On June 12, 1960, Marchbanks Speedway near Hanford, California, hosted the California 250, the first NASCAR Grand National race on its newly paved 1.4-mile high-banked asphalt tri-oval. The 179-lap event, also counting as a Pacific Coast Late Model race, drew 33 cars and about 7,000 fans under brutal 104-degree heat. Local driver Frank Secrist took the only pole of his career, but early leaders Scotty Cain, Mel Larson, and Lloyd Dane (who led 89 laps) all fell by the wayside to overheating and mechanical failures. Only 16 cars finished the race.
Marvin Porter, in the #98 Porter Ford, took the lead on lap 129 and held it the final 50 laps to win at an average of 88.032 mph. Joe Weatherly drove the #97 Vel Miletech Ford to a second-place finish, nearly a lap down after a disputed pit delay, while John Rostek, Fritz Wilson, and Don Noel completed the top five. Rex White finished eighth and praised the track by commenting that he would tell others about the outstanding track when back home. The race marked a rare West Coast stop for the national series and helped Porter claim the 1960 Pacific Coast championship.
