Why are race tracks going extinct?

[@drive]

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[@aj3405]

You gotta look up Lead Foot City in FL. A brand new Motorsports park and entertainment complex

[@JZStudiosonline]

People buying houses next to racetracks is just as dumb as buying houses next to airports and then complaining about it. It's not like it's a surprise that noise happens there, and it's why your property was so cheap.

[@ISpinUWin]

Amen

[@cbremer83]

Where I grew up, people moved in next to farms and then complained about noise, smells, and dust. People are stupid.

[@jameshisself7375]

Except airports are thriving hubs of commercial activity sanctioned by the government. Which tells us what happens to racetracks and why.

[@billyhatcher643]

yep these people shouldnt be living so close to a race track they where there first before the houses where same goes for night clubs or bars they where there first before houses came in and destroyed the place

[@PigglyWigglyDeluxe]

If you watched the video, he addressed exactly that, and the lawsuit against Laguna was settled out of court

[@Rich_effect]

I saw another video somewhere about Laguna Seca where they interviewed many residents near Laguna Seca and they did not have any issues with noise. It was uncovered that the people that started the lawsuits were not even local residents. It was a plot to grab land for development.

[@verdugod18dv]

Yeah I work in an area and ask homeowners and 90% of them don’t mind

[@StudioDaVeed]

AND always remember; it is people of the racing community (the track owners) that sell out.... Hell; you or I would too with the wads of cash offered....

[@buellzz]

yeah this. Property developers are the issue. They always blame home owners or some environmental thing because they know that will get people off side. Same thing happened for Oran Park and Amaroo Park in Australia.

[@Charlie-go6eb]

@@StudioDaVeed Ya, don’t speak for all of us and what we’d do because that’s how YOU would react.

[@oreojsn92]

the best part is that Laguna Seca is wholly owned and operated by Monterey County. And the track brings in so much tax revenue from year round events and ancillary revenues from lodging, etc that they flat-out refuse to shut down the track and sell.

[@jreyman]

As far as Laguna Seca is concerned, there were NO HOMES near it when it was built. ALL OF THE HOME OWNERS KNEW THERE WAS A TRACK NEARBY WHEN THEY BOUGHT OR BUILT. All of the responsibility belongs to the homeowners, not the raceway. Laguna Seca should be able to be as loud as they want, and host as many events as they want, as often as they like. There was nothing near them when it was built, nor decades after. You knew anout it, built next to it, and now you want to complain... It's complete bullshit on the homeowners and builders part. This is the same as the stupid people that build or buy near an airport that was originally built near nothing, then build next o it and complain about the noise. The airport is not at fault, the home builders and owners are.

[@cousinjohncarstuff4568]

Consider Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix. Built in the middle of nowhere, then development came and folks complain about the noise. They did not notice noisy airplanes before they bought or built?

[@hyphydan]

Chinese Real Estate Investors hate Motorsports and Cannabis

[@othgmark1]

Laguna Seca did have something next to it. Fort Ord which had live firing artillery ranges. Noiser than race cars for sure. Now it has golf courses next to it.

[@jcngokai-76]

It’s ONE guy versus the ENTIRE community of Monterey and Laguna Seca

[@davekat4680]

Well said total BS 🤡

[@TheLukaCeeChannel]

You mentioned the closing of Wild Horse Pass drag strip in Phoenix. That got resolved a year ago and we won. It's was saved and given back it's proper name of Firebird Raceway Park. Great show.

[@a1slater165]

Great news!

[@richardprice5978]

forgot/mentioning-video salt lake city sorry it got renamed to many times and ways Utah to my knowledge is now without and road-corse's miller's is on temporary hiatus to my knowledge and salt( wouldn't dare after $$$ 30+k on body+paint on my 69charger, wide-body+1/2-sized back-door's dihedral+hardtop/removable&caddi/soft-top convertible aka all the 1965-77~/og-team Richard-S mod's and add-door's for luggage and or kid's/wife's/'s-conveyances not wheel-base/limousined-mod/full-sized ) is hit and miss there right dyno( also local tuning shops getting hammered making my EFI swap harder and or ruffing-in my tuneup even if im doing the computer-works ) doesn't equate with the full package running so im forced to testing on my local back roads and also NRHA/track look's at my vin/CI/repop-hemi-head's and or i use a OD-transmission-aka-TR6060 or car-setup and assume's it's a 120-220mph( avoiding this headache is reserved for 2002-up/airbags+obd2 and sub80mph/hwy-fast-speed's aka eco-box's/hybrid's* and then most other people running get irritated as it's possible 90s/1m-run's ) and or wanting a full( there specially/spec'd so it's not based off LB/force-ect vs roof/door/seating-ect, the hellcats/170's have the same problems but dodge/tim showed insurance/track-owners that they had this in mind for sub9/160mph runs past about 180mph needs extra work-body ect ) caged+6-pointing ect and that's $$$$ and doesn't play well with my idea of daily's( hellcats and C-class as class/themed competition ) and or kid's ect same point's for armoury range's, and or i remember being invited to gamble/$$usd street but at the time/2014~era it was easier to say let's keeping on the track and for gas/parts ect and as a childhood/90's i remember seeing similar events happened in the parking lot/elementary pay-bookie and going somewhere else i wasn't part of there-group so i don't know who won the fox bodies or 3G-carmaro or 60's-classic

[@bicyclist2]

Great to hear. Thanks.

[@zerodos_02]

Was it fully resolved? I think alot of things just happened to work out well. The tribe seemingly ran the track well and the pandemic did a good job delaying the proposed project so it getting shelved sorta worked things out. Great to see for a great legendary place.

[@shawnwieser7101]

Unfortunately Phoenix lost Arizona Speedway and Cayon Speed Park, South Mouth Mountain speedway… Others in the state Cocopah Speedway and Prescott Valley. Raceway ... and years ago Speedworld Manzanatia speedway and Beeline :(

[@Your-Local-RX-Guy]

"Take it to the track" isn't gonna have much weight at this rate

[@ZboeC5]

It never has really. There just never were enough racetracks that were open at convenient times to justify telling anybody to "take it to the track"...when the closest track is 3 hours away and only open for special groups on certain weekends a few times a year...there is no point. Imagine if they opened up the Indy 500 racetrack for a nominal fee that regular people could drive as fast as they want around a world class race track now you have my attention.

