History Lesson
California Speedway first hosted NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing in 1997 when Jeff Gordon won a race that was decided on fuel mileage. Since then the races there have just not been very interesting.
The typical race at California Speedway features one car that simply runs away with the race. The only drama is whether or not that guy is going to have a problem before the checkered flag falls.
What is the Problem?
California Speedway was built as a sister track to Michigan Speedway. At first glance they are very similar. Both are wide two-mile "D" shaped ovals. The important difference comes in the banking. Michigan has 18 degrees of banking in the corners. California only has 14 degrees of banking. This may not seem like much but four degrees is a huge difference.
How Homestead Solved The Problem
Another race track that featured terrible racing was Homestead-Miami Speedway. Originally built with only six degrees of banking the track was too flat for the heavy stock cars and the racing was just awful.
In 2003 Homestead went under the bulldozer and installed progressive banking in the turns that peaks at about twenty degrees. This means that the inside of the turns are flatter and the farther out towards the wall you go the steeper the banking gets.
The theory is (and it works) that drivers have to slow down more to take the inside of the corner while a driver stuck on the outside can use the higher banking to go faster. If it's done perfectly you end up with two, three, or more equal grooves.
Racing at Homestead has been much better since they redid the banking there.
Fixing California Speedway
So how can California fix their terrible racing? Would progressive banking help? It certainly wouldn't hurt. What they have today is terrible so nearly any change would have to be for the better.
The most likely solution is progressive banking. However if they truly want to sell out the solution requires more drastic action.
Building a Race Track that Fans Want
I'd love to see California Speedway bulldoze the whole darn place. We already have too many 1.5 - 2 mile ovals.
Something anywhere from a half-mile up to three-quarters of a mile in length would be perfect. Add progressive banking and you'd have a race track that fans would line up for a week to get tickets for.
If NASCAR wants to expand to the West Coast then they need to deliver a product to those fans that is worthy of the sport. California Speedway isn't serving NASCAR very well in its current state and drastic action is required. Bring on the bulldozers!
