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NASCAR Community Concerned as Fan-Favorite Track Might Be “Off for Good”

Published 02/14/2023, 7:24 AM EST

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Short-track racing has been a fan favorite and has produced numerous memorable moments in NASCAR history. From close finishes to epic battles, short-track racing has been a key part of the sport’s heritage. However, NASCAR’s vision to find new fans with the LA Coliseum race has left many existing fans sour. Although the exhibition race has gained popularity in garnering a new audience, NASCAR is still grappling with its future in the Southern Californian market.

Moreover, in order to continue their expansion with short-track racing, they had even planned to demolish the iconic Auto Club Speedway. Their intention was to rebuild the entire venue as a short-track site. However, as per eminent journalist Adam Stern, there have been no official statements regarding NASCAR’s plan to execute this at the moment.

Talking about this, Stern recently tweeted, Asked if @NASCAR’s lack of an official commitment on the @AutoClubSpdwy change was a sign that it isn’t 100% committed yet to building a short track in Fontana, COO Steve O’Donnell said: ‘It’s fair to say we’re evaluating the [L.A.] market as a whole.’

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The update was enough to rile up fans and the local community—as was evident from their reactions on social media.

NASCAR fans are concerned about Auto Club Speedway’s future

Fans expressed their concern on Twitter regarding the future of the iconic track. They mentioned that the track did not need to be torn down. Some of the fans even criticized the NASCAR management for taking calls like this for expansion. They suggested that there were already quite a lot of short tracks around the country and that they should be renovated instead.

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However, with NASCAR’s intent to cater to a wider audience, the future of the track remains uncertain. This year will see the introduction of the first-ever NASCAR street race in Chicago. But, fans are already unhappy with this move from the organizers. It is left to be seen how well the event is received.

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Moreover, there have been rumblings of NASCAR trying to get themselves into New York. It could indicate another street race-type event. Although, the prospect still remains uncertain.

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Written by:

Srijan Mandal

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Srijan Mandal is a NASCAR author at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Master’s in Journalism and has been writing for his own blog as well, covering NASCAR, F1, F2, W Series, MotoGP, DTM, IndyCar, WRC, and WEC. Following motorsports for more than a decade, he has become a devout supporter of McLaren Racing, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Bubba Wallace, Sir Lewis Hamilton, and Ayrton Senna.
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Edited by:

Nischal Kandpal