The origins of Riverside International Raceway and the MotorTrend 500 lie in the 1950s car culture in California. NASCAR and MotorTrend Magazine came together to put on the biggest stock-car race east of the Mississippi and attracted the best drivers.
Riverside International Raceway was the site of nearly two dozen deaths in its 30-plus year run. AJ Foyt faced death at the track, but his untold story of sacrifice and heroism in the 1965 race is a testament to the bond between drivers.
Dan Gurney was a superstar road racer from Riverside, CA, who was the master of his hometown track. Gurney teamed up with the Wood Brothers, one of NASCAR's all-time great race teams, to get to Victory Lane in more than half of the MotorTrend 500s.
