AUGUST 16, 2003

Riverside reborn?

Riverside was a famous West Coast racing circuit in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, located to the east of Los Angeles on the way to Palm Springs. The track hosted the United States Grand Prix in 1960 and continued to be used until 1988 when the land was sold off for development.

Fifteen years later a group of investors have decided to revive the Riverside name, albeit 325 miles to the north, in California's central valley, near the town of Merced, 135 miles outside San Francisco.

Riverside Motorsports Park, LLC has secured 1200 acres of land adjacent to Castle Airport (formerly Castle Air Force Base) and are planning to build an all-purpose motorsport facility unlike any other in the country.

The promoters claim that the facility will be able to host "world-class" events on its 3.0-mile road course but will also have paved and dirt ovals, a drag strip and kart circuits. If all goes well building work will begin in 2004.