Alright, so despite all the chatter yesterday, NASCAR actually hasn’t sold off the last piece of the California Speedway property. You probably saw the reports flying around social media, right? It was a total head-fake, and honestly, the whole situation is a mess of confusion.
That Quitclaim Deed Had Everyone Scrambling
Yesterday felt like everyone was sprinting to get the news out: NASCAR finally ditched the remaining property from the California Speedway, which has been shut down since 2023. A quitclaim deed popped up all over social media, making it seem like the deal was done. Even Speedway Digest, a big NASCAR news site, shared it on X, thinking the property was sold off to Speedway SBC Development, LLC. But hold up, because today’s reports are singing a different tune. It turns out, NASCAR is *still* holding onto those 90 acres. They already sold 433 of the original 522-acre property before, so this remaining chunk has been a big question mark.
Thankfully, FOX motorsports reporter Bob Pockrass swooped in to clear up the confusion. He wrote on X that it was his “understanding NASCAR still has the parcel of land at Auto Club that it has had since it sold the majority of the property.” And get this, Pockrass added that the documents everyone was freaking out about were actually about an easement, not a sale. NASCAR even confirmed it: a “cancelation of an easement.” So yeah, big difference between selling prime real estate and just canceling a limited land use agreement. What a wild ride for a day.
The “Next Gen California” Project Is Stuck in Neutral
When the California Speedway, or Auto Club Speedway, closed up shop in 2023, NASCAR had some pretty big plans. They were talking about a “Next Gen California” project. The idea was to tear down the old 2.0-mile oval track and build a high-banked, 0.5-mile short track in its place. NASCAR kept those 90 acres specifically for this blueprint, even after offloading the other 433 acres. It was a massive racing project, pegged at $300 million. But guess what? Efforts on that project paused back in 2025. Since then, it’s been radio silence.
So, here we are. NASCAR’s still got the land, but that ambitious short track project is basically stalled. The Cup Series used to race there 33 times over four decades, with legends like Jimmie Johnson grabbing six wins. Kyle Busch won the final race in 2023. Now, we’re just left wondering what’s next for those 90 acres. Is that “Next Gen” track ever going to see the light of day? Or is this just going to be another plot of land sitting there, with no clear future in sight? Only time, and maybe another Bob Pockrass tweet, will tell.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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