The traction at the weekly Friday night Ascot half-mile resulted from the mixture of local dirt, sand, clay, and decomposed granite with some calcium chloride.

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While there is a cemetery directly across from the Ascot, there is nothing to verify dirt was taken to the track from the cemetery, contrary to the myth.

The track was expertly prepared every week with generous watering, grading, and dragging making the surface very consistent week to week.

Looking out at the track from the starting line, the track was perfectly graded and prepared from the pole to the fence. It was like a dark brown carpet ready to be roosted on.

It was traction like no other track, and the surface was consistently good over 32-night races per year. Racing there week after week, you pretty much knew what to expect throughout the night. Depending on local weather and the phase of the moon and tide, the track could dry out somewhat or sometimes stay tacky as the night wore on.

There have been times when it grooved up to a hard pack but that was the exception during the night races.

The track during day Ascot races was a hard pack groove track with little or no cushion.

Ascot at night provided unbelievable grip that allowed for various racing lines and given the smallish size for a half-mile (Ascot measured half-mile on the outside fence) made for some very close, hairball racing.

Given the weekly races during the seven-month season, fast local riders known as “Ascot Regulars”, who rode there a lot, had the right set-up and understood how the track changed throughout the night. The Regulars were able to anticipate and adapt to the changing track conditions. In a way, it’s no different from any other race track where locals know the track well and tend to dominate.

The Ascot Regulars (mostly Californians) were tough to beat but eventually, riders from other states began to win the weekly races and AMA Nationals.

Those out-of-state riders figured out the setup, adjusted to the track, and learned the fast way around.

Both Sammy Tanner and Al Gunter were transplanted Texans, both moving to Southern California to race at Ascot. Many more riders relocated to the area to be close to the weekly Ascot action.

There were many others who relocated to the southern California area to race Ascot.
Eventually, the fast guys who were fast anywhere else could also figure out how to win at Ascot.