport venues in California

Category:Watsonville, California