[@manga12]

@@ZboeC5 indy the brickyard has other stuff at it though like the golf cours that takes part of the back of it, the museum, and its used for research, I think though go as fast as you want is a nightmare for the insureance, and there is a neighborhood around the track as well as all kind of buisnesses dedicated to engines, chassies machining, auto repair its a nexus, usac is also across the street from the brick yard but I think most of what it boils down to is they limit the amount of events per year and the time whcih the track can run they have curfew on events at 10 though at the bc39 midget race they went over that by about 20-30 minuts two years ago when they mentioned it, and the other reason they dont do that is insurance indy is one of the biggest ovels in the world the chance of being hurt or killed if you are not used to running it is very high.

[@tyman2323]

​@@ZboeC5imagine the amount of lives that could be saved too

[@TheCortez714]

Join the NHRA street legal class

[@Brian-rj5rl]

And race where? You can join the the class, but when a track can only have 2 events a year... And the next closest track is hours away

[@boyfrmnewyork]

Car culture has been dying year by year. People just drive "mobile appliances" today and have no connection to vehicle as they did in the 50s and 60s...

[@StarkRaven59]

Cars have gotten more expensive. More integrated electronics, some good, some bad, harder to work on, and did I mention more expensive? Far more people now outright can't afford a car, or can barely afford one, and don't have money left over to participate in anything beyond driving to and from work. The expertise barrier is higher, and also car manufacturers absolutely don't want you to work on your own car; as I recall a big manufacturer got into a legal battle over customer maintenance/modification. "Car culture" now is either virtual, through video games and the internet, or more largely a rich man's hobby, as they are the ones with the actual time and money to participate.

[@SSinister_Grin]

​@@StarkRaven59 Zoomers aren't getting divers license.

[@nickz4993]

Just the results of compounding government regulations and people demanding more and more refinement every single year. A stagnant product is a dead product

[@mauricemotors8207]

Blame the takeovers

[@SSinister_Grin]

@mauricemotors8207 Blame the Blacks and Mexicans? I think you're on to something.

[@mathewhumvee]

Remember, no city would approve a racetrack to be built next to a subdivision or mansions. So why would a city approve the homes next to the track……….

[@bloqk16]

I don't agree with the sensibilities of building housing tracts next to raceways . . . But, empty land does not generate revenue for the county or city. Whereas building homes on empty land generates revenues for: - Building suppliers. - Construction jobs. - Taxes on developed land. - Infrastructure utilities services (water, natural gas, electricity, communications) profiting from their expanded services to the newly formed communities. - Growth of the retailers sectors.

[@UserUser-zc6fx]

Because the property taxes from subdivisions are orders of magnitude more than from a race track. The subdivisions that the local government approved near Cletus McFarlands track are expected to bring in several million per year, where as Cletus is likely paying $10k or less for his track.

[@cousinjohncarstuff4568]

@@UserUser-zc6fx I know the elected city officials said it is not going to be shut down. Though $$$$ might persuade the next bunch to decide to condemn it, or take through the domain process. Best to sell it now, with 4 years time to continue use and to find land and build another Freedom Factory.

[@douglasdixon524]

​@@bloqk16 Exactly, these idiots act as if a city should stop growing just because of a race track. These same people would not bat an eye if food producing farms were destroyed for a race track or homes.

[@APS_Inc]

​@@bloqk16 They do it because they want to get rid of the racetrack, and the easiest way to do that is approve housing next to a noisy racetrack and then the homeowners will raise cane and "pressure" the city to de-zone the racetrack that they had already wanted to get rid of.

[@laneeric]

One thing he failed to mention is most track owners fail to convince the local legislation how much "out of town" revenue that is generated at these events. Because most racers come in from out of town, it's basically free tax revenue without requiring the infrastructure to support local residents (schools, police, housing, shopping, etc). Besides, and I know first hand from attending many of these meetings in NorCal (Sonoma, Sac Raceway & Laguna are all short drives from my house) that local politicians only run these public hearings as window dressing and to fill the requirement set by local laws, they have already been "paid" and have their mind set waaaay before these hearings ever take place. A perfect example is the Freedom Factory/Bradenton Dragstrip.

[@cmdrdredd]

Expect shocked pikachu faces when the local economy takes a dive and business begin to close because they relied on the people coming in for race weekends.

[@aggieroadracer]

Exactly! When Texas World Speedway (2.9 mile road course) closed back in 2017, the city had their hearings and were hopeful that the developer would make good on the 2000+ homes to be built for the property tax revenue...when in fact, the 48 weekends a year that there were events at the facility it ranked THIRD in total annual visitors behind Texas A&M Football games and Texas A&M Baseball Games. It was expected that the development would take 15 years to build out, but now after just 7 years, there are barely 400 homes out there on the 650 acres. All the businesses that used to be frequented by the track visitors have struggled AND all the track staff lost their jobs. What construction jobs were created have been shared amongst 15 other developments all over the area/county and those sites are building out faster because? They are 6 miles closer to town and have FAR lower taxes with better EMS services....and a School system for their kids. Biggest waste of a racetrack in recent history in the chase for property taxes that I have seen. Had Hurricane Harvey not occurred and the track owner not been bailed out by vehicle storage fees by the insurance companies needing storage space for the 10's of thousands of flood vehicles, we would still have the great ol' track to play at today.

[@slideways2004]

@@aggieroadracer That's a shame. I always wondered why they chose THAT land instead of closer into town.

[@langhamp8912]

There's also a safety factor in having a local racetrack that is cheap for drivers/riders to use; you want go-fast people to stay off public streets, and that was the justification of converting WWII Army/Air Force land into into racetracks and using taxpayer money to partially fund these tracks.

[@Tothefloor]

I wish you had mentioned Palm Beach International Raceway, which used to be called Moroso, It was the oldest drag strip in the United States and it went under a few years ago. I think that warranted a nod.

[@aussie2uGA]

Great memories in Jupiter from that time. Burt Reynolds ranch and Moroso.

[@yoyodawgsupbrah]

Dude PBIR went under? Wow I’m glad I had the chance to race there

[@TeinMustang]

Add in that is wasn't just a drag strip, but had a solid road course too makes it all the rougher.

[@cmdrdredd]

@@yoyodawgsupbrah Yeah some investment group bought it and shut it down trying to sell it to walmart for a distribution center. They couldn't get it rezoned because there was a big pushback from the community but the owners won't sell to anyone less than tens of millions so nobody can open it back up. Some have tried making offers but no bite. They are content to let it rot with a bunch of land unused.

[@nickwest932]

Palm Beach and Sebring were my local tracks growing up! I also spent a lot of time at Road Atlanta.

[@WezleyB]

The soul of the automobile has been dying for the last 40 years... Motorsports is a rich person sport, and most of us aren't rich anymore..

[@farishanafiah8461]

Not necessarily. There are still affordable race series you can enter. I mean, 24 Hour of Lemons exist for such a reason.

