NASCAR closed major real-estate sales around Auto Club Speedway

NASCAR has closed on the sale of dozens of acres of the Auto Club Speedway. According to SBJ, NASCAR has sold most of the land it owns at Fontana Speedway. The two-mile layout at Auto Club Speedway will host its final race as renovations begin at the site.

The deal hasn’t been announced publicly as the buyer's identity remains unclear. According to the deed filed in San Bernardino County, California, NASCAR has sold the land to an entity called Speedway SBC Development LLC. The company’s registration info reveals links to real estate developer Hillwood.

Out of the 533-acre site around which the track is built, 433 acres have been sold to generate revenue. Since 2020 NASCAR has been working with Ross Perot Jr. to sell its real estate across America to find new revenue streams and better utilize its land assets. Official figures for the sale of the Auto Club Speedway to Hillwood haven’t been made public.

A document filed to the California Environment Quality Act website referenced how the speedway would be converted into greenbelts, public roads, and other support amenities.

NASCAR has retained a small part of the Auto Club Speedway as it plans to build a short track. The decision hasn't been formally confirmed. While renovations for the Auto Club Speedway are being planned, NASCAR’s future in the Southern California Region looks bleak.

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NASCAR’s final race at the Auto Club Speedway

Standing in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains, the two-mile, D-shaped oval is a favorite among all drivers. Since its inaugural in 1997, the Auto Club Speedway has hosted 33 Cup Series races. Fontana Speedway has never produced a boring race.

The track produces many overtaking opportunities for drivers and also challenges the driver's ability to maintain tire wear. The bumps on the backstretch and abrasive asphalt test the driver’s ability to handle the car.

Kyle Larson, the two-time winner at the Auto Club Speedway, said:

"There are a lot of different lane options, so we aren’t all committed to the same lane. It’s an old worn-out surface. It makes things a handful in the cockpit, but it’s a lot of fun."

AJ Allmendinger spoke about the challenges the track throws at the drivers:

"I realized I can’t eat lunch before the race because it was moving my insides around it’s so bumpy down the back straightaway. As the track has aged, the racing got super good."

"As drivers, we all love it because it wears the tires out, you are slipping and sliding around, it’s got multiple grooves, you are running on the apron. It just puts on great racing. All of us have thoroughly enjoyed it."

After the checkered flag drops for Palo Casino 400, the Auto Club Speedway will be demolished in the coming weeks to make way for a new dawn.