About 100 miles north of Los Angeles, deep in the dustiest corner of the Mojave Desert, is an iconic ribbon of tarmac: Willow Springs International Raceway. Founded in 1953, then stewarded by the late Bill Huth from 1962 until his death in 2015, the track was home for road racers like Carroll Shelby and Bob Bondurant. The Ford GT40 spent test sessions there in ‘65 ahead of its iconic Le Mans win. Nigel Mansell set the longstanding track record in a Lotus 91 in ‘82. It has long been woven into the fabric of America’s racing culture.
Photo by: WSIR
Last year, Willow Springs went up for sale. Then, the controversies came.
After months of agonizing over its future, multiple potential buyers, and a (rumored) astronomically high asking price, the track finally sold to a private equity firm called CrossHarbor Capital Partners. Rumors of doom and gloom and evictions followed—What would happen to Willow Springs? Is it getting torn down and turned into condos? Will the track stay alive? Well, we have an answer for you:
No. Willow Springs is not closing down. But it will never be the same.
Co-founder and Managing Partner of CrossHarbor, Sam Byrne, confirmed the track would not close in an interview with Motor1, and detailed some of the changes coming to the legendary course.
“No, we don’t intend to have any permanent closures here,” Byrne tells us. “In the short term, we’re going to make safety improvements immediately…We have more ambitious plans, but those require a longer process.”
Byrne clarified that rolling closures may happen for track improvements, but that Willow Springs is committed to its 2025 calendar and well beyond. Although Byrne couldn’t say much, those “ambitious plans” have the makings of a transformation.
Photo by: WSIR
Heavy hitters are involved: Singer Vehicle Design is the project’s co-owner, partner, and design leader. Alex Wurz, former Formula 1 driver and Le Mans winner, will “enhance the existing track design and safety” by acting as the track’s safety commissioner. Hart Howerton, an architecture firm with a deep portfolio of interior design and resort-style projects, will work on “off-track elements.”
Speedway Motorsports, a well-known name in event and track management, will oversee track operations. It’s a true all-star team in the reinvention of a road course, especially one that has been family-run for 62 years.
That reinvention indeed comes with costs. As it stands, Willow Springs is a well-known budget option for Southern California track enthusiasts. The average track day at either Big Willow or Streets of Willow is under $200—significantly cheaper than any other track within a three-hour radius.
When asked about the new price bracket for the average enthusiast, Byrne explained:
“Undecided at this point in time, it’s going to be a combination of three verticals. [We will have] a big commitment to the public vertical. At its core, this is to create an enthusiast capital for Southern California car culture. The first element of that is public access.”
Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
The “three verticals” is corporate talk for the different pillars of the business. Effectively, Willow will evolve from being just a public track day home, though the public vertical is still going to be served.
Byrne says “the club level is highly important,” and the track will still welcome clubs, track days, and amateur race leagues like Lucky Dog to the track. The second vertical CrossHarbor wants to attract is automakers for performance driving schools and possible testing centers. The final vertical is club lounges and high-end car storage, which is where Singer steps in.
Motor1 also spoke to Mazen Fawaz of Singer to understand the brand’s involvement in the project. While Singer is a part owner, with the actual ownership percentage being a secret, its primary role will be conceptualizing the track’s future design and purpose. Effectively, Willow Springs is going to get Singerized to some degree, but primarily for a planned owners’ club.
Photo by: WSIR
Fawaz emphasized the importance of maintaining the track’s character while also making it more usable than it is currently. Locals know the situation—no shade, limited garages, and very little in the way of amenities. Fawaz says this will change, but it will keep the same spirit as the original track.
“We use this idea for our cars, but reimagining also works here,” he says. “We want to set up annual events, think Goodwood, and really let our motorsport nerd shine here.”
The long-term plan, however, is far from complete. Byrne didn’t divulge much detail, but says that Wurz has been working on the track’s updated safety design since last Fall, though the level of FIA compliance is still up for debate. Singer has also been conceptualizing what the track may look and feel like, but can’t share much yet. All we know is that Willow’s future is secure, and that it will see a raft of changes. The widely reported evictions are true, and according to Byrne, they are compelled by the current ownership. Most of the old tenants didn’t have a true lease with the track, and Byrne says, “Many of those tenants will be back. They’re people we want to encourage.”
Still, through much of the dense corporate-speak, there is an encouraging theme emerging from this new stewardship: Keep the spirit of the track alive, don’t ruin what makes it Willow Springs.
And to be clear, as a local myself, the track needs help. It’s been limping since Bill Huth died, running on fumes with subpar safety and facilities. It couldn’t go on forever. Just last year, a driver died during a test day. At least once a weekend, someone totals their car after a relatively minor off-track excursion. Willow is a dangerous track.
Photo by: WSIR
All of the communications from everyone involved have respect for the history of the track and enhancing it as it currently exists, not totally reinventing what it is. Byrne is an enthusiast, a driver, a car collector, and passionate about Willow Springs, and specifically said he did not want to create another Thermal Club.
CrossHarbor seemingly purchased Willow as a passion project with Byrne to keep the track alive as it faced dire straits. Singer is well-known for its cars and the brand’s dedication to detail. Byrne clarified, “This isn’t going into our private equity business, this is all being done with permanent capital. This is a huge personal passion of mine, and the equity is being aligned from people with a like-minded mentality… passionate motorsports enthusiasts.” And the idea for keeping the track alive is by opening its doors to more people rather than becoming exclusive for the elite.
In its own words, “CrossHarbor and Singer do not intend to ever sell Willow Springs.”
