Track News: Willow Springs Raceway goes up for sale (Update)

After 62 years of family ownership, California’s famous Willow Springs International Raceway is about to have a new owner: private equity. The Drive reports that a Boston-based private equity firm named CrossHarbor Capital Partners that specializes in “property turnarounds” for commercial real estate is in the closing stages of purchasing the iconic racetrack.

“While CrossHarbor Capital can not provide details on acquisitions before they are complete, we can confirm that a deal is pending and the team is excited to preserve the legacy and enthusiast access to one of America’s most iconic racing facilities while also setting up the property for growth and success in the future. More details will be released soon,” read the statement provided to The Drive.

Will Willow Springs Raceway morph into a sort of Thermal 2.0? Multi-million-dollar condos, grandiose garages, a country club, spa, pool, green areas, and perhaps even a posh hotel given the lack of nearby accommodations. The original listing already pitched most of these ideas to potential buyers.

Willow Springs International Raceway is For Sale.The track is located in Willow Springs near Rosamond, California, about 80 mi (130 km) north of Los Angeles.It is the oldest permanent road course in the United States.

Construction began in 1952, with the inaugural race held on November 23, 1953. The main track is a 2.500 mi (4.023 km) long road course that is unchanged from its original 1953 configuration. The elevation changes and high average speeds make it a favorite of many road racing drivers.

Willow Springs Raceway (commonly called Big Willow or sometimes The Big Track) is a 2.50 mi (4.02 km) paved road course consisting of 9 turns.

• Turn 1: “Castrol corner” is a 90-degree high-speed left-handed turn.
• Turn 2: “The Rabbits Ear” is a double apex sweeping turn
• Turn 3/4: “The Omega” is an uphill and downhill section with a camber change.
• Turn 5: A quick left-handed turn that sets up for the fastest sections of the track.
• Turn 6: Monroe Ridge
• Turn 7: Repass Pass
• Turn 8: Sometimes called, “The Sweeper,” turn 8 is a high speed right hand corner. The lead-in to this turn is the fastest section of the racetrack.
• Turn 9: A right-handed turn with a big dip before the apex. This is the final turn before the front straightway to the finish line.

The overall track record is held by Michael Andretti in a 1987 CART IndyCar. Andretti completed a lap of the 2.500 mi (4.023 km) main track in 1 minute, 6.050 seconds for an average speed of 136 miles per hour.

Efforts by fans resulted in the State of California declaring Willow Springs International Raceway as a California Point of Historical Interest in 1996.