Willow Springs Raceway, known to its fans as “the fastest road in the West,” is the longest continuously running track in both the United States and in all of North America. Its 2.5-mile, 9-corner course has hosted hundreds of races since its establishment more than 70 years ago, and including NASCAR, Trans-Am, and Motorcycle Grand Prix events. Many names have been associated with the venue over the years, and if you have a historical landmark’s worth in cash burning a hole in your bank account, the next name could be yours! That’s right; as of June of this year Rocky Springs is up for sale, and the racing world waits with bated breath for the next owner of this piece of history to materialize. But what precisely makes this track so important to so many? What is the legacy that the new owner will take on the duty of preserving?

This legacy-one of speed, daring, record-breaking, and community among racers and their fans, began in 1953. A group of western racers were looking to get their fix during the postwar explosion in motorsports popularity, and the rolling desert hills near Rosamund, California seemed as good a place as any to start. The engineers were originally inspired to recreate the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in this valley to create easier western access to the famous course. Space was ultimately too limited to clone Indy, so they planned a smaller track with multiple quick corners instead to make future races electrically concise. The decision to create something new was further justified when Ken Miles, the co-engineer of the GT40 that would go on to lead Ford to victory at Le Mans, joined the track-designing project. Finally, after the plans were completed and the asphalt was laid, their track looked like this:

The track, commonly referred to as the “Big Willow,” begins with a straightaway directly into a 90 degree turn called “Castrol Corner (1).” From there drivers proceed into the “Rabbit’s Ear (2),” a gigantic, almost semicircular curve, which leads to a hill-and-vally combination called “The Omega (3 & 4).” After a sharp left turn and a disruptive bump (5 & 6), the track remains straight until “Repass Pass (7),” another, more gradual curve. We then arrive at a curve that, while informally called “The Sweeper,” is better referred to by the Willow Springs team as “the fastest turn on any racetrack west of the Mississippi River (8).”. A good line through this corner is essential to victory, as it will determine which racer makes it to the last section–a sharp right hander and another straightaway (8 & 9)–first. It’s a lot of components to memorize and plan for, but not a lot of actual track lies between them. This juxtaposition is the key to the track’s popularity among drivers and spectators who are both looking for blisteringly fast races that require top-notch skills.

Big Willow was a hit with western racers from its opening day on November 23rd, 1953 (Note: at the time of writing, the track has just celebrated its 71st birthday). As envisioned by its designers, it didn’t take long for the professional racing community to notice the regional popularity of the circuit. The NASCAR Cup Series hit the Willow Springs tarmac for the 1956-57 season, and the track quickly became more of a national household name. Between those days and now, Willow Springs has hosted other sports car racing series such as the Can-Am Challenge Cup in 1987 and the Trans-Am West Coast series in 2017. Its smaller size is also perfect for those wanting to set some next-level speed records; the fastest lap time–1.15.900–was posted by Al Lamb in a Frissbee GR2 during the Can-Am series, but the fastest dedicated, one-lap track time–a blistering 1.06.050–was set by the legendary American IndyCar driver Mario Andretti.

Racing media is consistently drawn to Willow Springs as well. Disney classic The Love Bug filmed a handful of track scenes on site, and so did the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari, connecting the legend of Ken Miles to the location once again. TV programs, such as Jay Leno’s Garage, Wheeler Dealers, and Top Gear UK have made the pilgrimage to Big Willow, and even racing video game series such as Gran Turismo and Need for Speed allow players to race on these hallowed grounds. Even if you had never heard of Willow Springs before today, there’s a good chance that you’ve seen it more than once!

The amazing legacy that this track has established could have easily been cut short in 1963, when Willow Springs was purchased by Bill Huth for the purpose of converting the opening straightaway into a drag strip. Thankfully, that plan was quickly abandoned, and Huth set out to develop more courses that supplemented Big Willow rather than replacing it. These attractions include a 1.8-mile road course, a 3/8 mi clay oval, a .625-mile, 9-turn paved go kart track, and much more. Today, these tracks and the grounds in general are consistently occupied by automotive fans of all ages and skill levels. Go-karting kids looking to claim their first track victory, amateur racing drivers looking for a place to test their new mods, and car collectors joining their fellows in celebration of their classic vehicles are all here, ready to invite new faces into the fold.

Nowadays, after the passing of Bill Huth in 2015 and the listing of the grounds for sale earlier this year, the fate of Willow Springs remains unknown. Hopefully the eventual new owners seek to continue the track’s proud legacy, but they’ll find themselves in an uphill battle if they don’t. Hundreds of thousands of racing fans will be having a word with them!

References:

Big Willow – Willow Springs Raceway

Willow Springs International Motorsports Park - Wikipedia

The Fastest Road In the West Is Up For Sale - Hagerty Media

Iconic Willow Springs International Raceway Is For Sale (msn.com)