--- title: "See the Ruins of NASCAR’s Auto Club Speedway From Space" description: "Exclusive satellite imagery shows NASCAR's iconic southern California track being demolished to make room for an industrial park." date: "2023-11-13" modified: "2023-11-13" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/see-the-ruins-of-nascars-auto-club-speedway-from-space" categories: - "NASCAR" - "News" - "Racing" --- # See the Ruins of NASCAR’s Auto Club Speedway From Space ![]() *\Planet Labs\* Welp, it's officially gone. [NASCAR's]() long-standing [Auto Club Speedway]() in Fontana, California is nothing but a heap of rubble, or at least in progress of becoming one. Plans for its destruction, and the rebuilding of an entirely new, much smaller facility have been underway since the track ran its final race in February. Now, you can see the crumbled remains of the old NASCAR oval from space, thanks to a satellite image of the barren site obtained by *The Drive*. Most of the paved track and access roads are still there, but many facilities and grandstands are gone. There's one small grandstand still in place and, as far as current plans go, it will likely remain. That's because, in place of the old two-mile oval track, NASCAR is building a high-banked, half-mile oval that will still utilize the current seating. ![]() *A photo of the Auto Club Speedway taken via satellite on Nov. 11, 2023. Planet Labs* "It’s going to be a short track. Most likely be a half-mile racetrack. What exactly that looks like … We’ve got renderings, we’ve got what it looks like. We are ready to go when the time is right," said NASCAR President Steve Phelps during the annual State of the Sport conference last week. https://twitter.com/rebilasphoto/status/1722747296943894814 You can see on-the-ground photos of the Speedway's demolition, thanks to photographer [Mark J. Rebilas](), illustrating the sheer size of the two-mile oval's former footprint and surrounding facilities. [An industrial park]() made up of at least seven planned buildings will surround the new smaller track, which NASCAR estimates will take about 18 months to build once construction begins. According to a *[Los Angeles Times]()* article from February after the Speedway's final race, the upcoming facility will have more premium dining options and more comfortable seating. ![]() *Plans for the Auto Club Speedway site showing the new oval's footprint and surrounding commercial real estate development taking up space that previously belonged to the track. *CBRE** Most of the comments in Rebilas' Twitter post are from NASCAR fans who are sad to see the old track go, while also bemoaning the idea of a smaller one. Like it or not, though, it's already gone just 26 years after opening, and development on a replacement is underway. In the interim, NASCAR plans to continue hosting races at the Los Angeles Coliseum. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()