SPEEDWAY TRIES TO STAY UP TO SPEED FOR FANS.

Byline: Bill Schlotter Daily News Staff Writer

The way California Speedway president Greg Penske sees it, the inaugural 1997 season was a nice start. Two sold-out races. Somewhere around 400,000 paying customers. Kind words from fans and drivers.

``It was a nice season,'' said Penske, whose facility is hosting a weekend of NASCAR racing that begins in earnest today with qualifying for Sunday's Winston Cup California 500. ``But in this business, you're only as good as your last race.''

That would have been last October when the Speedway finished off its first year with a visit from the NASCAR Busch Grand National and Craftsman Truck tours. Earlier guests had been the Winston Cup drivers, who opened in the two-mile track in June, and the CART series, which ended its season with the 500-mile Marlboro 500 in September.

As for the next race, it comes Saturday with the NASCAR Winston West Auto Club 200 and IROC races on Saturday. Then we get Sunday's main event.

After voting California Speedway their favorite track of 1997, the Winston Cup drivers are glad to be back.

``It's first-class,'' said 1997 points champion Jeff Gordon, who won the speedway's first major event. ``It just seems like they thought of about every angle.''

Penske is working some new angles this year. The track added 15,777 seats to its grandstand over the winter, bringing the total to 86,429. All are sold out for Sunday's race. And it has more customer service innovations in store as it seeks to be the Disneyland of motor venues:

There's an Eddie Money concert scheduled at 5:30 today following qualifying. A children's play area has been added to the infield. Infield fans can attend a barbecue tonight, get pizza delivery service or flag down an ice cream truck.

Attention to customer desires is essential, Penske said.

``We're in the entertainment business,'' he said. ``We want people to come back year after year.''

Those who come back this year can see a return of the Winston West, Busch and Craftsman truck racers on July 18 and 19. On Nov. 1, CART again closes its season at Fontana with the Marlboro 500.

Each of those tours can be expected back in 1999. Penske would like to get the Winston Cup tour for two dates next season, but so would a lot of other tracks.

Corporate guests next year might have 20 to 30 sky boxes from which to watch the races.

``We're talking about it,'' Penske said. There could also be more grandstands in place in 1999. The Speedway has permits to go up to 107,000.

``It all depends on demand,'' Penske said. ``We don't need to go right up to 150,000, but I think that would be a goal.''

Meanwhile, while some new tracks - like the Texas Motor Speedway near Dallas - have endured criticism over construction defects, Penske and his team are enjoying being known as the country's foremost racing facility.

``We think our team, Penske Motorsports, is the best team in the industry.''

Bandit is back: Winston Cup regular Ken Schrader, who won last year's Winston West race, is entered in the support Auto Club 200 again this year and won the pole Thursday.

Winston West series leader Kevin Harvick will start outside Schrader, who set a Winston West track record with a 179.623 mph lap.

Sean Woodside of Valencia was ninth-fastest qualifier. Canyon Country's Jerry Cain was 19th. And Craftsman Truck points leader Ron Hornaday, Jr., formerly of Palmdale, qualified 16th.

Famous footprints: The speedway initiated its Walk of Fame Thursday, installing a plaque commemorating Jeff Gordon's 1997 Winston Cup win. Gordon was on hand to add his footprints and signature to the wet cement.

In November, 1997 CART Marlboro 500 champ Mark Blundell will be similarly honored.

``We want to include all the winners of the 500-mile races here and occasionally others who have made contributions to racing,'' Penske said.

Tickets for Sunday's race are sold out, but seats remain available for today's qualifying and Saturday's Winston West and IROC races.

Tickets also remain for the CART, Busch and Craftsman Truck series appearances, though Penske feels the CART race will sell out.