Singer Is Taking Over Willow Springs

It was around 10 months ago that we heard that Willow Springs, the oldest permanent road racing circuit in the US, was up for sale. At the time, we wondered what would become of the track, but now we need wonder no more because it has a buyer: Singer.

Yep, Singer, as in the maker of those mouthwateringly gorgeous Porsche 911 restomods. The company’s teamed up with investment firm CrossHarbor to run the historic track, which lies in the deserts of California around 50 miles north of Los Angeles.

Opened in 1953, Willow Springs hasn’t hosted any major pro racing since the 1980s, but it remained a popular spot for track days and club-level racing. It saw plenty of filming action thanks to its proximity to LA, too – you might know it as the track where the old Top Gear team played ‘aerial laser tag’ in a Lexus LFA, Dodge Viper and Aston Martin Vanquish, or from its appearance in the early part of the film Le Mans ‘66. It’s also featured in the more recent Gran Turismo games.

Those uses were a bit up in the air with the track’s sale, but now that it’s under the control of Singer and CrossHarbor, its future looks a lot more secure. The two companies will continue hosting both public and private events on its three asphalt road courses, plus its various kart, off-road and driver instruction circuits.

It sounds like it’s going to be getting a bit of TLC, too. The new owners have brought in ex-F1 driver Alex Wurz, who now works in circuit design and helped draw up plans for Saudi Arabia’s wild-looking in-development F1 circuit. He and his team will be working on enhancing the existing track design and safety features.

Meanwhile, track operations will be overseen by the team that manages fellow Californian venue Sonoma Raceway, while architecture firm Hart Howerton will overhaul the off-track experience. Finally, the complex will host a private members’ club for Singer clients and other enthusiasts, where they’ll have access to exclusive track days and other experiences.

It all sounds rather promising for a legendary venue that was facing a bit of an uncertain future, with Singer’s chief strategy officer, Mazen Fawaz, saying: “Singer has two decades of track days, racing, and development at Willow’s circuits.  We are delighted to help make sure that it’s in safe hands and can be an even more impressive part of California’s car culture for the next seventy years. Its custodianship is a responsibility we are not taking lightly, and our partners could not be better suited to see it through.”

Hopefully, the planned upgrades don’t put too much of a dent in the circuit’s unspoiled vintage character. Either way, it’s probably better than our plan to offer £50 so we could use it to drift questionable Facebook Marketplace 3 Series Compacts.