Nascar News

The Auto Club Speedway Redemption

For 65% off with HelloFresh PLUS free shipping, use code ICEBERG65 at

The Auto Club Speedway has become the center of a heated debate among NASCAR fans across the nation as NASCAR looks to turn the 2 mile track into a short track. So today we are going to look back at the history of this Fontana track and how it went from an unpopular track fans wanted gone to a fan favorite that people want to keep in the NASCAR Cup Series long term. So today, we are going to look at the Auto Club redemption arch.

My Twitter

My Instagram:

Video Credits:
ABC Sports
BigRocky26
Dave W
Dillon Murway
Doug White
Dumindu Meegahawatte
Edward L
ESPN
FOX Sports
Full NASCAR Races
Hayden Martin
jinjabreadman46
Michael McIntyre
Motorsports on NBC
NASCAR
NASCAR Archives
NASCAR on FOX
NASCAR Productions
NascarAllOut
NBC Sports
TheRacingJungle
Turner Sports
White Bat Audio

Thumbnail Credits:
Getty Images
NASCAR
NASCAR Images

Outro Song:
Strange Animal (Crowder Remix) by Gowan

Songs:
2 Hour Synthwave MIX – L.A. Sunset // Royalty Free Copyright Safe Music by White Bat Audio

#NASCAR #Motorsports #Racing

Related posts

RICHMOND XFINITY POST RACE – Bumper Throw, Bad Brakes, Good Racing…

klengel

Kyle Busch falls out of top 10 after hard wall contact

klengel

William Byron again? Who to place your bets on in Atlanta | Around the Track | Betting

klengel

27 comments

The Iceberg February 15, 2023 at 12:15 am

What are your thoughts on the Auto Club short track idea?

Reply
CJ79 February 15, 2023 at 1:59 pm

My thoughts are that the track will have to be repaved pretty soon anyway, and then the racing is going to be hot garbage for at least 5-8 years until it wears. If you make it a 1/2 mile short track racing can be good right away (barring how the car changes go).

Reply
CJ79 February 15, 2023 at 2:00 pm

@slysupersonic I agree, but they need to find about 30,000 more seats.

Reply
CamaroDude1776 February 15, 2023 at 6:31 pm

My opinion, the track should stay as a 2 miler. Racing their has improved over the years, especially on TV. Also, I find this reconfiguration too expensive, instead of the alternative which is to add already existing short ovals to the cup schedule. Especially Irwindale, but I would also like to mention tracks in the Rocky Mountain states. Plus, if you asked me the only changes that Auto Club needs would be an increase on the banking of the turns and that would be it. Aside from me thinking that the new generation of NASCAR stock cars should have more horsepower than what they already have.

Reply
Shay_Mendez February 15, 2023 at 6:34 pm

I honestly hate it. I saw my first NASCAR race there with the 99 California 500. That’s where I developed my love for Jeff Gordon. All Auto Club needed was a repave.

Reply
Devin Mackey February 15, 2023 at 6:36 pm

As an IndyCar guy who wants to see it back on their schedule, I hate Jr

Reply
Slowturtle 11 fan February 15, 2023 at 12:24 am

Auto club is my home track and I was really happy with the racing last year I hope 2023 will be better

Reply
Austin Emms February 15, 2023 at 12:25 am

Auto Club went from a track that was shortchanged to a beloved track that’s becoming short itself. Ironic.

Reply
James Moore February 15, 2023 at 12:30 am

I was there for the inaugural race. We showed up early with our camper and waited in the parking lot for the infield gates to open as there wasn’t a car tunnel. Roger Penske came to the parking lot and shook hands and signed autographs. We turned our scanner on that was still programmed from sears point, so as we were in the parking lot we were listening to dale sr coach dale jr about holding it wide open into t1. Great times.

Reply
DarkCrypto February 15, 2023 at 2:15 am

Wow what a great story

Reply
Jesse Mullen February 15, 2023 at 12:32 am

The ironic thing is that Fonana is so big that they could build a short track on the infield.

