A new road course race track operation is opening just off an airstrip down California's Interstate 10 between Coachella Valley (Palm Springs) and Blythe. Desert Center had been famous for mining, a fuel and food stop on the way to either LA or Phoenix, and Palm Trees planted in a circle (gone fallow) to attract attention to passing motorists. Get off and head North toward Highway 62 at the intersection of Interstate 10 and 177 and after four miles turn right at the sign heralding the "Chuckwalla Valley Raceway - Bringing the Future to you!"

On April 23rd, members of the automotive press from all over the Southwest were invited to preview this new private racing facility and learn first hand what might be involved in starting up a new racing operation when some tracks might be shutting their doors in economic hard times. First impressions and the attentions to detail leave one with the feeling that this effort will be a resounding success.

The facility currently has one road course track operational that is 2.68 miles long (a little longer than the old Riverside International Raceway) and features seventeen (17) turns, is 40 feet wide, multiple elevation changes, a couple of double apex turns, a long banked turn, and a tricky three turn off-cambered section that mimics (to a lesser degree) the famed corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The track was designed by internationally known motorcycle racing school operator, designer, and author ("Features of Race Track Design") Ed Bargy.

The Suzuki SX4 SportBack GTS Test Drive (driven by John Dinkel) begins on the short straight between turns 3 and 4 ... and ends on the front straightaway.