Behind the scenes: Tucson Speedway in photos

Short-track racing is alive and well in the Arizona desert. This thanks in part to the existence and excellence of Tucson Speedway, a 0.375-mile paved oval located on the Pima County Fairgrounds about 20 miles southeast of downtown Tucson.

Built in 1968 and having been through multiple renovations over the years, Tucson Speedway became a NASCAR Home Track in 2014. Part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, the venue hosts Super Late Models, Limited Late Models, Pro-Stocks, Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Super Trucks, Hornets, Bandoleros and INEX Legends, almost always featured on Saturday nights.

Tucson's flagship event is the Chilly Willy, a Super Late Model race held every January or February to kick off a long season of racing.

When Tucson Speedway was built in 1968 as Raven Speedway, it was constructed as a clay oval. That changed in 1992, a couple years after Brian France took over operations. France led the charge to convert the track to a paved oval. The venue then went through a series of ownership changes in the early 2000s. Deery Sports West, Inc. purchased the track from France's group before selling it to Dan and Joyce Ruth in 2005. The Ruths sold it to Mark Ebert. All ownership groups made their own improvements to the facility.

The track closed in 2010 but quickly re-opened in 2013 after local businessman John Lashley purchased the lease. Lashley again renovated the facility and re-named it Tucson Speedway. The next year, Lashley's oval became an authorized NASCAR Home Track.

In addition to its weekly racing -- featuring Super Late Models, Limited Late Models, Pro-Stocks, Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Super Trucks, Hornets, Bandoleros and INEX Legends -- Tucson Speedway has hosted multiple NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, ARCA Menards Series West races and NASCAR Southwest Series events.

Some of the notable NASCAR names who cut their teeth racing on asphalt at Tucson are Kurt Busch, Ron Hornaday Jr., Mike Skinner and Kevin Harvick.