Nothing about the GNRS in this story. However, reading between the lines, it appears that the LA County Fair will remain and the buildings they use would still be usable for the show. https://www.autoweek.com/racing/nhra/a41072570/despite-rumors-pomona-dragstrip-not-going-anywhere/
As much as they say “It’s not going away…” nothing in life is 100%, especially when big $$$ is involved. But at least they will try. We will see more importantly what happens for LARS. The GNRS can move. It already did before. A lot of these shows are dependent on attendance year over year. As people get older… you know the rest.
Been hearing these stories for 50 years. If developers have a chance, they grab everything they can. I can only imagine what's happening out there where the wildfires happen. I doubt it is being allowed to go back to nature. Hopefully the powers that be that control the Fairplex property stay true to their commitment. Larry
While on one hand, the NHRA DOES...have some "clout" with using that land, twice a year. On the other, a few years down the road...who knows, nothing lasts for ever. Mike
Sadly this far south in Southern California is a done deal, land is worth too much to cram more people in. Maybe look towards the grapevine (either side) or even Ventura fairgrounds……IF it is in fact really threatened.
Great news. At least there will not be a "knee jerk" reaction to interest in other development on the property. Have always been amazed that this strip has continued to exist with urban neighborhoods close by. The neighboring airport would likely influence any other types of development too. Be sure to attend any events at site that you can.
I’d expect that if new homes are built nearby those residents will complain about the noise and eventually get the strip shut down. Around here at many RR crossings train horns are no longer permitted, Santa Fe Speedway, long known as The Track of Clay was closed after large homes went up nearby and complaints started followed by lawsuits. CN RR is besieged by noise complaints too, why people buy a home where certain types of pollution, whether noise, fumes, smoke or heavy truck traffic exist and then beef about a long existing operation is beyond me. Buyer beware, don’t like the neighborhood then buy somewhere else.
Years ago in Southern California, there was a housing tract built next to a slaughter house. The people bought houses on weekends, the slaughter house was only open on weekdays. Surprise!
Just remember a few places like Orange County International Raceway, USMC Air Station El Toro, USMC LTA (Tustin), Ontario Raceway, Riverside Raceway...all history.
But last time I was off the 405 and Sand Canyon there was a farm on 1 side of the road and the property where OCIR was still undeveloped…now that was 21 years ago..
It is owned by Los Angeles County, a government. They don't have a profit motive. In theory, the elected officials and the employees of the county don't benefit from the sale of county assets. The county has the power to raise as much money as they want via taxation. So why would they ever consider selling it to a developer? I expect the track to survive as long as the NHRA wants it.
That’s all gone, the land next to the 405 is being used up for housing and businesses. Aaaah, 21 yrs ago it was still calm around here. Irvine always was more populated, but the rest of the area is quickly catching up .
Development always brings more tax revenue, and local governments are always looking for that. It’s always easier to push for more tax revenue by developing so called underutilized land than it is to raise the tax rate among voters.
Hello, Despite the fact that the fairgrounds has been around for ages and does bring in income, it is mostly a sitting duck. A set of homes, apartments and low cost housing brings in monthly money for the L.A. county coffers. Something the NHRA big lot and dragstrip does not do on a weekly or monthly basis. All of the hot rod/drag racing/museum events are small time in the overall big picture. What brings in money for the county regularly and on time. The decision is good for now, but who knows for the future? Surrounding homes and businesses create places that drag racing meets once a month are not the best of neighbors. Despite So Cal being one of the earliest historical drag racing areas. For all of the sadness in the GNRS and LA Roadster show/swap, it is little compared to the overall need to have something for everyone. The new proposal is not just a small group of avid hot rod folks, as attentive and part of a nationwide group. It is just not the bigger part of society using the property to generate income. But, will cater to a large portion of society that is in need of affordable housing and wares. Jnaki As far as a new location for the GNRS and L.A. Roadster Swap Meet, well there are a number of large outdoor spaces all over So Cal. In Orange County, there is the Arrowhead Pond (now called the Honda Center) A refurbished early 1970’s Arena that used to showcase professional volleyball games. Now home to professional hockey. Big indoor area for the GNRS and a huge parking + area for the swap meet. The other area that is still developing and may be open to such a large event is the Marine Air Corps Tustin, several minutes South, down the I-5 freeway. Yes, the same place as the early drag racing photos we have all seen. photo 2021 me Dick Price roadster, racing at the Marine Air Corps base at Tustin, early 1950. Robert Caanan photo. The hangars are still there. They are still being used as historical icons and won’t be torn down for a long time, if ever. The second hangar, old and in 2021. Some variations, but available for use as an alternate location in the future, should it warrant another look. The Tustin Hangars have been used for big social events at times. So, there is a precedent set and would look good for an alternate use. And, they are centrally located, accessible via the coast or any freeway from San Diego to Los Angeles and beyond…YRMV
Was that the Sand Canyon exit south of Costa Mesa a bit? I used to fly into John Wayne airport and work at Motorola 20/25 years ago. As I recall there was a lot of open space, but dang, didn’t know or notice OCIR was there. Edit: Damn, just did a Google map thing, CM is 15 minutes away from OCIR. Geesh, spent months and months there a few weeks at a time and never knew.