[@seanc5718]

@@farishanafiah8461 "affordable" the entry fee is over $1000, plus a car, storing a car, getting the car to the event, fuel etc. The only affordable part about it is the car's cost limit. The only affordable racing left is sim racing and even that isn't that cheap.

[@BritAcrossThePond]

Don’t worry new president will fix that

[@thedon-e6514]

@@BritAcrossThePond You’re Dreaming! Like a rich dude is gonna dismantle neoliberalism?

[@anthonyrowland9072]

@@thedon-e6514 Yeah the richest cabinet ever is looking out for the little guy lmao

[@BrownSofaGamer]

SoCal was home of the first drag strip in the United States, and now it has none. It is currently home to the oldest active road course, and now that’s at risk too. We’re already out of drag strips, we cannot lose Willow Springs too. The only upside is there’s nothing out for anyone to develop and the Huth family said they want to sell it to someone who will keep the track going. Edit: I have a feeling Irwindale’s closure is gonna increase street racing in the LA area. I want to amend this before anyway says anything also, I’m aware of Pomona Raceway, but that one does not really do the same amateur racing events as Irwindale and Auto Club Dragway did.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

A 'feeling',... more a guarantee.

[@machupikachu1085]

It absolutely will. I talked to a guy this weekend that said since Irwindale is shutting down, he ain't gonna stop racing on the streets until he or someone else dies. It was wild.

[@BrownSofaGamer]

@@machupikachu1085 I was doing some reading, and back in the 50s some hot rodders in San Diego started a riot after the city shut down their illegal, but off street drag racing at an old air strip. The racers demanded the city make a real strip for them and it actually worked (albeit with a riot). Sadly I don’t think that same thing would work today because the sympathy for car enthusiasts from everyone else in SoCal is at an all time low, but it’s still a neat story. Plus in the past when track like Ontario closed, ones like Fontana and Irwindale sprung up to take its place, so there’s still hope it could happen again.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

@@machupikachu1085 New track out near Dulcich Farms? ;)

[@mikeanderson3334]

There are now subdivisions within a mile of Willow Springs. Those people have votes, the racers do not. Days are numbered.. Its very sad..

[@aj_theshark]

SoCal native here. I used to go to Irwindale regularly for the stock car racing. Moved out of CA years ago but my family would keep me informed on the track's status. It's a shame we're losing so many facilities. You touched on Auto Club Speedway in Fontana being repurposed into a short track. The truth is we have seen zero progress on that supposed redevelopment. The NASCAR community is now skeptical we'll see racing in SoCal anytime soon. I believe all that is left is Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield. I have been to KCRP for an ARCA race. It's a wonderful facility. But the distance to Bakersfield makes it not so convenient for residents of the Greater L.A. Area to go there on a weekly basis. I used to go to these tracks to see future stars who now race in NASCAR's Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series. I hope there is some resurgence so future race fans can experience the same thing. It's a wonderful feeling seeing someone have success in NASCAR's top ranks and say "I used to see them race at my local short track." Slapshoes did a video about this a while ago and said the best way to keep our tracks open is to support them. But it seems not even doing that is saving them.

[@BrownSofaGamer]

@@aj_theshark It’s incredibly sad to see SoCal lose its second Super-speedway. At the rate they’re going with the redevelopment of Auto Club its gonna be nothing but a memory like Ontario.

[@MikeyKaos716]

Is Orange Show still going? Perris for the dirt racing fans? I moved out of SoCal in 2005, and it's sad to hear the short track racing scene is drying up there.

[@BrownSofaGamer]

@@MikeyKaos716 Both are still open! Someone in Perris actually opened up a 330’ drag strip next to the oval track.

[@aussie2uGA]

Moroso Raceway in Florida disappeared due to real estate prices. It’s hard for racetracks and golf courses to say no to developers offering many many millions for the land.

[@_Turtle_420]

That's the thing they people buying out these tracks are people trying to build complexes with golf courses for the more and more retired people who keep moving here, ruining the state atmosphere while also complaining how much better their state was.

[@anthonyrowland9072]

@@_Turtle_420 It just drives up prices for those already there too. California republicans don't know how much they're hurting Tennessee republicans with their "affordable" homes. lol

[@aussie2uGA]

@@_Turtle_420 Developer paid 120 million for the golf course I was on in Georgia. It kills the surrounding residents property values too.

[@_Turtle_420]

@anthonyrowland9072 im just sick of everyone thinking they know what's best for the people when the people already got together and did that themselves. It's absolutely ridiculous someone from a different state can come and built a home near my hypothetical race track and sue me for noise when it's inherent in the area

[@davidvanbrunt4233]

Not many golf courses go under....

[@whalesequence]

I have little faith Nascar will actually redevelop Auto Club into a short track.

[@needsmetal]

they havent done shit

[@jimhaines8370]

@@needsmetal Well they have they have torn down and built all around it and I am with you show me drawings to prove it will work because I see now way it would or will

[@d.d.7287]

Technically, you're right about IMS. It's in Speedway, not Indianapolis. However. Speedway is literally surrounded by Indianapolis. The only reason it's not technically Indianapolis is because over the years the town rejected being incorporated into Indy. Indianapolis Raceway Park would be a better example.

[@waynek805]

Yes BUT, when the track was built all the way back in 1909, it was several miles outside the city of Indianapolis and the town of Speedway grew up around the track. If it was anything other than the most iconic racetrack hosting the biggest auto race in the world, IMS likely would have been shut down by now.

[@AlisonCreech]

An interesting article. One overlooked aspect I believe puts a great strain on tracks is insurance. Those rates only ever go up, and I know that in Canada, the insurance rate for a grassroots-level circuit has gone up over 500% in under 20 years. And that doesn't include event-specific insurance, just run of the mill expense.

[@PigglyWigglyDeluxe]

It’s like people who complain about no one is building wagons, but when they are available, no one buys them

[@herculesrockefeller8784]

You mean the $180,000 dollar m3 touring. Ya why isn’t that selling? 🤷‍♂️ damn complainers. You should complain more about them complaining.

[@anydaynow01]

They kind of have, they're called crossovers or CUVs these days 😅, and every year they get lower to the ground and more like traditional station wagons / estates!

[@williamford9564]

It's not just drag racing tracks that are closing. Small town dirt tracks and small ovals for race cars, midgets, late models and sprint cars are closing all other the country. Part of the issue is there is not enough revenue coming in from ticket sales and other sources to cover expenses and track maintenance expenses for the track owners or promoters. In some cases, the real estate has much more value for other uses than as a race track.

