Willow Springs International Raceway

Willow Springs International Raceway. . , Willow Springs opened in 1953, and was purchased by Bill Huth in 1962. Under Huth's ownership, the track grew to include the Streets of Willow and Horse Thief Mile road courses, a paved oval track, a dirt oval track, and a karting circuit, in addition to the original 2.5-mile, nine-turn "Big Willow" course. Big Willow's long front straightaway helped earn it the nickname "the fastest road in the west." , Chris Huth, Bill's son and Willow Springs' general manager, said it was that straightaway that originally attracted the former Lancaster speed shop owner to the track in the first place. The original plan was to turn the track into a drag strip, but the stretch he wanted to use turned out to be too short for his needs. , That's all he wanted was a drag strip. Bill Huth never intended to open up a road course. The drag strip part wasn't working out because it wasn't long enough. It was 5/8 of a mile and he needed 3/4 to run AA/Fuel dragsters. He wasn't quite sure what to do, and then some folks approached him -- (SCCA) Cal Club and the AFM motorcycle group -- and said if you pave this we'll rent it, and we'll guarantee to run X amount of races. That's how it started. , Since then, the track has become a big part of Motor Trend's testing regimen, with Streets of Willow and Big Willow both used regularly in comparison and track tests. The track has also been a favorite for generations of Southern California-based enthusiasts, thanks to its many track layout options and proximity to Los Angeles. , In 1996, due to the efforts of fans, the State of California declared Willow Springs International Raceway a California Point of Interest. The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus recognizes the Willow Springs International Raceway as a part of Kern county history. , Though Bill Huth may be gone, the family will continue to run the track giving all the gearheads in this great nation a great place to play.