If you’ve ever driven down the 405 through Carson, you’ve seen the sprawling campus. It’s huge. Most people know it as the home of the LA Galaxy or where big-name boxing matches happen under the lights. But tucked away in a corner of that massive complex is a giant, silver, pill-shaped building that looks more like a NASA hangar than a gym. Inside is a wooden bowl. It’s steep. Really steep. This is the Velo Sports Center, and even though the naming rights transitioned from StubHub to Dignity Health years ago, locals and the global cycling community still associate that "StubHub Velo Sports Center" era with some of the most intense track racing on the planet.
It’s the only permanent indoor track of its kind in the United States. That’s a weird fact when you think about how big this country is. We have one world-class indoor velodrome. One.
If you walk in on a Tuesday night, it’s quiet. You’ll hear the whirr-click of chains and the distinctive whoosh of carbon fiber wheels cutting through the air. The smell is a mix of pine wood and tire rubber. It’s oddly calming until someone drops down from the rail at 40 miles per hour. Then, it’s terrifying. The banking is 45 degrees. To put that in perspective, a typical staircase is about 30 to 37 degrees. You aren't just riding a bike here; you are fighting centrifugal force just to stay upright.
The Weird History of the Wood
The track itself is a masterpiece of engineering. It’s a 250-meter oval made of Siberian pine. Why Siberian pine? Because the grain is incredibly tight, meaning it doesn’t splinter easily and stays stable under the massive pressure of track bikes. There are over 30 miles of wood strips nailed together with roughly 300,000 nails. No glue. Just nails and tension.
When the facility opened back in 2004, it was part of what was then the Home Depot Center. It was a gamble. Track cycling isn't exactly a mainstream American pastime like baseball or football. But the goal was simple: give Team USA a place to train so they wouldn't have to fly to Europe every time they wanted to ride indoors.
During the StubHub era, the venue solidified its reputation. It became an official U.S. Olympic Training Site. If you see an American track cyclist in the Olympics, they’ve spent hundreds, probably thousands, of hours on this specific wood in Carson. Sarah Hammer, a multi-time World Champion and Olympic medalist, basically lived here. She's a legend in the sport, and her success is inextricably linked to having access to this specific facility.
Is It Actually Open to the Public?
This is the part that surprises people. You don't have to be an Olympian to ride here.
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Most people assume it’s a closed-door elite facility. Nope. They have "Try the Track" sessions. You show up, they give you a fixed-gear bike with no brakes (which is honestly the scariest part for a beginner), and a coach teaches you how not to die.
The progression is pretty logical. You start on the flat "apron" at the bottom. Then you move to the "Cote d'Azur," which is the blue painted strip at the base of the banking. Eventually, if you don't panic, you're riding the black line. It’s addictive. The speed feels different indoors. There’s no wind—well, there is wind, but it’s the wind you’re creating as you move.
The Gear is Different
Don't bring your road bike. You can't use it.
- No brakes: If you grab a handful of brake on a 45-degree bank, you’re sliding to the bottom.
- Fixed gear: If the wheels are moving, your legs are moving.
- High bottom brackets: Track bikes are built higher off the ground so your pedals don't clip the wood on the steep turns.
- Specific tires: They use high-pressure tubulars that are cleaned with vinegar to make them tacky. Seriously, vinegar. It cuts the oils and helps the rubber grip the pine.
Why the 2028 Olympics Change Everything
Right now, the Velo Sports Center is in a bit of a "calm before the storm" phase. With the Olympics coming back to Los Angeles in 2028, this building is the crown jewel for the cycling events.
But there's a catch.
While it’s a world-class facility, it’s "small" by modern Olympic spectator standards. There’s been constant talk about how to expand the seating. If you've been there for a local race, it feels intimate. You can literally reach out and touch the riders as they fly by the rail. For an Olympics? They’ll need to figure out how to cram thousands more people inside without ruining the airflow or the temperature. Temperature matters because warm air is thinner. Thinner air means less resistance. Less resistance means world records.
