“Rips Out a Piece of My Soul” – NASCAR Fans Devastated as Fresh Updates of Destroyed Fontana Hit Social Media

“I just want to cry,” one fan expressed his resentment at the latest images of Auto Club Speedway showing the track’s current state. NASCAR remains undecided on the future of the fan-favorite 2-mile track in Fontana. The picturesque track located in the backdrop of the majestic San Gabriel Mountains is in for a major overhaul after the authorities decided to convert it into a short track, probably a combination of Martinsville and Bristol. 

However, according to the latest reports from SBJ, NASCAR has “no final plan or date when racing will return” to the iconic track, and along with this development, the latest images of the track have the fandom in pieces, reminiscing its glorious past.

The extensive rework to make the long sweeping 2-mile track into a half-a-mile short track has engineers stripping the track, almost demolishing the stands to an extent such that no ardent fans will be able to figure out it’s even the same track.

While the organization has massive ambitions to bring the crowd back to the stands, transforming the speedway into a place NASCAR teams, drivers and fans will love to come out to, the reality seems far from that. NASCAR plans on selling off a large amount of the 568-acre property on which the speedway sits, to build an entertainment and hotel complex, hoping to bring the masses back to the track.

However, with no date given for the same, the fandom isn’t pleased. Above all, recent pictures that surfaced on the internet are drowning fans in sorrow as they reminisce about its glorious past from when NASCAR started racing on it in 1997.

Fans left teary-eyed, seeing their favorite track turned into a pile of rubble

It’s a tough time for fans who have loved this track, making the footage even more hard-hitting. It serves as a harsh reminder that the beloved, sweeping 2-mile facility will never be the same. Dave Allen, track president of the NASCAR-owned property, said, “We’ve got some internal approvals to work through, but the hope is to have something to go out with sometime in the near future, right now we just don’t have anything to discuss until we have some approvals done.”

He then called a spade a spade, essentially saying that it would take more than the proposed time of 12-18 months and probably won’t be done in one year. He said, “Yeah, most likely it wouldn’t be ready next year.” These were the comments from Allen last month and with the images doing their rounds on the internet, fans opined their sadness – “RIP AUTO CLUB 2-MILE!!!!!!!,” “My seats are still standing, well for now. I just want to cry. It’s like part of my past is gone.”

Another fan stated the obvious when they wrote, “Very sad to see an old NASCAR track torn up. I remember watching on TV many races there,” while a one-word comment from a fan “Sad” fan summed up the community’s emotion perfectly. A user also mentioned the YouTuber who uncovered the tragic fate of the facility with a comment – “That rips out a piece of my soul. Amazing footage. Thanks again gor documenting this historic.” 

How do you feel about the track being converted to a short track?

READ MORE: “It’ll Be a Short Track for Sure” – NASCAR President, Steve Phelps Promises Fans a New Layout as Auto Club Speedway Gets a Complete Makeover