[@Michael-pi8ps]

Sounds like it’s just business then. If a business can’t afford to operate then it should shut down

[@codyperez6481]

As a young bracket racer in socal. thank you, after Fontana dragstrip closed in 2020 I’ve been scared of where drag racing is going. No one can have fun in this country without a million dollars.

[@MiniBikeReece377]

same I'm just getting into it here in nor cal sonoma raceway is the only track near me, time will tell when they shut that one down

[@anydaynow01]

Yeah the SoCal backroads and desert are about to become scenes from Two Lane Blacktop again!

[@Gryphonamx]

The one I grew up at that just closed was Rockford Motor Speedway in Illinois. A glorious short track with a LOT of history, sold to developers. :(

[@jimhaines8370]

And every time I saw a photo or video it was very well attended with good car counts.

[@mattmattes3913]

I call it "The Yellowstone Effect". And that goes for all property owners. Government, local, state and federal, keep changing the distance to the goal post AKA taxes. If they don't like what your doing, well we'll just keep raising your taxes till you can't afford to keep and own what's yours. It's a "Technically I didn't lie." Everytime they raise taxes, you & I take a pay cut.

[@horsepowercowboy3698]

Irwindale never hosted Cup. The highest it hosted was ARCA Menards Series

[@michaelwhitney3305]

True. But thought Irwindale hosted Craftsman Trucks for a while in Trucks’ early years? Akin to Pikes Peak oval track, Tucson raceway and Evergreen Speedway.

[@horsepowercowboy3698]

@ no the SoCal tracks for the trucks were Saugus and Fontana

[@michaelwhitney3305]

@@horsepowercowboy3698 ah Saugus- that must be the one I was thinking of, my mistake.

[@GeorgeMcNally]

You should interview Cleetus.

[@Rommie26]

Exactly who I thought of

[@timlantz9742]

SAC Dragway was the first strip where I tripped the timing lights! Horrible shame it got shut down. Like you mentioned in your video - it just prompted racers to take it to the streets. Ironic because many drag strip were built to solve a street racing problem.

[@JasonTrew2018]

Auto Club Speedway sits right in the middle of 2 closed up racetracks, Ontario Motor Speedway (closed in 1980 after being sold to Chevron) and Riverside International Raceway (closed in 1989 from urban sprawl) and not too far from me was Boyd's Speedway, a nice little dirt track that even hosted NASCAR back in the 60's , now it's getting demolished and 70+ years of memories are finally gone and the closest for me are either Spring City or Chatsworth.

[@ratfinkG]

Ontario was turned into a shopping complex and Riverside became a shopping Mall

[@jonathanstensberg]

The big solution is for tracks to buy the adjacent land and develop themselves with light industry and warehouses. This keeps the developers at bay, keeps future residents further away, and diversifies the track’s finances. Of course, that all depends upon the track having land available for purchase next door, having the capital make those purchases, and then having the wherewithal to become land developers.

[@slideways2004]

This is a good idea but it all takes money. Sometimes of which the track owner may not have. Sometimes it is easier to get a loan once they have some leases signed, so maybe go that route.

[@anydaynow01]

This would be a great idea, just build out in the middle of nowhere like the Nevada desert or a mountainside forest course in West Virginia, then have a collection of cottage industries and a hotel or two supporting the track as a buffer zone around it. Only problem is they can't be too far from civilization or few folks would trek out there. Japan has a pretty insane "motorsports retreat" and VIR is starting to build more track side villas. So the whole country club for motor heads is taking off also, so there is a bit of financial promise there as long as us peons are still welcome to use the track 😅

[@Max-pi7ri]

Looks like street racing is going to be increasing in popularity

[@SlamTF2]

I feel the biggest problem for non-drag tracks is that it's so confusing and unintuitive how to start doing track days in the first place. You need to pick a valid day to go, oh wait their website is from the 90's or doesn't get updates so it's a game of call and see every week until something opens up, kay done, now you gotta schedule to have an instructor ride with you for x amount of hours until you can drive solo, cool, now you gotta find a time slot for that which works for you and pay out the ass to make it happen, etc etc.

[@versteeghrt]

Agreed! Getting info about actually racing is nearly impossible unless you know somebody that’s already “in!” And promoters just can’t figure out why participation is shrinking!

[@DownEastSaw]

If all the people who piss and moan about racetracks closing down ACTUALLY WENT TO THE RACETRACKS FOR EVENTS, then the tracks wouldn’t be closing.

[@cmdrdredd]

Most of us did and still do dummy

[@LtDanhaslegs]

The working class has less money, that's the ultimate root of this entire conversation. It's hard to stay interested in racing when you're working 60 hour weeks and don't have any extra money to put into something unnecessary. You get a Friday night off, and even if going to the races isn't actually that expensive, the fire isn't there anymore because you don't have enough money to look at the Corvettes out there and think about how you're going to upgrade your Cobalt later. I race motorcycles and this conversation comes up constantly at the track, it's the same thing. Until 2007, you could buy a GSXR600 for 100/month, or put it on a credit card while working for near minimum wage at an oil change place. Until wages come up, everything we love will die, starting with the expensive things.

[@anydaynow01]

This is true to a certain extent but it really comes down to tax revenue and property taxes. The local government just property taxes the track out of existence then reaps the benefit from collecting even more when they give the green light to developers to start plopping down McMansions on postage stamp lots. Each of those properties pays a ton in various local property taxes and the residents spend more money to support local business (more local property taxes) when they go out shopping locally. Even if the track is slam packed every weekend and the local supporting speed shops are humming with activity, there's no way they can compete financially with a modern housing development unless it's located out in an area where nobody wants to live anyway like near an airport, major railway terminal, industrial zone or hours out in the middle of nowhere. There's a track near me trying to get into various outdoor venues on none race days (mostly concerts) for more revenue but their real saving grace is they're located near a rather large freeway interchange with plenty of truck stops so nobody wants to develop that area for anything but industrial purposes anyway.

[@ImaFirinMyLazuh]

Which is hilarious because often those new suburban style neighborhoods require so much infrastructure and maintenance in 30, 50 years that they are net negative on the balance sheet. Not much town infrastructure on a track

[@ArmeeDerTristen93]

As someone who works at two short tracks as an official/marshal; quit streaming and get your backs in the stands! I get that rising costs affect everything, including our operations, insurance, etc; but we need people now more than ever if you want to keep what little short tracks you have left. Come out to Perris Auto Speedway and Orange Show Speedway! The closer of Auto Club still irritates me to this day, and now losing Irwindale is just another kick while being down. I’ve never attended an Irwindale event until their final NoD last month; mostly because every night one of my tracks ran Irwindale had a show going as well.. Hoping to make it out for the final showdown this coming weekend, just wish this wasn’t for a long time to come..

