30 years ago, NASCAR broke ground on the iconic Auto Club Speedway in 1995. Due to multiple reasons, its existence as a NASCAR track came to an end in 2023. But while it may have gone from the calendar, it still lives on in the hearts of NASCAR fans. And more than fans, the Fontana community.
It was more than just a race track for them. It fueled the local economy, created jobs, and gave the community a shared identity. This is why its loss is very personal to them. In order to appeal to them, NASCAR tried to pay tribute to it, and as per the latest update, the attempt hasn’t impressed all fans yet.
Advertisement
Currently, it’s undergoing a lot of changes. On the warehouse side, the track has made some progress. The frontstretch and backstretch are called the “Jeff Gordon Drive” and “Jimmie Johnson Drive” respectively. Both drivers have a deep connection with the track.
Jeff Gordon won three races there, including the inaugural race in 1997. Meanwhile, Jimmie Johnson, a California native himself, scored six wins there, making it one of his most successful tracks and the all-time leader over there.
Not just this, fans can even visit the pit road or drive through it. This dilapidated condition of a once popular racetrack has brought together the NASCAR community in lament.
Roger Penske and Auto Club Speedway | Image Credits – Imago
But the fans aren’t happy with this.
Advertisement
One major problem with the Speedway is that it has already been demolished to the extent of being nearly unrecognizable. At first, Turns 1 and 2 were replaced with two massive warehouses. Even though Steve Phelps planned to bring it back as a short track, the Speedway has lost its charm.
Needless to say, the Speedway was unable to live up to its hype after the 2014 Cup Series season. The dwindling numbers first snatched away its second race on the Cup Series schedule.
Eventually, it was set to get renovated after the 2023 season as a part of the Next Gen California project. Multiple obstacles have marred the ambitious project and the Speedway is far from hosting races again. As for the fans, they have their own complaints with the whole thing, including this tribute attempt.
Fans regret the loss of Fontana’s Auto Club Speedway
It didn’t take long for the fans to understand what NASCAR tried to do with the naming scheme of the front and backstretch of the Speedway.
Advertisement
“It’s cool that they kept the speedway theme and named the street after Gordon & JJ, Still it just feels wrong, I know the racing won’t return there ever, but I guess them carrying the NASCAR essence in their projects is somewhat of a saving grace.”
Some fans even compared the track’s demolition and developments to as massacre, “The epitome of the ‘look how they massacred my boy’ meme. As a product of Southern Cal, it actively makes me sad to see these updates.”
For many residents of South California, the Speedway holds sentimental value due to their experience at the circuit while growing up watching NASCAR.
“This is honestly so devastating. Some of my greatest memories with my Dad growing up were watching the San Diego Chargers play at the Qualcomm stadium and going to NASCAR races at Fontana. Both are gone now. I’m stoked to see a race in San Diego but it does not make up for this at all. I’d rather still have this beautiful race track….”
Advertisement
NASCAR has not abandoned the project officially. But yet, the sentiment hits hard.
FONTANA, CA – FEBRUARY 28: Jimmy Johnson (48) Ally Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports meets with the news media at the NASCAR Cup Series – Auto Club 400 on February 28, 2020 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA. (Photo by Lyle Setter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The sport has still not sold the entire track yet. But with the way things are progressing at this point, whatever plans they may have for the Auto Club Speedway are not coming true anytime soon.
Voicing out their concern about the end of the Auto Club Speedway, another user mentions, “It’ll suffer the same demise as Riverside and Ontario. It won’t be long before every square foot of land in the Inland Empire will be built on.”
At one point, fans were differing from such sad opinions. During the 2000s, NASCAR made the highly criticized and unpopular decision to move Labor Day weekend to the Auto Club Speedway. The race on Labor Day weekend has been a staple event for the Darlington Raceway, hosting the Southern 500. The sudden switch by NASCAR drew hate for this now-defunct racetrack. Recounting those memories, a fan was lamenting his wishes for Fontana’s ruin.
Advertisement
“I’m sorry, Auto Club, for the hate I gave you in the early 2000’s. I was upset you “stole” Labor Day from my home/favorite race track of Darlington. I thought The Lady in Black was going away forever. If I only had appreciated that track then. Had no idea how good the racing would be there 20 years later. And now she’s gone. I’m sad.”
The loss of historical and sentimental race tracks like these hits hard. Especially, with the aggressive strategy of bringing forth more street tracks that NASCAR seems to be adopting. Even the veteran racers who were successful in street races think that NASCAR is going too far.
Do you think that NASCAR will actually complete the renovation of Auto Club with its ever-growing track roster?
The post Fans Remain Unmoved as Auto Club Speedway Tribute Fails to Heal NASCAR Community’s Wounds appeared first on EssentiallySports.
