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Remembering Famous Ascot Park
Chris Agajanian, Legendary Riders & Drivers Talk About the Historic Dirt Track
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Jan. 23, 2025) – Remembering the West Coast’s most famous dirt oval track – ASCOT PARK – will be a big topic of the discussion as many of the top participants and organizers from that historic venue will be a part of the fifth edition of “Hot Shoe” Hall of Fame Museum and Motorcycle Industry Celebration at the Las Vegas’ Notoriety Theatre in the famed Las Vegas Fremont Street Experience (450 E. Fremont St., 3rd Floor).
Known for some of the greatest dirt track racing in the United States, Ascot Park proved to be the grounds that made many of the “Hot Shoe” Hall of Famers from its opening in 1959 to its closing in 1990. Whether it was two wheels or four wheels, Ascot was the place to make your name in the sport, and it happened on the half-mile, quarter mile, the TT Steeplechase, the motocross track and the exciting Speedway oval on the northside of the property.
As Jay Agajanian said in the Ascot radio commercials, “It’s were the 91, 110 and the 405 slide” into great action and shows like ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” aired some of the best motorcycle racing as well as Bob Knievel, even before there was “Evel,” jumping his Triumph and then Harley for the TV cameras.
Chris Agajanian of the famed Agajanian family, promoter of many AMA Grand National races and the popular Thursday Speedway shows at Ascot, will be on hand on Feb. 1 to talk about many of the great events at the Gardena dirt oval as well as a number of successful Ascot riders such as David Aldana, Bubba Shobert and Ronnie Jones, the winner of the last Ascot AMA Grand national race on Sept. 29, 1990. Famed sprint car racer and AMA promoter Johnny Parsons will be part of the Ascot talk too.
“I can remember selling programs as a kid at Ascot for my dad’s (J.C.) races and watching some thrilling events, whether it was on the half mile or TT track and even the midgets and sprint cars,” said Chris Agajanian. “My brothers (Cary and Jay) did other activities like selling and taking tickets and helping around the track, so we all were involved in some way with the Ascot facility. I also promoted AMA Grand National races in the West Coast and later built the Speedway track in the 1980s.
“With the Olympics in 1984 in Los Angeles, I was able to purchase some of the bleachers (5,000), lights, flag poles and canvas from the Olympic swimming venue. And we built the Speedway track for Thursday nights from 1985 to 1990. We had televised races on PrimeTicket and ESPN. We also used tires and foam around the crash wall. That was unique back then. Now, it’s called a ‘Saver Barrier’ on the big ovals. It should be a fun night to talk about the old Ascot Park at the ‘Hot Shoe’ Hall of Fame.”
“King” Kenny Roberts said it best about racing at Ascot during his dirt track days, “You can’t say you’re a motorcycle racer until you’ve ridden Ascot. And you can’t say you’re a champion motorcycle rider until you’ve conquered it.”
Jones won the Ascot final in 1990 and knew his win was special, “Growing up I’d always heard about Ascot, it wasn’t just a famous track in California. It was famous all across the country. So, when I won the last race there it was really special. It was great that Sammy (Tanner) was there that night to be on the podium with me since Sammy won the first AMA Grand National there and I won the last. Looking back now I’m happy I got to be a part of the track’s history.”
“Many of the ‘Hot Shoe’ Hall of Fame inductees have raced, wrenched and worked behind the scenes at Ascot over the decades of the famous track,” said Gene Woods, founder and curator of the Las Vegas-based “Hot Shoe” Hall of Fame. “You know there will be many Ascot stories brought up on stage and in the crowd for this year’s Feb. 1 event. I bet just about everyone at the Celebration will have their own Ascot story. We welcome all of the Ascot regulars and part-timers to come and listen to those stories.”
Over 50 2025 inductees will be a part of the “Hot Shoe” Hall of Fame and Motorcycle Industry Celebration on Saturday, Feb. 1, with the Celebrity Go Kart Race at 4 p.m., doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the On-Stage presentations begin at 7 p.m. The event is FREE for all motorcycle enthusiasts.
Please register for the Celebration through the Hall of Fame website at www.hotshoehof.com. For those accepted into the Hall of Fame, the honorees’ “Hot Shoe” is mounted on a Hall of Fame plaque. Recipients also receive their own version 8x10 plaque.
For further information on the “Hot Shoe Hall of Fame” celebration, visit the website at www.hotshoehof.com or on Facebook at Hot Shoe Hall of Fame.
Contact: Tom Blattler, TB Communications, tomblattlercomm@gmail.com, 317.525.5692
