Another one bites the dust.
In a statement issued on Friday, April 3, 2021, Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Ca., announced its drag strip would be closed forever.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, Auto Club Speedway said, “After careful consideration on the best direction forward for Auto Club Speedway, the difficult decision has been made to permanently close Auto Club Dragway.
“We thank all of the competitors, fans and corporate partners who made so many wonderful memories at Auto Club Dragway through the years, and we look forward to making new ones as we embark on our 25th Anniversary Season at the 2-mile oval in 2022.”
The track has faced an uphill battle for existence since 2012 when noise complaints forced to track to close temporarily. A group of neighbors took the track to court in February 2012, one exclaiming they believed something was blowing up and the house was shaking. Restrictions for running muffled-only cars still wasn’t enough for the group.
A group effort between Auto Club of Southern California, SEMA, Lucas Oil, K&N, and NHRA enabled the track to reopen in 2014.
