Cotati Speedway

Cotati, California · Racetrack

Cotati Speedway was a 1.25-mile board track in Sonoma County that held AAA championship races in 1921 and 1922. Its lumber was salvaged for local buildings after it closed.

Opened
1921
Closed
1922
Demolished
1923
Capacity
—
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History

Ground was broken in April 1921, and the bowl-shaped wooden oval opened in August with Eddie Hearne winning a record-setting 150-mile race. Over the next year it ran four AAA championship events, with winners including Roscoe Sarles, Jimmy Murphy and Frank Elliott.

Cold, wet weather and traffic problems hurt attendance, and the track closed for financial reasons in December 1922. It was taken apart in 1923, and its timber went into homes and businesses around Cotati.

Why it matters: A short-lived Northern California entry in the board-track boom.

Timeline

  1. April 24, 1921
    Groundbreaking[1]

    About 8,000 attended.

  2. August 14, 1921
    Inaugural race[1,2]

    Eddie Hearne won the 150-mile race in a Duesenberg.

  3. August 6, 1922
    Last recorded races[1]

    Frank Elliott won both the 100- and 50-mile events.

  4. December 1922
    Track closes[1]

    Track closes.

  5. 1923
    Dismantled[1,2]

    Timber was salvaged for local buildings.

The site today

Physical statusDemolished[1,2]
Mapped locationFormer venue site

We have not verified what occupies the site today. Know? Tell us, with a source.

Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)

Venue facts

Location135 acres on East Cotati Avenue near the railroad, Cotati, California[2]
Venue typeRacetrack
SportsMotorsports
LevelAAA Championship
OpenedAugust 14, 1921[1,2]
Last used for sportsDecember 1922[1]
Demolished1923[1,2]
Physical statusDemolished
Construction costAbout $100,000[1]
SurfaceWood boards
ClosureFinancial losses blamed on weather and traffic congestion.

Sources

  1. Cotati Speedway, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19
    Supports: closed, construction cost, coordinates, demolished, events, opened
  2. History of Cotati Speedway, City of Cotati. Accessed 2026-10-19
    Supports: address, demolished, opened

Research confidence

Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.

See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.

Nearby former venues

Closed in the same era