Famoso Raceway

This is about the facility itself… I have no experience racing. My family has been coming here for DECADES and we pray it never meets the fate of Lion’s or Orange County.
If you are going to any event here please make sure you have plenty of gas in your car (the track is out in the boonies) save your phone battery and shut it off. The cell service here is spotty. PLEASE wear comfortable shoes!!! The parking lot is dirt (not level either) and during popular events you will have to walk a bit. During the summer events it can be SUPER hot. My husband and numerous others wear super big shade hats. There isn’t a whole lot of shade so bring your sunscreen and maybe an umbrella (you won’t be the only one I promise). The bleachers are the old school wooden ones, most people bring towels, or those portable seat cushions if they’re staying all day.
For the past 8 years we have attended the California Hot Rod Reunion. This event is focused on nostalgia drag racing and the folks who made it happen. It’s very nice because you have the opportunity to walk around in the pits and meet old school racers, up and comers, get autographs, take pictures, EVERYTHING. (Walk, walk, walk)
For this event you have the opportunity to camp. This is dry camping folks. Bring your RV or truck camper and join the party. We last camped five years ago ($ 50 for the pass but I know it’s gone up since then) but it was awesome! There is a guy who comes around to empty tanks and such for $ 20-​$ 25. Everyone bbq’s, visits, and hangs out. Try it if you have the opportunity.
We were a little disappointed with the food vendors this year. The prices are high (expected) but quality was mediocre at BEST. Pizza, Chinese, Mexican, BBQ, churros, ice cream… the standard fair food stuff. Budweiser is a sponsor so there’s plenty of beer booths.
There is just about ANYTHING drag racing related for sale down the regular vendor aisle. T-​shirts, purses, art, car parts, you name it… it’s there. Typically I buy my shirts from the racers themselves to help sponsor them, but occasionally I buy from the big guys. Average shirt cost is $ 20 ($ 2-​$ 3 more for XXL and above). At this event there is also a swap meet. It’s pretty cool because you can find some really great stuff back there.
If you show your AAA card for this weekend you will get a discount at the gate. The event normally ends between 5 – 6 o’clock on Sunday. However throughout the year there are NUMEROUS events for you to see other than nostalgic drags. If you ever need help with this event (tips, etc.) contact me through Unilocal.
Help support our little orange grove track and come check it out!!!

Went today to see the specialty drag racing cars. Nice layout and was easy to get around. Plenty of vendors selling everything from a-​z including food. Cars were awesome and everyone was very friendly.

Unilocal Challenge 2015. ²¹⁴⁄₃₆₅
Located in the middle of nowhere. Be sure to fuel up when you exit the freeway. You don’t want to run outta gas especially when the cell towers are unreliable.
Been here a few times visiting the drag strip. There is a entry fee for drivers and a entry for spectators. Fee varies depending on the event. Spectator fee is usually $ 20.00. You want to get here early and sign your waivers because there is always a long line to get in.
Parking lot is huge and bare. Unless you have an RV or easy up you will suffer. Baked in the heat. Especially through October. Its hot, hot, hot. Bring lots of water. And bring your walking shoes. Lots of walking here.
Bathrooms are a step up from porta potties. Still very rustic. But there is soap and water to clean up. Which I hope everyone uses.
Food, you should probably bring your own. They have a few vendors but they are super duper expensive. We usually bring in pizza or BBQ some carne asada.
Facility is dog friendly, although the loud sounds may spoke yout pooch. But my girl has been going to events since she was 3 months old. I just dont bring her up into the action. She stays in the pits on her little bed, with fan on her.
Drag wise, on their event days I’ve noticed there is a lot of down time. My boys usually only get to run a few times. It could be better organized, so everyone gets equal time. They probally get less than a minute total on the track. BTW if your driving you need a helmet and long pants.
#698

This review is more about the grounds and amenities than the actual racing.
My family comes here almost every year for the March Meet and I finally want to review this place. First off, get there early, because parking is horrid after it starts getting busy. We once had to walk close to a mile just to get to the front gate. It is fairly large, lots of product vendors with fun things to look at, a variety of food vendors, an automotive-​based swap meet at the far end, and an awesome car show set up right behind the bleachers. Now onto the bleachers… If you are planning to come out to Famoso, BRING CUSHIONS TO SIT ON AND/​OR SHADE DEVICES. There aren’t any sun-​blocking objects on the bleachers, so if you don’t bring your own, you will fry. And the few benches around the grounds that have shade are instantly taken and held by other people. But I definitely recommend you come out and visit if you’re well prepared with sunblock and parasols!
But DO NOT be like those horrible people that bring their dogs to the event. These cars are extremely loud and they will most certainly hurt your dog between the eardrum-​bursting volume and heavy fumes.

