NASCAR last raced at the track in February, and since then demolition has been ongoinggetty images
NASCAR still has “no final plan or date when racing will return” to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., according to John Cherwa of the L.A. TIMES. Demolition of the 2-mile oval began after the conclusion of last year’s NASCAR race in February, and now “all that remains are a few grandstands and suites.” Fans are “eager to return to a track that will be rebuilt at a half-mile and bring a style of racing that is a mix of Martinsville and Bristol.” Auto Club Speedway President Dave Allen said, “We’ve got some internal approvals to work through, but the hope is to have something to go out with sometime in the near future.” Cherwa noted why NASCAR, a company built on speed, has been so slow to make a decision “remains hidden behind closed doors.” With a build time of 12 to 18 months, Allen “doesn’t see this project as just a one-year absence from racing.” Allen: “Most likely it wouldn’t be ready next year.” NASCAR’s top execs “seem committed to keeping racing alive in Southern California after this year.” The Busch Lite Clash at the Coliseum will be held Sunday, marking the third of
a three-year contract. NASCAR has “not announced its plans for next year,” and the decision to return or move the race elsewhere could “depend on how well the event does this year.” If it does not come back, “it would leave NASCAR with no presence in the coveted Southern California market” (
L.A. TIMES, 2/1).