[@JSmith19858]

There is an issue with illegal off roading where I live. Other councils have set up places for people to do it and seen their issues disappear. My council shut down three existing sites and saw the problem explode, but it isn't down to their actions, oh no

[@dsanford12]

Absolutely hard breaking to lose the dale , i grew up here , riverside, Ontario, fontana , ascot , saugus , corona , el cajon , victorville , 605 speedway, 😢

[@discpad]

Delaware Valley (Philly area) checking in here: The real estate value is what killed not only auto racing but also horse race tracks, the latter assisted by Atlantic City casino gambling. Langhorne was turned into a shopping center in 1970 (I was at the last Champ Car race Uncle Bobby won) & Trenton in 1980 (I was at the last Champ Car race there, too, won by Big Al in 1979; and my then-boss Sid Sussman bought it for the land in August 1980). Langhorne turned into a shopping center, while the nearby industrial park expanded into the Trenton Fairgrounds & Speedway. Englishtown died after Hurricane Sandy, turned into a parking lot for flood damaged cars; while Atco is gone, turned into another parking lot. In the region, all that is left is Pocono, NJ Motorsports Park, and Dover, which also has a casino. Metro Atlanta (my new home town): Atlanta Dragway closed not because of real estate value, as it’s all the way out in Commerce, 60 miles NE of Malfunction Junction in Commerce; but because it was just too far out: Road Atlanta in Braselton is only half as far out I-85 as Commerce. Lakewood Speedway, where parts of Smokey & The Bandit, is gone; but Atlanta International Raceway, now Atlanta Motor Speedway down in Hampton is too developed to turn into an industrial park.

[@ReaperThugX]

It’s just so expensive to do anything involved with cars nowadays. That’s probably the biggest issue

[@anydaynow01]

Yeah the cheaper good local speed shops have closed or just work on regular cars now. There's only one local shop now and their labor costs are just astronomical, which they get working on building JDM classic garage queens. If someone doesn't have a garage or a decent driveway (sans HOA) at home to do the work themselves they better be rich to afford upkeep and upgrades for their cars. The plus side is specialty tools are much cheaper now (considering inflation) and there are plenty of instructional videos and FSMs to download, way easier than it was even ten years ago to be a shade tree mechanic.

[@PigglyWigglyDeluxe]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention Thunder Hill, literally the most middle-of-nowhere track in California. It’s so much in the middle of nowhere that people hate going because it’s too far away

[@drive]

We were going to mention Chuckwalla for the same reason. Even Sonoma has nothing around it but wetlands.

[@mikeanderson3334]

@@drive And yet Sonoma has major sound restrictions because the neighbors complain..

[@cmdrdredd]

@@mikeanderson3334 I bet my Mustang is louder than some of the cars driving on the track lol.

[@kristinahylton5514]

We go to Thunderhill and we live in Central Oregon. The ONLY reason we would go to California!

[@willracer1jz]

9:09 Irwindale never hosted a NASCAR Cup series race. They used to host Winston West/ARCA West races which is the four tiers down from the Cup series.

[@alien_marksman]

Here in Australia I live a short 5 min drive from a historic road course which is only surviving due to strict noise restrictions.. and I fear that is only delaying the inevitable closure caused from nearby housing developments

[@derekhobbs1102]

Sandown?

[@alien_marksman]

Lakeside, QLD

[@jp6614]

That is the beginning of the end 🏁

[@Jafromobile]

The currency devaluation coupled with inflation are why tracks are closing. It didn't just cause the real estate value to skyrocket, it directly impacted the emerging enthusiast's ability to afford participating in the hobby. It's why a base model Tundra is $50k now, and a loaded one is 6-figures. If you have to make the decision between parts and eating, or not being homeless, the choice is simple. I lost my local drag strip that operated near an airport behind an industrial park. The perfect location. It was bought originally for around $200,000 30 years ago and sold for $3.1M. Its assessed value tripled during only a few months at the onset of the pandemic. More than anyone would ever collect selling admission over their entire lifetime. It takes staff to run it. That's an expense for the owners that's at least as high as the maintenance and equipment, and in California, what's that minimum wage? So, passion can only compete but so much with the rapidly-declining $USD no matter how passionate they are. And yes, absolutely, it's definitely all over our public roads now. I don't care what anyone's politics are but we know who caused it. Two things they're not making any more of... Real estate and precious metals. If you have those when the dollar goes belly-up, you'll be warm, dry, and fed. If you don't, blame the FED and its leadership.

[@alexisborden3191]

That price increase is not inflation, $200k did not inflate to $3.1 mil in 30 years. The reason is the real estate industry is basically a cartel, and they drive up the cost of real estate for the sake of their investments, meanwhile, people can barely afford rent let alone homes. What needs to happen is the property costs need to be driven down.

[@Jafromobile]

@@alexisborden3191 You believe what you want. Land is a commodity. Its value is a constant. Currency is not.

[@alexisborden3191]

@@Jafromobile Yeah that's my point, the value to society of the racetrack in question is unchanged, the difference is the real estate industry has driven up the price of the land which is arbitrary. It has driven the price up relative to everything else, which isn't the same as inflation. If it was inflation, everyone's wages would have risen with it, but they haven't.

[@JZStudiosonline]

The Tundra pricing is more than just inflation. There's way more tech in modern cars, along with import fees, EPA requirements, safety requirements, etc. Also, since Obama ruined the used car market there's no longer a surplus of cheap used cars, and since the virus hit the used market got even worse.

[@RaijinRacer011]

I live close to Sacramento Raceway in the Arden-Arcade District of Sacramento, when I heard the track was being put on sale I was in shock. My mother and my uncle were both hardtop dirt track racers and participated in races at various short-track dirt ovals in Northern California in the 1960s, this included Sacramento Raceway's dirt oval. With many local tracks disappearing to make room for shopping plazas and housing since they retired in the 1970s, it's unfortunate that Sacramento Raceway was dealt the same fate. Now the closest cheap trackday option is Thunderhill in Willows about 96mi northwest of where I live (Sonoma's another option and is closer being 73mi away, but cost of entry is pretty high).

[@tylerc161]

I lived in Kansas growing up. KCIR shutting down was so sad. That's where we used to have "High School Drags" event. It saddens me my younger brothers will never get to experience going down the 1/4, even if it was in a 1997 Saturn Wagon like I had when I was in high school lol.(class of 06)

[@JSRacing61]

1 thing that is in-accurate on this video, 5:45 - Wild Horse Pass was saved & reopened back under it's original name of Firebird.

