Track News: Fontana moving forward with move to become a short-track

NASCAR and Auto Club Speedway announced today that the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series race on Feb. 26 will be the final race on Auto Club Speedway’s classic 2-mile oval. Planning continues for a new short track located on the current site, but details will be announced at a later date.

Concurrently, NASCAR and Auto Club Speedway are continuing to work with Hillwood Properties on redeveloping portions of Auto Club Speedway’s property. To accommodate this process, the Speedway has removed portions of the Turn 1 and Turn 4 grandstands in anticipation for the future short track development pending approval.

Yet the focus right now is racing on the 2-mile oval, and Auto Club Speedway is gearing up for an incredible grand finale on its current configuration. It’s a track that has produced exciting races won by legendary winners for more than a quarter century. And on Feb. 26, 2023, the best drivers in the world will vie for the bragging rights of winning the last race on this D-shaped oval located in the heart of the Inland Empire.

“This is going to be a can’t-miss event,” said Auto Club Speedway President Dave Allen. “This 2-mile oval has produced so many incredible memories during the past 25 years, and we know the final race on this surface will produce more memories that will last a lifetime.

“Moreover, the continued redevelopment of this property will inject more fuel into the local economy, and we’re excited what the future holds for our racetrack and the Inland Empire as a whole.”

Auto Club Speedway’s 2-mile oval opened as California Speedway in 1997. It quickly became the region’s premier motorsports destination featuring breathtaking NASCAR and IndyCar races. Some of racing’s greatest drivers have won races on the high-speed track, including NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon and reining NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, who won the WISE Power 400 at Auto Club Speedway on Feb. 27.

The complete NASCAR Cup Series schedule was unveiled today, and it revealed that the final race on Auto Club Speedway’s 2-mile oval will hold a premium spot on the premier series’ schedule. Once again, it will be the much-anticipated follow-up to the DAYTONA 500 and set the tone for what promises to be a NASCAR Cup Series season to remember.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will also compete one final time on the 2-mile layout on Saturday, Feb. 25.

Tickets for the final NASCAR Cup Series weekend on Auto Club Speedway’s 2-mile oval are on sale now. Fans are encouraged to visit www.autoclubspeedway.com for the latest ticket information.