“We’re not abandoning the market” - NASCAR spokesperson addresses future of demolished racetrack in California

NASCAR's West Region President, Dave Allen, provided an update on the future of Auto Club Speedway, reaffirming their commitment to bringing stock car racing back to Southern California. However, he added that they are evaluating their options for the demolished track and have no concrete plans as of now.

Auto Club Speedway was torn down after hosting its final Cup race in 2023, with NASCAR selling 433 of 522 acre plot. With the area being converted into a logistics facility and industrial park, what remains of the iconic two-mile oval is the frontstretch, main grandstands, pit road, and pit road suites.

NASCAR has no presence in Southern California, as the Clash has moved from the LA Coliseum to Bowman Gray Stadium. Dave Allen, the former president of Auto Club Speedway, insisted that the market remains "extremely important" to the series. He stated that they are actively evaluating options for a return. In a recent interview with the LA Times, he said:

"The market is extremely important to NASCAR. So we’re not abandoning the market. What we don’t have is a firm timeline yet. There’s some things within the sport that need to get sorted before we can make some strategic decisions as it relates to what we’re going to build. We’re going to do something. I just don’t know what and when yet."

Dave Allen confirmed that the number one option is to construct a half-mile oval on the 90 acres that the sanctioning body has retained on the former Auto Club Speedway site. However, he added that, currently, there are no concrete plans for building the short track oval.

"That’s option No. 1. Obviously, we’ve been there for a long time. We still retain enough land to build a half-mile oval if we chose to do that. But we still need some time to sort some things out and figure out if that’s the right thing to do," Allen added.

Allen mentioned that the sanctioning body is open to new opportunities in the Southern California market and is currently in a "holding pattern," assessing all available options.

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Exploring NASCAR rumors regarding the San Diego Street race

While the future of Auto Club Speedway remains uncertain, speculation about a street race in San Diego continues to gain momentum. Sports Business Journal first reported in August 2024 about the potential street race in the Southern California city.

Late last year, NASCAR COO Steve O'Donnell said that there is plenty of interest for a street race and a potential return to the Southern California market. However, he stopped short of confirming the speculations surrounding the San Diego Street race. O'Donnell told SBJ:

"A number of folks who are interested at looking at NASCAR from a street race (perspective). We are certainly interested in California and the Southern California market, and that will continue to be a focus for us, but nothing to confirm at this point."

NASCAR's three-year deal with the city of Chicago ends after this year's race, leaving uncertainty about whether Grant Park will host a race next year. There is plenty of anticipation surrounding the next street race, with San Diego in the mix as a potential venue.