In recent years, NASCAR has shifted gears, steering away from traditional speedways and embracing the thrill of street circuits. This bold move to diversify race locations has breathed new life into the sport, bringing NASCAR’s high-octane excitement directly to city streets. Among the latest contenders for a future street race is America’s finest, San Diego, which has emerged as a strong possibility, reflecting NASCAR’s broader strategy to move closer to urban centers and engage fans right where they live.

As reported by the Sports Business Journal, NASCAR has been experimenting with unconventional race venues, such as transforming the grassy expanse of the L.A. Coliseum into a short track and weaving a street race around Grant Park in Chicago. During the second Chicago street race, NASCAR invited officials from various cities to see the action up close, and insiders revealed that San Diego has caught NASCAR’s eye. While the exact location for a potential San Diego street race remains under wraps, the interest is palpable.

NASCAR is also exploring other cities for potential street races, including Cincinnati, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and cities in the Pacific Northwest. This search comes on the heels of selling most of the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana for a whopping $544 million last year, indicating a shift in focus from sprawling, isolated tracks to more accessible urban environments. NASCAR even attempted to acquire a stake in the Long Beach Grand Prix but was unsuccessful, showing its commitment to expanding its presence in city-based racing.

Currently, NASCAR’s contract for the Chicago street race extends through 2025. Despite investing a hefty $50 million in the inaugural race, the event has yet to turn a profit. However, NASCAR remains optimistic, viewing these urban races as key to keeping the sport dynamic and attracting new audiences.

As NASCAR charts its course for the future, it’s evident that city street racing is a significant part of its vision. With San Diego potentially on the horizon, the city might soon feel the roar of NASCAR engines echoing through its streets, ushering in a new era of urban racing thrills. This came about as NASCAR didn’t add the Fontana track to the calendar, and here is why it’s not yet done.

Fontana track mostly likely will not be ready by 2025

NASCAR used to run races at the Fontana track between 1997 and 2023. After NASCAR decided to stop racing there, the track was then demolished with only a few grandstands and suits remaining. The president of the track, Dave Allen spoke to Los Angeles Times as he revealed that the reconfigured track will “mostly likely” not be ready for the 2025 season.

Covid became a huge factor in the delay of remodeling the track as Allen explained, “We’ve got some internal approvals to work through, but the hope is to have something to go out with sometime in the near future.” Trying to keep the media out of their business while the track is worked on, Allen added, “Right now we just don’t have anything to discuss until we have some approvals done.”

The president of NASCAR, Steve Phelps, also came on the record during the State of the Sport to say, “I would say that we are still planning on building a short track in Fontana. What the timing of that is, I don’t know.”

Inflation is definitely not helping the cause, but Phelps stated that they want to continue to be in the Southern California market. With that said, are you excited to see what the Fontana track becomes after its renovation is complete? Share your thoughts in the comments below.