[@Raptor4J]

This title is so misleading. Laguna Seca isnt going anywhere, I live down the street from it so i know about the whole deal. Monterey County favors the track because of how much money it brings to the area every year, that and its only been updated recently and will continue to be updated for the next 50 years. Ive actually seen more racetracks opening this year instead of closing by long shot.

[@sailorviolet92]

My father took me to watch drag racing pretty regularly as a kid. What a shame 😢

[@combatwombat594]

I've grown up with racing. I've been going to dirt tracks since I was 3 weeks old. My uncle used to race dirt stock cars when I was still single digits. I have now also worked in racing for 5 years as an official doing timing and scoring, running the computers for the races. Damn does it take a lot of passion. If you do go to local races, stop and thank a track worker some time. It's honestly a thankless job 99% of the time, and usually, people just complain. Fans complain, drivers complain, the accounting department complains, but the end of the day, I just want to see good racing. I wouldn't do what I do if I didn't love racing, and it honestly tears me apart that it's falling by the wayside. Racing has so many lessons and so much to teach. I'm only 30, but I'm hoping I can make a global career in racing, doing something I love. I wish more people would give their local tracks a try one Saturday night. Not everything is NASCAR and turning left for 4 hours (as much as I grew up with NASCAR as well of course). My entire life is, and always has been racing. Idk what I would do without it....

[@Lionlover666]

I live and go to school near Irwindale. One of my professors works with FD to do field trips for local schools to the tracks, and he lets us, his students, tag along as long as we drive ourselves to the event. It's awesome because we got to walk the track, and We went to the Friday session, then the Monday after that we learned that Irwindale would be closing and discussed how it was crazy that we got to go to what was the final FD event in Irwindale ever. It's hard losing that place. Also, btw the point about people taking the racing to the streets is probably gonna happen because the closest track now that's the most like Irwindale is Kern Speedway which is just over 2 hours away.

[@stickman-1]

Pahrump, NV (population 40K) has a large PRIVATE racetrack (Spring Mountain) that has nearly doubled in size in the last 10 years. It hosts a driving school, club events, track rental, etc. There are no NHRA, NASCAR or other professional events and yet the place just keeps growing. Texas Motorplex is another example of a successful track. (Ennis, Texas) Las Vegas Motor Speedway is another. The racetracks that are dying are because they have not kept up with modern times. When Billy Meyer built the Motorsplex, (1986) he put every other track in the country to shame. It's one of the best tracks in the world and I love it. Shortly thereafter every track either got up to speed or went or is going out of business. These tracks bring MILLIONS of dollars into a community when done right and the local gov. love them. That's the ticket. It's "go big or go home."

[@socaldatsun8551]

This sad story has been all too reoccurring in my life. I was born in Gardena and used to go to Ascot Speedway as a child. My father also helped big Willie start brotherhood Raceway out in terminal Island that was eventually shut down. After that, we moved out to a place called Sunnymead, that turned into a place called Moreno Valley. In that city, they had Riverside international raceway that hosted a bevy of races. From NASCAR IndyCar to Formula One drag racing, and a number of other racing series. That was closed down for a mall sadly. I vividly remember my father crying when that track shut down as that was the reason why we moved the area in the first place.

[@Sh3isty_GangRacingSGR]

Irwindale is just an offer you can’t refuse… big warehouse company says here’s a bunch of money the track organizers could never pay ever. Because as an Irwindale regular fan, Thursdays would bring in 100’s of competitors and nearly a full grandstand of spectators. And weekend oval racing would sell out or be close to selling out with or without “main ticket” divisions visiting. Drifting events, filming all came to the dale producing 100’s of thousands of dollars. But yet it still wasn’t enough for the new lease. Last time the dale was threatened ground was too polluted and the company went bankrupt. All I can say is the ground has been more polluted since then so hoping that can save the dale

[@garybulwinkle82]

I grew up next to Laguna Seca and could actually see the top of the cork screw. The noisiest times were not during race day, but during practice! The guys that had the older cars (big V8s) with the open exhaust could really thunder around the track. I loved those days!!! I have dreams of my childhood and I can hear the cars the way the sound echoes through the valleys in a certain way.

[@slideways2004]

What a dream! So lucky

[@usernamegenerico]

7:56 You didn't mention The Crew 2 (2018), it's the 1 game I know of that does have drag racing

[@ISpinUWin]

We’ve lost some tracks in Texas. Largest of recent times was Texas World Speedway which I was so lucky to drive before closure. Currently our major tracks seem to be doing pretty good - by the looks of them they seem to be improving their facilities as well. 🤞

[@uhclem50]

TMS used to have two NASCAR races, now it has one. It no longer has an Indycar race. A lot of people have moved into the area in recent years and urban sprawl had already reached the speedway. I think it's on the way out.

[@marty0063]

@@uhclem50hope you’re wrong, but NASCAR fans complain a lot about it too. We enjoy the races out there. I miss the IndyCar race out there too. I guess we got to see it there a few times. A few years ago they had 3-4 weekends of the year with races. Sad it’s declined so quickly.

[@marty0063]

The Devil’s Bowl had its last race last year. A local dirt track in Mesquite. The owners were retiring and no one wanted to buy it to keep it as a race track. Developers bought it.

[@Scrapyard24c]

At least the people who developed the land TWS once sat on didn't forget the place's past. From what I've heard most of the streets are named after famous drivers and other motorsports terminology.

[@shinigami1320]

It's getting more expensive that's why. People are now Sim Racers.

[@theelmagoo]

I think the biggest issue is that it's California, and ANY land close to the 3 big cities (i.e. anything within 50 miles of them) is prime property. As you mentioned the Colorado owners are building a newer facility, which might have been the reason they wanted to sell the old facility as they saw it as an opportunity to make a lot of cash AND get a new / better facility out of it. California is just rife with issues like this for car enthusiasts and their surrounding industries.

[@slideways2004]

Exactly. If the real estate is prime, there is a lot of profit to be made by developing it into "regular" urban sprawl.

