The silence in Fontana is weird. If you’ve ever stood in the infield of the Fontana race track California—officially known as Auto Club Speedway—during a NASCAR Cup Series weekend, you know the specific kind of roar that 2-mile D-shaped oval produced. It wasn't just loud. It was a physical weight. The wind would whip off the San Bernardino Mountains, mixing with the smell of spent Sunoco racing fuel and burnt rubber. Now? It’s mostly just dirt and a lot of questions.
For decades, this was the crown jewel of West Coast stock car racing. Built on the old Kaiser Steel mill site, it was a gritty, high-speed monster where tires gave up after five laps and drivers had to manhandle cars at 200 mph. But the last checkered flag flew in February 2023. Kyle Busch won that final race, etching his name into the history books of the 2-mile configuration. Since then, the wrecking balls have moved in, but the "New Fontana" remains more of a blueprint than a reality.
The Death of the Two-Mile Oval
Why kill a track that fans actually liked? Honestly, it comes down to real estate and racing quality. NASCAR, which owns the facility through its merger with International Speedway Corporation (ISC), saw a massive plot of land that was worth more as warehouses than as a massive, aging asphalt oval. The footprint of a 2-mile track is enormous. By shrinking the track, they free up roughly 433 acres for "The Speed Zone" industrial park.
From a purely competitive standpoint, the 2-mile layout was aging out. The surface was abrasive. It was beautiful for those who love "tire fall-off" and sliding cars, but the Next Gen car—introduced in 2022—has struggled on larger tracks compared to its performance on short tracks and intermediates. NASCAR wants a short track. Specifically, a half-mile high-banked oval similar to Martinsville or Bristol, but with a Southern California flair.
Think about the logistical nightmare. You have to tear down a literal coliseum made of concrete and steel, relocate millions of tons of earth, and navigate California's notoriously complex environmental and zoning regulations. It’s not just "dig a hole and pave it."
What the Statistics Tell Us About the Fans
When we talk about the Fontana race track California, we have to talk about who was actually sitting in those stands. The demographics of Southern California racing are fascinating. According to various fan surveys and Nielsen data from the track's peak years, the audience was one of the most diverse in the entire NASCAR circuit.
💡 You might also like: Why Isn't Mbappe Playing Today: The Real Madrid Crisis Explained
During the mid-2010s, roughly 20% to 25% of the race-day attendance at Auto Club Speedway identified as Hispanic. This was a massive win for a sport that has historically struggled to move past its Southeastern, white-majority roots. In a state where over 40% of the population is Hispanic or Latino, Fontana served as the primary gateway. When the track moved to a single race weekend per year, the economic impact still hovered around $100 million for the Inland Empire. That's a huge hole to leave in the local economy for three or four years while construction stalls.
The track wasn't just for locals, though. Fans would trek from Arizona, Nevada, and even Mexico. It was a cultural hub for the "car culture" of SoCal. Losing it, even temporarily, has felt like losing a limb for the regional racing community.
The "Short Track" Vision and the Warehouse Reality
So, what is actually happening behind the fences right now? The demolition of the grandstands was a gut-punch for anyone who grew up going to the California 500. NASCAR sold a significant portion of the land to Hillwood Development Company for a reported $500 million. That money is basically funding the pivot.
The plan is to build a half-mile track. For context:
- Bristol Motor Speedway: 0.533 miles
- Martinsville Speedway: 0.526 miles
- The New Fontana: Projected ~0.5 miles
They want "contact racing." They want fenders rubbing. They want the drama that you get at the LA Coliseum Busch Light Clash, but on a permanent surface with actual banking. But here is the catch—NASCAR hasn't broken ground on the actual racing surface yet.
📖 Related: Tottenham vs FC Barcelona: Why This Matchup Still Matters in 2026
There’s a lot of skepticism. Some folks think the "Short Track" is a pipe dream and the whole place will eventually just be Amazon fulfillment centers. However, NASCAR executives like Ben Kennedy have been adamant that Southern California is too important of a market to abandon. You can't be a national sport and ignore the second-largest media market in the country. Plus, the success of the Clash at the Coliseum proved there is a massive hunger for short-track brawls in LA.
The Engineering Challenge of the Inland Empire
Building a track in Fontana isn't like building one in the 1960s. You have to deal with the Santa Ana winds. These aren't just breezes; they are 60-80 mph gusts that can sandblast a car's paint off. The old 2-mile track was oriented in a way that the wind was a factor, but the new short track will have much higher grandstands relative to its size, creating a "stadium" effect.
The soil is another issue. The Kaiser Steel site left a legacy. You're dealing with industrial land that requires specific remediation. Every time you move a shovel of dirt, there are environmental inspectors watching. It’s a slow, grueling process that makes the "instant" tracks of the 1990s look like Lego sets.
Why We Should Care About the Delay
The Fontana race track California wasn't just a NASCAR stop. It was a filming location for Ford v Ferrari. It was a place for IndyCar to set world speed records (Gil de Ferran’s 241 mph lap in 2000 still feels fake, but it happened). It hosted drag racing and club events.
When a facility like this goes dark, the entire ecosystem of California motorsports takes a hit. Local short tracks like Irwindale or Ventura see a bit more traffic, but they don't have the "Big Event" pull that Fontana had. The absence of Auto Club Speedway from the 2024 and 2025 schedules has left a gap in the West Coast swing that the Sonoma road course and Las Vegas Motor Speedway can't entirely fill.
👉 See also: Buddy Hield Sacramento Kings: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
Looking Toward 2026 and Beyond
If you're looking for a silver lining, it’s the design potential. Modern track design has come a long way. We have iRacing simulations now that allow engineers to test "virtual" versions of the track before a single drop of asphalt is poured. They can tweak the progressive banking to ensure that the "bottom lane" isn't the only way to win.
The goal for the new Fontana is to create "multi-groove" short track racing. Usually, at a place like Martinsville, you have to "root" someone out of the way to pass. At the new Fontana, the hope is that the banking will be steep enough—likely 15 to 20 degrees—to allow cars to run side-by-side.
But let's be real. It sucks to wait.
Fans in Ontario, Riverside, and San Bernardino are staring at a construction site while the rest of the NASCAR world moves on. The 2026 season is the current "optimistic" target for a return, but don't hold your breath. Weather, supply chains, and California's regulatory environment are a volatile mix.
Actionable Steps for Racing Fans
Since the Fontana race track California is currently a restricted construction zone, you can't exactly go there for a track day. But you can stay involved in the scene.
- Support Irwindale Speedway: If you want to see short track racing in the LA basin right now, this is your home. It’s an incredible facility that needs the support of the Fontana orphans.
- Watch the Zoning Permits: If you’re a local, keep an eye on San Bernardino County public records. That's where the real news breaks first—long before a NASCAR press release.
- Check the "NASCAR Tracks" App: This is where the official updates on ticket renewals and grandstand seating for the new configuration will eventually land.
- Visit the NHRA Museum in Pomona: It’s only a few minutes away and keeps the history of Inland Empire racing alive while the big track is in limbo.
The 2-mile era is over. It’s gone. It’s not coming back. We have to mourn the old girl, sure, but the prospect of a high-banked half-mile in the heart of Southern California is actually pretty exciting. It’s going to be loud, it’s going to be cramped, and it’s going to be exactly what NASCAR needs to stay relevant in a city that loves a good show.
Keep your ears open. The roar will come back eventually. It’ll just sound a little different.