Big Changes Underway, But Slowly

At a media launch celebrating the announcement, executives from Singer and CrossHarbor revealed the future vision for Willow Springs, highlighted by a massive clubhouse renovation above Turn 4 on Big Willow that will be reserved for members only. That project remains at the bore hole phase, testing material integrity of the existing structure, but renderings show an expansive project blending modern and retro design to ramp up the historical heritage aesthetic.

“California and LA are such an important part of the automotive world,” said Rob Dickinson, Singer’s Founder and Creative Director, “Willow Springs has 70 years of heritage already, and there was an opportunity to be involved in helping to prepare it for the next 70 years. It’s a fantastic place to drive and for our clients to experience, it’s on our doorstep, and so it was a natural fit for us to want to be involved in the latest chapter for such an iconic place.”

Other improvements since the October event largely surrounded efforts to bring both Big Willow and Streets of Willow up to the safety standards of FIA 2 class circuits, under the auspices of Former Formula 1 driver and Le Mans winner Alex Wurz and Wurz Design. This requires new layouts, asphalt, barriers and runoff specifications—but also running both tracks only in the clockwise direction. The process has seen the most improvements at Streets and will continue at least through the summer while keeping both tracks open as much as possible. Track operations will be overseen by Sonoma Raceway.

Also underway are multiple smaller outbuilding renovations offering luxury amenities to go along with a pair of two-story member lounges and Willow’s historic diner that received a period-correct makeover. Racing sims, locker rooms and conference facilities also fit into the mix—even the admin building received a thorough makeover, and now houses a restored Hudson Hornet race car. If the digs look overly fancy to anyone accustomed to Willow’s decades of borderline decrepitude, Singer and CrossHarbor representatives onsite repeated reassurances that at least one track will remain open to the general public as close to all the time as possible.

“Having a public aspect of Willow Springs has been really important to us from the start, and that’s not going away,” said David Bucko, VP at CrossHarbor Capital, “We have the benefit of having 600 acres with multiple tracks across different disciplines. So while Singer Drivers Club is a piece of that, because we have multiple tracks, we have the benefit of rotating experiences and keeping the membership just on one side of it while the public can still enjoy the tracks on the other side.”

Ensuring as much access as possible for both members and non-members alike dictates stretching out the timeline for all the planned upgrades, a sacrifice that should stand out as a good sign for the enthusiasts that have called Willow Springs home for decades. And it was nice to see longtime Willow staff members staying on under new management, including a catering crew cooking at the revamped Streets clubhouse who has worked at the track for more than two decades.

Further plans down the road include an outpost and event space curated by the Petersen Museum focusing on historically significant racing cars, while the smaller Horse Thief Mile can continue to serve as a filming location offering the vintage style of Willow’s early days. Potentially, two separate off-roading courses for both rally driving and more typical desert 4x4 experiences might join the facilities. And of course, Singer Vehicle Design continues to put in work at Willow Springs to further the company’s own development programs.

Multipurpose On Purpose

“There’s scope and space for Willow Springs to be a focal point for enthusiasts of every type,” said Mazen Fawaz, Singer’s Chief Strategy Officer, “A world-class motorsport facility with public access for the car community, a place for automotive testing and development, and Singer Drivers Club for those looking for the private members experience within easy reach of Los Angeles.”

“We’re already using Willow Springs for development work,” Fawaz continued, “For example, our engineering team and the folks from Bosch used the facility for DLS Turbo dynamic testing as they optimized the traction control and electronic stability control systems. We’ll continue to use the tracks for dynamic testing and, as the renovations continue, the plan is for Willow to develop as a technology hub that can be used by race teams and automotive marques for development and testing.”

Of course, no day at Willow would be considered complete without spinning a few laps. Formula One world champion (and an early Singer customer) Jenson Button sportingly joined those on sight for some racing around his eponymous karting track, and revealed exactly how much quicker pros drive—even in tiny Viper karts—than amateurs. Next up, a series of demonstrations of the Singer Drivers Club’s fleet of Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport track cars on Streets of Willow, running clockwise of course. The differences versus even one year prior stood out immediately, with a completely re-paved “skid pad” along with expanded runoff areas. The barriers looked quite tight in certain corners of the track, however, which has especially drawn the ire of motorcyclists over the past few months.

But reps on hand insisted that the track improvements to Streets are not complete, and multiple barriers will be moved still in the quest to meet FIA 2 standards. Hopefully, the plans can continue to develop so that both members of the Singer Drivers Club and the enthusiasts at the heart of Southern California car culture can all continue to enjoy Willow Springs for years, if not decades, to come.