[@gastonbelanger5346]

Irwindale History> Back in the 50’s I remember before Irwindale was a drag strip it was just a landing strip for crop-dusters next to the San Gabriel river bed. I was 14 at the time doing wheelies with my Schwinn bicycle when a man approached me and ask me if I wanted to race a 1924 model T water truck on the first opening day of the Irwindale Drag Strip. I was the first one to race on that drag strip getting the hole shot off the start line pumping as hard as I could looking back half way down the strip as the water truck was gaining on me, breathlessly losing speed pounding the peddles I beat the truck by half a bicycle length crossing the finish line at an 11 miles per hour speed. The water truck was used to water down the dusty dirt pit area. In 1956 @ 16 years old I went into business with my brother Jerry as Belanger Brothers Muffler in West Covina, Cal. I started drag racing a 49 Ford 6 cl then bought a 56 Chevy 210 265 V8, welded on cutouts and went drag racing, this lead me into building Headers right off the heads, as time went on the Muffler shop evolved into Belanger Bros Headers Brother Jerry and I jigged up Headers for all the muscle cars in the 60’s. I got drafted in the Army in 1963 during the Vietnam war, meanwhile brother Jerry built and jigged headers for production for all the all the Mussle cars into the 90’s, plus Dragsters, Funny Cars, Gassers, Race Boats, Custom show cars, if it went bang Jerry built headers for it. Jerry died of Cancer, his Son Lou took over the business and to this day Lou is still producing Headers for Dodge Vipers and all the Hemi motor cars/trucks Dodge makes. That’s 70 years of legendary high performance exhaust systems, still going strong even with today’s sour economy, guy’s/girls just want to go fast no matter what. And all this started from Jerry and I drag racing at Irwindale drag strip in it’s early 50’s. Side note> When I got discharged from the Army in 1965 as an Infantry Recon Sergeant I moved to the Big Island of Hawaii living there for 40 years racing Motocross and off road. I was involved for 25 years putting on the Mauna Kea 200, a two day 200 mile two day race event. We, the Rock Island Riders were the first to start extreme hard enduro racing events through tangled vine Jungles, mud boged Rain Forest, nasty rough bad boy a’a lava flows from Sea level to top of Mauna Kea Volcano @ 13,960 feet elevation in rain, fog, snow, thick dust and reverse course back down to Hilo town. You were doing good just to finish. Now @ 83 years old I’m still riding dirt bikes on the gas. ~~Go fast take chances, go faster than the crash~~ Gotta love racing of any kind, it’s an endless sport…support it, your kids will love you for it. Gaston AKA Gasser Belanger

[@marcusvolpicella5277]

Fortunately, Wild Horse Pass was saved and is now Firebird Motorsports Park. :)

[@deltavee2]

The fact that quarter-mile drag strips have been pussied down to 1,000 feet probably doesn't help. But they still call it a quarter-mile. Reminds me of a Jaguar commercial I saw recently....

[@NudaMan]

I’m glad Sonoma raceway is still around

[@DubYOUUP]

We should all pitch in as car guys, buy a piece of land and make our own racetrack fuck it.

[@anydaynow01]

There are actually a few projects like this in the Southeast. Went with a buddy to a road coarse where some local guys bought a tree plantation sold a bunch of the trees and hired a local freeway repair company to put in a pretty fun road course out there with decent elevation change and all. The only downside is it's an invitation only private course, but it's happening!

[@Iamwolf134]

The owners of these racetracks themselves are partly to blame in this instance. Some of the developments immediately preceding recent times was a golden opportunity for the owners to pivot towards building race resort areas near the tracks such that prospective residents could simply go to the track, have their track days, and then go back home, having the opportunity to do much the same thing again as desired.

[@BritAcrossThePond]

At least with a road course you can rent it out for track days. 1/2 mile ovals can’t do that

[@JZStudiosonline]

You... could, it just wouldn't really much interest. I don't see why they wouldn't at least try to bring in some kind of passive income.

[@BritAcrossThePond]

@@JZStudiosonlinecan’t see a market for it

[@that.schamp]

Property taxes are the most destructive form of taxation.

[@motorcyclestig8539]

I used to do shifter karts in southern California and by the time I stopped all the tracks were gone. Perris and Grange are the only ones that stayed alive. Sad that irwindale is going I used to go to the last round of FD there. I moved away from Commiefornia.

[@JimmyMakingitwork]

Every race track I went to as a kid in New York is gone now, apartments and condo's. All because they built developments nearby and the complaints came next and the track sold the land to avoid the lawsuits after that. I used to think it was aimed only at race tracks, but they seem to be doing it to Farmers too, so we might be raceless and hungry soon.

[@k.959]

Got even a go cart track is safe in California

[@Michael-pi8ps]

What are you talking about? They just opened up a brand new karting track called K1 Circuit back in October 2024…

[@Funkyboozer]

The same in the UK. A circuit could have been there for 70 years and someone who buys a house close by, 5 minutes ago, complains about the noise.

[@erick48252]

Here in Brazil, the Interlagos racetrack went through difficult times, being in the process of being sold for construction of buildings. Today, the racetrack has opened up more space for motorsports events and especially large music events. Thanks to music events, the place has become more attractive, there are more investments taking place and the racetrack will not be sold.

[@RBFR01]

The more race tracks that get shut down the more people do burnouts on public roads.

[@ShawnsTrains265]

Can we get RedBull or some big name sponsor to help save tracks?

[@StormyTuesday5108]

Fantastic idea

[@RolandDrehtRaeder]

The sponsor integration in this video was pretty funny I must say :D

[@herbycarlos6794]

I have never been a fan of drag racing, but am all for them sticking around. I do track days at road racing circuits and it is not cheap. I will say for those that dislike side shows or people racing on the street and canyons, you should all be for tracks getting subsidies so that it's not just up to mega millionaires having passion projects to keep these tracks alive because what happens instead is you get the race track version of a country club instead, like Thermal Club. A few skid pads would probably help with the side show issues.

[@johnbehneman1546]

SO SAD, I MISS OCIR AND CARLSBAD RACEWAY.

[@curmudgeon154]

This is not only happening to race tracks but also motocross/dirt bike tracks. Between insurance premiums, lawsuits and the high costs of operating due to increased inflation.

[@B1GSARG351]

@Cleetus has done more for the sport of drag racing, than the NHRA/IHRA in the last 5 years, and I will die on this hill.

[@willboler830]

Here in the racing capital of the world, we don't have race tracks open to the public, aside some drag strip and dirt tracks, and people here race like crazy in the streets. More recently, street take overs were popping up everywhere. When people don't have a place to go, they just do it out on the street, hurting the rest of us.

[@rindelzivas]

I fully understand why it's happening, and hell, I can get that getting a bag of money waved under your nose is hard to say no to. But if it shuts, it's gonna sting. My first date with my partner of 12 years was at Irwindale for a Formula D final. I was looking forward to the idea of taking our boy to an event there someday. And now? That's likely just ancient history.

[@slicksouth5773]

Also worth a mention. Myrtle Beach speedway closed a few years back. RIP Dirty Myrtle.

[@seanc5718]

Do you think the availability of high quality sim rigs/games is having an effect as well?

