Willow Springs Isn’t Going Anywhere, and That’s Good News for Race Fans
The California racetrack seen on Gran Turismo will survive, thanks to a partnership between Singer and an investment firm, but it’s likely to get some modernizing and improvements.By Brendan McAleerPublished: Apr 13, 2025
Save Article
Willow Springs Raceway
- Willow Springs International Motorsports Park has been sold to a partnership between a private equity firm and Singer.
- Plans are afoot to develop trackside amenities and improve safety.
- This investment may change the pared-down feel of Willow but should ensure the track’s long-term survival.
Constructed in the early 1950s, Willow Springs International Motorsports Park is a shining gem of Californian racing history. It’s only eighty miles outside of Los Angeles, and has been the site of many a race, movie shoot, or prototype shakedown over the years. Thus, when it went up for sale last year, many a track enthusiast was filled with foreboding. Could the property’s 600 acres become the site of new development, the racing consigned to the past?
Happily, it now looks like that’s not going to be the case. The track’s new owner, CrossHarbor Capital Partners, has teamed up with none other than California’s own Singer to ensure that Big Willow, Horse Thief Mile, and the Streets of Willow will all remain open to enthusiasts of every stripe. If you’ve ever nailed the transition from Turn Five over Monroe Ridge, whether in real life or in Gran Turismo, it’s good news all round.
Find the lowest price with Car and DriverMake
Model
Select a make above to gain pricing insights into new cars available near you
Get no obligation, free price quotes from dealers near you:First NameLast NameEmailPhoneGET PRICES*
© NOTICE: The automotive images or video contained here in are owned by EVOX Productions LLC and are protected under United States and international copyright law.
Having said that, it’s likely that the days of cheap speed are over at Willow Springs. The track’s ancillary facilities were pretty basic cinder-block buildings that hadn’t fundamentally changed over the past half-century. The site was all about on-track action, not luxury, and that’s likely to change.
Willow Springs in 2012.
New plans from CrossHarbor and Singer include the construction of a tech hub for race team and manufacturer development, car storage and restoration facilities, a museum, and a private members’ club hosted by Singer. Willow Springs is already a popular site for new-car model launches, and enhanced facilities will likely draw in more traffic. Instead of a basic outbuilding where you can get a burger and fries, think of something like the Thermal Club raceway, located to the southeast of LA.
Singer’s reimagined Porsche 911 restomods are, of course, aimed at the very wealthy, with seven-figure price tags. However, the new ownership states they intend to maintain regular public access to the track, and keep Willow Springs accessible for every automotive enthusiast.
Willow Springs Raceway
Along with enhancing the trackside amenities, there’ll be a focus on improving track safety. Alex Wurz, a former F1 driver and Le Mans winner, has been brought on as a consultant with a view to creating runoff areas with additional tarmac and gravel. If you mess up Big Willow’s high-speed sweeper in Gran Turismo, it’s easy enough to press the reset button. Not so much if you’re on the track for real.
As Willow Springs has been basically preserved in amber for decades, any changes are going to come with some grumbling from longtime fans of the track. But this development is good news overall. The partnership with Singer brings deep pockets and genuine enthusiasm to the table, and there’s hope that improving the trackside experience will increase revenue and keep the books in the black. It means that after 70 years, Willow Springs isn’t going anywhere. California’s gem of speed gets to glitter for decades yet to come.