Reply
Nathaniel Barkley February 15, 2023 at 6:37 am

literally even then, Iriwndale Speedway is a 1/2 mile track less than an hour away from Fontana

Reply
Antar Das February 15, 2023 at 12:37 am

I vividly remember the 2011 and 2013 races and I just was in awe of how both races ended.

Reply
Run Rafa Run #THEBESTINTHEWORLD February 15, 2023 at 12:54 am

I remember just watching the 2013 race finish after coming home an it was epic.

Reply
Rose February 15, 2023 at 12:46 am

California Speedway will forever be one of my all time favourite tracks. especially at night, with those pretty blue walls.

Reply
NR89_PLYZ February 15, 2023 at 12:55 am

Whatever happens happens, can’t be mad, can’t be happy either, the racing was always good, and even if the short track doesn’t disappoint, I will be happy

Reply
Light Busta February 15, 2023 at 1:12 am

The way the cars fan out into like 8 possible lanes of racing in the corner is unlike any track in NASCAR.

Reply
Kenny Something Whatever February 15, 2023 at 1:14 am

Growing up a harvick fan and JJ hater, the 2011 finish was a moment of unbelievable euphoria for me at the time lol. For the most part I’ve liked the 2 mile ovals over the years, but AC always stood out to me just a bit more than MIS.

Reply
Daniel West February 15, 2023 at 1:16 am

As a dude who’s been going to races there since the mid 00’s, overstate how much of a turnaround time his track has seen.

It was legitimately at Kentucky levels of hatred, and now it puts on some of the best racing in the series.

Reply
Jonesy February 15, 2023 at 1:16 am

Its a track you can go 4-5 wide at and everybody can be fast in any lane, its had some bad years but it more often than not delivers a banger of a race and a great finish for the reasons stated at the start.

Reply
Glenn Pedwell February 15, 2023 at 1:23 am

This track has turned into one of my favorite ones, multi groove racing. Hope Chicagoland is back next year, that was another favorite of mine as well

Reply
Ticona2 February 15, 2023 at 1:34 am

If they make it like the blueprint I saw, it will be almost as awesome as Bristol was before they repaved it. I’m really looking forward to it.

Reply
Coolbreeze0988 February 15, 2023 at 2:21 am

I’m going to miss this race. I hope nascar doesn’t loose it’s raw sense of speed. Also, I think the reconfiguration is going to be dominated by the high line.

Reply
Davis Owen February 15, 2023 at 4:32 am

Rusty’s win in 2001 was special because it was Dale Sr.’ birthday and would’ve turned 50. The race in 2008 unfortunately moved to Monday and I couldn’t watch it live because of school, but when I did, it was the first race to showcase the Edwards vs Johnson battle for the championship. Sure Edwards did cruise to victory but their battle lasted a fair number of laps and it was a domino effect after that between them at the cookie cutter tracks.

Reply
SuperNASCARrocks February 15, 2023 at 4:54 am

I always loved the Auto Club Speedway. It’s one of my favorite tracks in the cup series. The restarts are always insane, the racing is great, and the track itself has had many great moments. The 2011 finish and 2013 finish come to mind. The worn out surface contributes to the great racing as well. Please keep the track the way it is.

Reply
Jonathan Zoerlein February 15, 2023 at 6:38 am

As someone who has been attending races at Auto Club Speedway since 2010, I love the short track idea, but now is not the right time to convert it to a short track. With that said, the facilities need upgrades BADLY. Those seem to have not been upgraded since the track was built

Reply
tomcatm16 February 15, 2023 at 4:44 pm

California Auto Club Speedway is another in the line of historically great racetracks. It sucks to see it going away and everything be streamlined for “progress”. This got me to look into some Riverside speedway videos and think about what could have been if that entire area was upkept for racing.

Reply

Leave a Comment