Costa Mesa Speedway
Interest in motorcycle speedway racing was minimal for the first two years, but the sport soon enjoyed a rapid increase in popularity.When Costa Mesa Speedway opened its doors in the summer of 1969, it was at the height of the surfer craze in Southern California; skateboarding, BMX and motocross were becoming popular with the state's middle class.The stadium was a significant venue for important events, including qualifying rounds of the Speedway World Championship, starting in 1977.The popularity of the sport in North America peaked in the late 1970s and remained strong through the end of the century; it has waned somewhat since then.Costa Mesa Speedway has enjoyed a host of track announcers over the years including Bruce Flanders, current announcer Terry Clanton and Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee Larry Huffman, well known in Southern California radio markets for his "high-powered" motorsports advertising.