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The facility is already a "fast" track because it's climate-controlled, but the engineers for 2028 are looking at ways to optimize the internal environment to make it one of the fastest in the world.
The Local Vibe vs. The Pro Scene
There’s a weird dichotomy at the center. On one hand, you have the high-performance programs. You'll see riders with $15,000 bikes and aerodynamic helmets that look like something out of Tron. They are measuring every watt and every milliliter of oxygen.
Then, there’s the community.
There are junior programs where kids from South LA and the South Bay are learning to ride. It’s one of the few places where the barrier to entry isn't necessarily owning an expensive bike, because the center has a massive fleet of rental Fuji and Felt track bikes. They want people on the wood. They need people on the wood to keep the lights on.
The racing nights—often called Friday Night Lights—are a blast. It’s cheap to get in, the beer is usually flowing, and the racing is easy to follow. Unlike a road race where the riders pass you once and they’re gone, here you see them every 15 seconds. It’s like NASCAR but with more spandex and less noise.
Common Misconceptions About the Venue
People get confused about the name. Since the stadium changed from StubHub to Dignity Health Sports Park, the Velo Sports Center dropped the "StubHub" prefix in official marketing. However, if you're searching for tickets or directions, "StubHub Velo Sports Center" is still what's burned into the collective memory of the city.
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Another big one: "It’s too hard for a normal person."
Honestly? If you can ride a bike in a straight line, you can ride the track. The physics actually help you. Once you hit about 15-18 mph, the centrifugal force holds you against the banking. It feels like you’re being pressed into the floor by a giant invisible hand. It’s actually harder to ride slowly on the track than it is to ride fast.
What You Need to Know Before Going
If you're planning to head down to Carson to check it out, don't just show up and expect to jump on the wood.
- Check the Calendar: The track is often closed for private National Team blocks or specialized camps. Always check the official Dignity Health Sports Park calendar under the "Velo Sports Center" tab.
- Certification: You can't just ride. You have to pass a series of "L1 through L4" certification classes. It’s a safety thing. You need to know how to enter and exit the track without causing a 10-bike pileup.
- Spectating: If there’s a Grand Prix or a National Championship event, go. Even if you don't like cycling, the speed is visceral. You can feel the vibration of the boards when a group of sprinters goes past.
- Parking: It’s a massive complex. If there’s a Galaxy game happening at the same time, parking is a nightmare and will cost you way more than it should. Check the soccer schedule before you go.
Actionable Steps for the Aspiring Track Rider
Stop thinking about it and just do it. The Velo Sports Center is one of the most underutilized gems in Southern California.
Start by signing up for an introductory "Try the Track" session. They provide everything—the bike, the helmet, and the instruction. Wear tight-fitting workout gear (baggy sweatpants and bike chains don't mix) and bring some stiff-soled athletic shoes. If you have your own cycling shoes with Look or Shimano cleats, bring them, but they have flat pedals for beginners too.
If you’re just there to watch, keep an eye out for the Madison races. It’s a two-person team event where riders literally sling-shot their teammates into the race by grabbing hands. It looks chaotic, it's slightly dangerous, and it's easily the most entertaining thing you'll see on two wheels.
The facility represents a massive investment in a niche sport, and it’s one of the few places in LA where the Olympic legacy isn't just a memory—it's an active, breathing part of the daily routine. Whether you call it the StubHub Velo Sports Center or its current name, the wood remains the same. It's fast, it's steep, and it's waiting.
To get started, visit the official facility website to look for the "Introductory Class" schedule. These usually run on weekends and fill up fast. If you're looking for elite-level competition, check the USA Cycling event calendar for the next scheduled UCI track event in Carson. For the best experience as a fan, look for "Friday Night Lights" events, which offer the most accessible atmosphere for newcomers. Keep in mind that the facility temperature is kept around 70-75 degrees to keep the wood and the athletes performing optimally, so dress in layers. High-level track cycling is as much about the environment as it is the legs, and being inside this "silver bubble" is the only way to truly understand why this venue remains the center of the American cycling universe.