NASCAR plans to shorten the Auto Club Speedway it owns in Fontana, Calif., reconfiguring it from its current two-mile distance to a half-mile short track. NASCAR gained ownership of the track through a merger with International Speedway Corporation.
“We are still very early in the process, but we are excited about what this ambitious project could mean for our loyal fans in Southern California,” NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer Craig Neeb said. “This is our first step towards creating a state-of-the-art facility that would deliver the intense short-track racing our fans love, an intimate viewing experience, and upgraded suites and hospitality areas that would position Auto Club Speedway among the top entertainment venues in the market.”
Auto Club Speedway, under its current configuration, has been a part of the NASCAR Cup Series yearly schedule since 1997.
According to a report from KickinTheTires.net, the plans for the track’s reconfiguration are in the hands of Planning Commission of San Bernadino County for Land Use Service. Those plans call for a configuration that includes long straightaways like those at Martinsville Speedway and high-banked turns modeled after the turns at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Martinsville and Bristol are two of only three short tracks on the current Cup Series schedule, the other being Richmond Raceway. NASCAR also owns Iowa Speedway in Newton. That track, while not on the Cup Series schedule, hosts the NASCAR Xfinity and Gander RV & Outdoors Truck series.
A significant overhaul of the yearly NASCAR schedule is expected ahead of the 2021 season.
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