Willow Springs International Raceway, the legendary high-speed circuit in Rosamond, California, is entering one of the most ambitious chapters in its 73-year history. The desert track where generations of racers learned to trust their instincts is being transformed with upgraded racing surfaces, a new private driving club, and a historic connection to Britain’s Goodwood motorsport community.
For collectors and drivers who remember Willow Springs as a place of raw speed, dusty paddocks, and unforgettable laps, the changes bring a compelling question: can a modern motorsport destination offer luxury without losing the character that made it famous?
The new ownership group, led by CrossHarbor Capital Partners in collaboration with Singer Vehicle Design, is betting that it can. The changes are already visible. Two circuits have undergone substantial renovation, the Singer Drivers Club has been announced, and a major public racing festival is scheduled for October 17, 2026. Further facilities and experiences remain part of a phased redevelopment, rather than completed features.
The Fastest Road in the West Is Getting a New Chapter
Opened in 1953, Willow Springs is widely described as America’s oldest permanent road course. Its celebrated Big Willow circuit is a 2.5-mile, nine-turn ribbon of pavement whose sweeping, high-speed corners have remained remarkably recognizable across generations.
Known as “The Fastest Road in the West,” Willow Springs earned its reputation the old-fashioned way: by asking drivers to carry speed, manage changing grip, and make smart decisions without much room for error. The location, approximately 80 miles north of Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert, became a gathering place for California racers, mechanics, filmmakers, and dedicated weekend enthusiasts.
Racing spectators gather at Willow Springs International Raceway, a longstanding destination for Southern California motorsport enthusiasts.
The first race was held in November 1953. Over the decades, the circuit developed ties to drivers and personalities such as Ken Miles, Carroll Shelby, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and James Garner. Its combination of history and demanding driving conditions remains a significant part of its appeal.
CrossHarbor and Singer Set Out to Preserve the Raceway
In April 2025, an affiliate of CrossHarbor Capital Partners announced its acquisition of Willow Springs from the longtime Huth family ownership, working with Singer Vehicle Design and other automotive partners. The original proposal called for upgraded tracks and paddocks, improved hospitality, a private members’ driving club, automotive services, and spaces for car culture and technology.
The concept is not to replace the circuit with a residential subdivision. It is to improve an operating motorsport venue while keeping the racing heritage at its center. For CCC readers, an important distinction is that no publicly offered car condo ownership project at Willow Springs has been confirmed. Proposed vehicle storage and service facilities should not be confused with residential or deeded garage-condominium sales.
In discussing the Singer Drivers Club, CrossHarbor co-founder Sam Byrne made the public-access commitment especially clear:
“From the outset, it was essential to us that Willow Springs remains a place for everyone who loves motorsports.” — Sam Byrne, Co-founder, CrossHarbor Capital Partners
Byrne also said that all three road courses would remain open to the public, with the private club adding a separate layer of hospitality and driving experiences rather than replacing existing access. That matters to racers who have supported the venue for years.
First Improvements Are Already on the Ground
While ambitious master plans are easy to announce, Willow Springs has already completed tangible work. In September 2025, the raceway unveiled renovations to the 1.8-mile Streets of Willow Springs and its 0.625-mile karting circuit. Work included new asphalt, curbs, grading, gravel and runoff improvements, along with a refreshed circuit appearance.
For drivers, resurfacing and runoff improvements are more meaningful than cosmetic updates. They affect the consistency of a lap, the way the car responds under braking, and the quality of an ordinary track day. The upgrades also provide an early indication of the development team’s commitment to modernizing the venue while retaining its challenging layouts.
Additional hospitality and infrastructure upgrades are part of the longer-term vision. Readers should not assume that every planned lounge, garage, service center, or museum has already opened.
Singer Drivers Club Adds a Private Motorsport Community
The most significant new club announcement came in 2026 with the introduction of the Singer Drivers Club, a members-focused experience associated with Singer Vehicle Design and the transformation of Willow Springs. It brings the feel of a private automotive club to a racetrack that also retains its public programming.
Plans call for a membership of approximately 400 enthusiasts. Ownership of a Singer-restored Porsche is not required. Instead, the club is designed around driving and learning, with professional instruction, video and data analysis, hospitality, and access to a fleet of Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport race cars.
Member facilities described in the club plans include a paddock house, lounge, meeting rooms, lockers, simulators, dining and concierge assistance. Certain features, including additional recreation amenities, are proposals or phased improvements and should be evaluated according to their eventual opening schedules.
An early redevelopment rendering illustrates the long-term vision for Willow Springs. Proposed facilities and their final designs may evolve during construction.
