Ascot Park

Ascot Park, Gardena, California, was a famous dirt racetrack owned by J.C. Agajanian, and is located near Los Angeles, California. Ponch and Jon can be seen entering demolition derby in Destruction Derby, and watching the Joie Chitwood Stunt Show with Bonnie in Thrill Show.

The track opened in 1957 on the site of a former city dump. Before it was closed in 1990, it hosted the United States Auto Club (USAC) championship series, the AMA Grand National Championship motorcycle series and was used in movies like the original Gone in 60 Seconds, A Very Brady Christmas, and CHiPs. Ascot was also the site of the annual USAC Turkey Night Grand Prix midget race on Thanksgiving. With seating for only 7,500, Ascot Park was smaller than the other famous tracks of the area, such as Riverside International Raceway (closed in 1989) and Ontario Motor Speedway (closed in 1980).

Yet, the park was equally well-known, because its location was surrounded by freeways, its regularly scheduled races, and its heavy by radio advertising. The half-mile course featured tight semi-banked turns, long straight-ways, and a tacky surface that was conducive to dramatic sprint car racing. Other motorsport events, such as Figure 8 racing and motorcycle flat track and TT racing, were also held at Ascot. It remained unused after a failed development project occupied the former site for a number of years. The park was later replaced by commercial buildings and paved over for parking.