Willow Springs International Motorsports Park, often referred to as Willow Springs, lies about 80 miles north of Los Angeles, in Rosamond, California. Construction of the racing circuit began in 1952, with the first race being held on November 23, 1953. It is the oldest permanent road course in the United States, and has played host to AMA Superbike, Ferrari Challenge, Trans-Am, as well as a variety of NASCAR events in its 72-year history.
But in June of last year, Willow Springs went up for sale and its future was uncertain.
Then, in April of this year, CrossHarbor Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Boston, purchased the facility and announced plans for renovations. And while we’re not entirely sure what those “renovations” will be, or when they’ll take place, we are excited to see that the famed racing circuit is open again, and hosting an event in October that’s intended to “celebrate Willow Springs’ exciting new era.”
Dubbed ‘Willow Springs Reimagined,’ the one-day event will take place on Saturday, October 11th at the raceway in Rosamond, and is being hailed as “fall’s most anticipated Southern California automotive event.” Attendees can expect a car show and special guests, as well as a curated selection of historic and iconic vehicles from the Petersen Automotive Museum and Singer. There’ll also be food trucks on site and limited-edition merchandise for sale, alongside specialty vendors.
Early Bird General Admission tickets to the ‘Willow Springs Reimagined’ event are available here for just $22.98, which includes a parking pass.
While we’re not sure what the future of Willow Springs and its other racing venues – Streets of Willow and Horse Thief Mile – will look like, we’re encouraged to see that the gates are open to the public, and that perhaps soon the sound of Superbikes will once again ring out around Rosamond, CA.
