NASCAR has officially raced on the two-mile layout at Auto Club Speedway for the final time. It was previously announced in 2022 that NASCAR would only race on the layout one more time in 2023 before it is torn down. Why? The sport is planning to build a short track instead. Well, that was the initial plan but many have speculated if Fontana will ever see that happen.
During the annual “State of the Sport” address, NASCAR president Steve Phelps talked about the plans for the Fontana short track when asked if demolition has begun at Auto Club Speedway. For those who love racing in California, this will be a semi-good response.
“I would say, yes, I will confirm that demolition has begun,” Phelps said. “I would say that we are still planning on building a short track in Fontana. What the timing of that is, I don’t know. This isn’t the best time to be building based on inflation, the cost of capital, et cetera. But our intention is to continue to be in the southern California market. For 2024 will be at the Coliseum. It is our intention to build a short track in the Inland Empire.”
"Welcome to RCR, baby." Radioactive: Fontana. #RaceHub pic.twitter.com/h6PyKvOZXZ
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 28, 2023
“It’s going to be a short track. Most likely be a half-mile racetrack. What exactly that looks like…We’ve got renderings, we’ve got what it looks like. We are ready to go when the time is right.”
The reason why it is a semi-good response is because NASCAR seems committed to staying in Fontana. However, the sport remains unsure of when this new track will be under construction as it admitted that it’s not the best time to be building. For now, the only thing NASCAR fans can do is wait and see as Fontana’s future in the sport remains unclear.
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