NASCAR announced this week that it has completed the sale of the remaining portions of the California Speedway site in Fontana, bringing to a close a multi‑year effort to replace the 2.0‑mile oval with a high‑banked short track.
Legacy of the California Speedway
The venue, long known as Auto Club Speedway, hosted 33 Cup Series races between 1997 and 2023, with only a pandemic‑induced hiatus in 2021. Its distinctive D‑shaped layout and 24‑degree banking made it a fan favorite, and the track was the stage for many historic moments.
Among the drivers who left their mark, Jeff Gordon claimed victory in the inaugural race in 1997, Jimmie Johnson amassed six wins — the most of any competitor — and Kyle Busch celebrated both his debut triumph in 2003 and his final Cup‑Series win in 2023.
The ambitious ‘Next Gen California’ project envisioned tearing down the existing layout and constructing a half‑mile, high‑banked facility that could host more events year‑round. Despite initial enthusiasm, the $300 million redevelopment stalled, and NASCAR ultimately paused the initiative.
With the redevelopment on hold, the organization sold more than 400 of the 522 acres that comprised the property. The land is now slated for industrial development, a shift that reflects the broader trend of repurposing former racetrack grounds for commercial use.
Although the Fontana oval will no longer host top‑level NASCAR competition, the sport continues to thrive in California at nearby venues such as Sonoma Raceway and the Naval Base Coronado facility in San Diego, ensuring that fans in the region still have world‑class racing to enjoy.
The track’s influence extends beyond statistics; it helped shape the careers of several championship drivers and contributed to the growth of stock‑car racing in the western United States. Its closure signals the end of an era, but the memories of roaring engines and close finishes remain vivid for those who witnessed them.