Very Disappointed in the serice. I have raced in the March event many years. I notified Debbie 2 months in advance of the event that I could not attend and that she could release my entry space to what she described as a LONG list of people waiting to enter. Over that period of time, I e-​mailed her twice to have her confirm my refund request. NO RESPONSE. I dont find the Bowsers to be ethical people and would advise all to be careful. My first time attending this event was 1958. Im dis appointed that she chose to ignore me and attempt to keep my Fees. I will not attend again. For Nostalgia type racers, I find PSCA to be a much more friendly event.

Super cool track with a family friendly vibe. Took the wife and kids for Saturday Night Nitro this past week and had a blast. Did the $ 20 per carload special after 4pm which is a great deal. Get there early to check out the cars. All the drivers and crew are super nice and friendly. Bring earplugs and enjoy the smell of burning rubber and nitro!

This is a very old race track with a lot of history, it’s an awesome place to come with the family. They have several different event’s held here thru out the year, one of the best and coolest event’s held here by far has to be March meets/​March madness it’s a car show, parts swap meet, and drag racing that goes from Thursday till Sunday the only thing is it’s a little pricy to attend it cost $ 30. On Saturday and Sunday and I belive it’s $ 25 Thursday and Friday for adults and $ 10 for children 12 and under.

great track, STICKY
LOVE IT
drag racing kicks ass, smelly, loud and a lot of fun

I have been going to Famoso Raceway forever (well really only since about 1971) and over the decades it has only gotten better. Now that NHRA is involved it is even better. Come to the March meet or the Hot Rod Reunion and see the big boys and it will blow your socks off (even if you don’t have socks) Top Fuel is always a thrill.
Enjoy the races and I will see you there.

This has always been my favorite «local-​ish» place to drag race, especially since my local track LACR went the way of the dodo. First and foremost, they have actual flush toilets! Not just Andy Gumps, but real toilets! And sinks with running water! My only gripes are that their test and tune season is too short, and since the place is so popular there are nights that you are lucky to get maybe two or three runs in. (You do, however, see the local yokels getting about 2 or 3 runs in for your every 1 run.) I drove 100 miles and swapped my e.t. streets on for 2 runs?!? Oh, well… at least at this track there is some hope that you could get a new best e.t. Basically I have learned that the best way to get your fill of runs in at this track is to find a private event and sign up for it. Sure, it’ll cost ya (usually around $ 100 per day) but the number of cars are severely limited so you get as many runs as you want. All in all this is a pretty tightly run ship, the tech lines are long but they move fairly fast. They don’t skimp on the VHT like LACR was prone to do so traction is generally not a problem here. They also have real track grooming equipment, not like at LACR when Bernie would just drag some old tires up and down the track behind his pickup truck. (God I miss that track!!!) Sometimes there is an odd odor lingering in the air that permeates your hair, your clothing, and your car’s interior that smells like rotting fruit but this place is way out in the middle of vineyards so I guess that has something to do with it.

This my 15 year at the California hot rod reunion we camp at race way and I look forward to it every year. It the greatest nostalgia racing

National event quality facility. The pits are getting better too. Thank you for all your hard work. We LOVE to run our dragster here. Give ‘em a shot.
There is so much history here, it’s like drag racing thru a living museum. Hallowed ground, for sure. It’s an honor to compete @ Famoso.
Thank you to the Bowsers

My husband and I drove up here this past weekend for the Cacklefest and Hot Rod Reunion. I must say, its a really nice venue. I like all the trees that surrounds the grounds. The event itself was awesome. Drag racing funny cars, old rat rods, nostalgia, old racecars, food, beer, and vendors galore lined the grounds.
The reason for only 4 stars is because at about 4pm the wind shifted and the smell of compost heap filled the air until we left. Because of the compost in the field next door, it also brought an unGodly amount of flies. Flies covered everything. The food was all under tight lock and key, because of the flies. It was like something out of a horror movie. At least it was flies and not bees, or cockroaches, or birds. Oh Lord. If it was birds, it would have definitely been a reenactment of the Alfred Hitchcock classic.
But, alas, if you can look past the flies and the smell of rotting earth, this is a pretty hip little spot. Next time, Ill leave the accessories at home and load up on sticky fly strips and a ventilator mask.

Let’s just say this is the place where I fell in love with drag racing. The staff there lead by John and Blake are fantastic! They are real down to earth guys that do it for the love of drag racing.
I was here for the 18^th Annual CA Hot Rod Reunion ~ where drags meet nostaliga. I had my share of nitro methane for the weekend, but what a great time I had.
I’ll be back again for March Meet 2010!

Very old school, historic dragstrip in the middle of farmland. Was there on Aug. 18 for the WCHRA drag races. This ain’t boring ass bracket racing based on indexes. This is heads up, stay in it to win it, street racing in a legally sanctioned format. The slowest classes are running 9s. This was a night event so it was a very comfortable temperature.
This is a cool, nostalgic facility with huge pit area, long run out almost the same length as the track itself, plenty of grandstand seating, with good bathroom facilities. Also the sound is good, because you can hear the announcer clearly, unlike other places where you just here a muffled incomprehendable voice. Don’t get me wrong, the place is pretty damn old, but you’re there to see fast cars.