The distinction is worth emphasizing: the Singer Drivers Club is a private driving and hospitality community, not an announced condominium ownership opportunity. Enthusiasts may be drawn to the coaching, track access, and shared experiences just as much as to the amenities themselves.
Goodwood Is Bringing Its Road Racing Club to America
In July 2026, Goodwood announced that it would expand its Road Racing Club into the United States, starting with a California-based membership program in 2027. Its first flagship American event is planned for Willow Springs in 2028.
This is a meaningful development for Willow Springs. Goodwood is internationally known for its Festival of Speed, Revival, and distinctive celebration of historic competition cars. Bringing an American Goodwood event to Willow Springs could connect the circuit’s longstanding West Coast audience with an even wider community of vintage-racing enthusiasts and collectors.
The 2028 event remains a future plan, and details may change. Still, the announcement indicates that Willow Springs is attracting attention well beyond California.
Willow Springs Reimagined Returns October 17, 2026
The next opportunity for the public to experience the venue’s new direction is Willow Springs Reimagined, scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the raceway in Rosamond.
The published program includes vintage motorcycle racing, a B-Sedan race, Porsche competition, a Petersen Time Attack, demonstrations by professional drivers, drifting, karting, and rally and off-road experiences. A Cars & Bids auction and curated collector-car displays are also planned.
Among the advertised attractions are professional driver appearances and opportunities to experience the upgraded karting circuit. Organizers list general admission at $50, with other ticket categories and add-on experiences available; prices and programming should be checked before attending.
For tickets and the current schedule, visit the official Willow Springs Reimagined event website. Because this article was updated on October 9, the October 17 gathering is described as upcoming, not as an event that has already taken place.
Historic Cars, Hollywood Racers, and the Willow Springs Legacy
Even as the facilities change, Willow Springs has a past worth preserving. The track is closely associated with the growth of Southern California sports-car racing and with enthusiasts who became household names.
Carroll Shelby alongside a Ford GT40 race car, a reminder of the era and personalities that helped define American sports-car racing.
Ken Miles helped shape the circuit’s early driving culture, and figures including Shelby, McQueen, Newman, and Garner connected the world of professional racing with Southern California’s entertainment industry. Those connections are part of what makes the raceway culturally significant—not just a collection of asphalt and grandstands.
The new owners face a delicate balancing act: improvements have to make the track more enjoyable and sustainable without smoothing away the challenge that earned Big Willow its reputation. The strongest sign of success will be whether everyday drivers and visiting collectors still feel that sense of history when they take to the circuit.
Automotive Storage and Services Are Part of the Vision
The April 2025 redevelopment announcement also outlined an enthusiast zone that could include vehicle storage, servicing, restoration businesses, a museum, and retail space. A technology hub for racing teams and manufacturers was part of the same long-range concept.
These elements could eventually make Willow Springs more convenient for owners of competition and collector cars who want professional support near the track. However, they remain distinct from the completed pavement work and the announced Singer Drivers Club. Specific garage ownership terms, available storage inventory, and completion dates have not been established in the public materials reviewed for this update.
For car condo enthusiasts, the project is best understood as an evolving motorsport and private driving club destination, not as a currently marketed residential car condo development or a publicly available real estate investment offering.
Why the Reimagining of Willow Springs Matters
Willow Springs has never needed help becoming famous among drivers. Its speed, scenery, and racing history took care of that. What it needed was an investment in the experience around the track.
Now, resurfaced circuits, the Singer Drivers Club, scheduled public events, and Goodwood’s planned American debut suggest a new direction for this familiar desert venue. If the team can deliver its phased improvements while protecting public track access, Willow Springs could become an unusually compelling mix of authentic racing history and modern collector culture.
For enthusiasts, that’s the real story: not the promise of luxury alone, but the possibility of enjoying one of America’s great driving circuits with better facilities, more events, and a larger community of people who love cars.
About Willow Springs Raceway and the Development Team
Willow Springs International Raceway is located at 3500 75th Street West, Rosamond, CA 93560. The track continues to advertise public and private events and track rentals. Visit Willow Springs Raceway for venue information and schedules.
The redevelopment is led by CrossHarbor Capital Partners in collaboration with Singer Vehicle Design. CrossHarbor is a real estate investment manager with experience in complex hospitality and resort projects, including the Yellowstone Club. The project was publicly announced in April 2025, with redevelopment planned in phases.
Research and updates: 2025 track renovation announcement; 2026 Singer Drivers Club reporting; 2026 Goodwood announcement; and 2026 event information.