[@ISpinUWin]

I would think that would bring people into the sport, not reduce traffic to thw real thing. I’ve driven a handful including $10k and $30k with VR rigs. They are nowhere close (besides visually) to the real thing in my opinion. I wish they were, it would save me a lot of money 😂

[@seanc5718]

@@ISpinUWin They're not the real thing, but for a lot of people they're close enough, way cheaper and way more convenient. The stuff is only getting better and cheaper too. I also think it's much more appealing to younger generations.

[@JZStudiosonline]

Everyone is broke. They can't afford to burn a $500-1000 set of tires, assuming it's only 1 set, or even to maintain shitboxes. It's an entertainment and the entire entertainment industry is the first that goes when money is tight. Laguna Seca is cool, I'm not spending $400 on gas and 20 hours to drive there and back.

[@AgentZ7]

Two words: Economic Feasibility

[@hughjass1044]

You're right about racetracks not making any money. I've been heavily involved in three of them over the past 40 years and in each case, the owners were satisfied.... no, make that relieved..... at the end of the season....... If they broke even! Each of these facilities were at least dual and in one case, multi use facilities that drew national racing series and large corporate sponsorship and even things like concerts and festivals. But they still struggled to turn a profit which caused the ownership to turn over several times. Owning and running one of these places truly is a passion because it's not something you get into if you want to make money. It's like the old riddle - "How do you make a million dollars in racing?" Answer - Start with ten million and the rest will take care of itself. It's the same thing with track ownership.

[@GeometryEX-hp9zs]

The owners of the gambling business do make money from it, but as far as horse racing itself is concerned, it is an unprofitable sport.

[@hughjass1044]

@@GeometryEX-hp9zs Horse racing?? Gambling?? We're talking car racing here, boss.

[@RustyWells2]

The only thing dying is channels like this one! Pro Mod and small tire drag racing has never been bigger in the 40 years I've been in and around it!

[@ayalainc.3203]

5:50 wild horse pass was bought back and renamed Firebird again, they were going to put a highway over it but the racing school bought it for a while before it became Firebird once again. And as of right now the track has been soo active and they are redoing the lanes right now. Firebird is here to stay

[@cbremer83]

Irwindale will live on in iRacing, at least. It's ghost will live on.

[@tentons10]

As a californian....it's never California itself. These issues always stem from private interests. Irwindale originally was a larger complex long ago before it was scaled down into the oval we know today. This has lead to it being more of a foot note of a track. California speedway is also being scaled down. The land is so valuable that the wolves are trying to get their hands on it. Once a track gets smaller, it loses notoriety and makes less money leading to it possibly scaling down again. It's a vicious cycle.

[@prblackhawk]

Despite the annoying regulations on everything automotive, California car culture is incredibly alive and thriving.

[@drewwyatt1274]

The same is happening in the UK. There used to be 3 drag tracks, now there is one left, Santa Pod. There used to be a Oval track near Northampton, but that shut down to be used for storage. One thing that is also a factor in the UK race tracks shutting down are the green elements, who basically are saying that motor sports are a luxury that the earth can no longer afford, and are quite happy to jump in to any argument with a loud shout for it to be shut down, before the few who use it kill the planet for the rest of humanity.

[@keithstudly6071]

Jim Williams put tens of millions into Irwindale but he didn't buy the land. That site is not "ideal" for an industrial park because it's built on a very deep landfill that is not a good place for major construction, especially in So. Cal. Fontanna was built on a hazardous waste site under agreement that the construction of the racetrack would bury and cap the hazardous material that was the remnants of the Kaiser Steel plant. This is one of the reasons why there are no pedestrian tunnels under the track.

[@DanH-u3f]

They should have paid track days for more income.

[@ColtAlabama]

Our local drag strip was bought by some rich guys who think they can buy a KZbin following. They shut the place down and now it’s only for them. I won’t say their name but it starts with triple and ends with F.

[@ilmarilah1195]

Triple f collection?

[@iknklst]

Nononono! Their name starts with triple and ends with CHODE.

[@rafaelscard]

The same movement is also observed in Brazil with Jacarepaguá for F1 and Curitiba for WTCC Race tracks.

[@NinetyTres]

Our motocross tracks were always out of town, most closed when the towns grew to the edge, then developers bought all that and more

[@ratfinkG]

Whats ironic about Irwindale speedway closing is that not far from where it is there used to be Irwindale Raceway which was an NHRA Drag Strip and it closed and became the site of A Miller beer brewery

[@dangarrison3503]

It is incredibly expensive to operate a drag strip. The racers that show up for Wednesday night street drags and test n tune s, don't even cover the cost of insurance, utilities or employees wages for the night.

[@arthuralford]

Some tracks went out of business due to bad planning. Texas World Speedway was built in College Station-home of Texas A&M-with the thought that people from Houston and Dallas would make the drive out there. And, they were wrong. The track closed, and slowly deteriorated, holding on with amateur sports car racing until the owners finally locked the gates and brought the bulldozers in.

[@slideways2004]

Sometimes it is not due to bad planning, but more so putting all your eggs in one basket. It was built only for Nascar. Once they stopped having events, the track was not maintained and only used for the road course. Look at COTA, it is used for many more events other than F1. They even have non car events there and that is a good model to keep it going. The ovals are pretty much only good for Nascar style racing and once that goes away, they can no longer operate.

[@postulator890]

I remember many years ago when Ontario Motor Speedway was bought by Arco Land Developers for less than the dirt across the 10 freeway. One of the problems is that in LA, there are a million things to do on any given weekend detracting from potential ticket sales for any one event. I also raced the last AFM road race before Riverside shut down. That last race was on a track I had never seen before due to future road pavement projects extending into the track property.

[@bicyclist2]

I hope that this trend stops and reverses. The only race track I've ever been to is Mid-Ohio. I had a great time there. Thank you.

[@VinKohl]

Road America in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin is a place that will be around for a very long time. Close enough to Chicago/Milwaukee/Minneapolis/Madison and Green Bay to support a world class road course with literally zero threat from urban sprawl!

[@JSRacing61]

9:15 Irwindale never had a Cup date

[@DjFIL007]

In reply to the drag racing note; I had a good time going to NHRA Seattle this year (my first ever NHRA event). But I can understand why saying it "may not hold attention of modern attention spans" could be true. On TV you see it as a 2-3 hour event (talking only elimination day)... but in reality it goes for 6-8 hours. Yes there's lots of other classes (of those more relatable cars) in between the nitro rounds, but it really is a very long day, especially to try and attract in casual fans.

[@Jester365]

I used to live five minutes away from Laguna Seca and people were always complaining about the noise.