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  *Comments on Hanford Motor Speedway:*
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  1.   RaceFanX posted:
  06.30.2011 - 11:34 am
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Originally a short track with a few small configurations, including a
small road couse, Hanford was given a $2 million upgrade into a
Pocono-like triangular track in 1967 to host the premier USAC Champ Cars.

While the track was popular with fans, it was fast like Indy but the
drivers tended not to spread out as much, it wasn't with drivers because
sand tended to blow around (Bobby Unser claimed it drove like a track
thta still needed to be finished). The track's tenure with Champ Car was
short, USAC stated that without improvements in the form of new stands,
permanent restrooms, a new pitlane and paving the parking lots it would
not sanction races at Hanford after 1969.

By then the track had gotten into fiancial trouble and it closed shortly
after the final Champ Car race there in 1969. It was demolished in 1984
after several failed attempts to revive it.


  2.   RaceFanX posted:
  06.30.2011 - 11:38 am
   Rate this comment:      (1)      (0)

Hanford was the first Superspeedway built west of the Mississippi River.

When it was a short track it was originally called Marchbanks Speedway,
originally built by local farmer B. L. Marchbanks, and it remained
nicknamed Marchbanks after it became Hanford. As Marchbanks it hosted
three races of what became today's NASCAR Sprint Cup series.


  3.   CBASS posted:
  01.04.2013 - 7:51 am
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The reconfigure into a triangular superspeedway actually took place in
1960. The track was known for its 30 degree turn one, which wasn't paved
fully at the time (the paving machine couldn't reach the top of the
banking so they oil the dirt up there). At the time it was a 1.3 mile
track. It was configured again in 1967 when turn 1 was reconfigured,
bringing the distance to 1.4 miles.

Here's the best reading you can find about this track
http://www.loganmolen.com/marchbanks/2010/4/8/history-of-marchbanks-speedway-aka-hanford-motor-speedway.html


  4.   Andy U posted:
  12.11.2018 - 3:47 pm
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1954 map shows the dirt track oval at the NE corner of 8th Ave and Idaho
on map Remnoy CA.
8th now seems to be Central Valley Hwy.

Just a flat open field.

There is a rough 93 map of the trioval and road courses.
http://www.loganmolen.com/display/ShowImage?imageUrl=/storage/RaceMap1993.png?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1271122406742


  5.   SeanS posted:
  03.21.2019 - 6:32 am
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Wow, had no clue about this place. When I read "Hanford" I thought it
was odd they raced at the fairgrounds, which has a 2/5-mile dirt track
currently in operation, and I hadn't heard about it. Very interesting
layout it sounds like. Would have been cool to have a legit NASCAR track
in the Central Valley, but Kern County and Madera will do.


  6.   A posted:
  10.18.2019 - 10:48 pm
   Rate this comment:      (1)      (0)

Amazing that such a significant track has apparently had all signs of it
totally obliterated for so long. And unlike many former tracks, not
covered with a housing development or industry. As Andy says, just an
open field. And in this case, historic aerials has no views before 1994.

There's a smaller "Keller Speedway" right in Hanford that's been around
for some time, but that isn't this track.


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