At least they have the gasoline engine to blame for all the pollution that these expansion's cause in L A.
The I-5 freeway diagonal yellow line from North to South, left to bottom right... Hello, The topic of the land where the OCIR was located was very convenient. It was parallel to the I-5 freeway and if you had your windows down as you were on the freeway, the sounds of drag racing came floating into your passing car. But, drag racing was heading into the pure professional era and the little guy had been pushed out during this time. Funny cars and fuelers were blossoming and multiplying like bunnies. Now, the area had one more thing to shut down and that was the El Toro airfield that was proposed to be an international airport. The voters shut that down and are enjoying the long standing development of the Irvine Great Park, with the idea of a giant multi-use park in the middle of suburbia… shades of the Central Park in NYC. These days, there are home surrounding the empty airfield, the remnants of the Marine Base are gone or are in the process of moving to a different location. Now, the giant orange balloon is the site location from all points in the central OC area. As you drive by, the orange balloon beckons all to stop at the great park for an aerial 360 degree view of the whole southern basin. On clear days, it is mountains to the ocean and at least a 150 mile distant, clear view. Jnaki The park is still being developed for the general public. Different styles of concerts are being held there like the old Irvine Amphitheater, a new $60 million dollar revision of the old Wild Rivers water park is being built on the property. The OC does not lack in any way for movement of the LA Roadster Show and Swap Meet. With large tents, the GNRS can have a wide open space to present their wares. There are plenty of parking spaces and it is definitely freeway close to all portions of So Cal. Afterall, it is a public venue and can be adjusted to accommodate any organization. Families normally left out during those old show and swap meets can now enjoy their own form of entertainment in the same general location. YRMV So, by redeveloping the old OCIR into something for everyone, it all comes around, again… Note: The “original” and one/only Cars and Coffee event started in an industrial building/office parking lot, just across the I-5 freeway from this public venue. Those were the good old days, but, eventually ruined by “idiots in a Mustang or Camaro…”
I don't think the old MCAS Tustin nor El Toro would be feasible as alternate locations for the show. One of the two Tustin hangers has been deemed historical while the other has been slated for demolition for years. I think all the asbestos inside it has thrown quite the wrench in the works as far as the demo goes, especially given all the condos and shopping that's been built up over the last couple years. Yuppies in million dollar condos can get a little uppity over that sorta thing. Not to mention the area surrounding the hangers (concrete pads, roads, etc) have deteriorated pretty badly since they stopped using much of the property. One of the hangars has been abandoned for years (the closest one to the yuppies and The District shopping area), while the other partially collapsed some years back when a company developing a dirigible was occupying it. So, not sure either building would be fit for use. It sure would be cool though. Did you know that the hangars are so large that they generate their own micro-climate? Unfortunately, El Toro is in the same boat. We used to test cars there quite a bit and since then, they've torn down a majority of the old hangars and out buildings as well as a fairly decent amount of the original runways. Enough so that testing there became problematic due to lack of space and quality of the tarmac. The shear lack of buildings would prevent a GNRS-type event being put on at El Toro, even if the property management cared to facilitate such a request. In the past, they became harder and harder to deal with when it came to track testing to the point we moved operations to California Speedway, which is a whole 'nother conversation. Now, if you look at this map of the Fairplex, I see a whole lotta land that could be developed without losing the Expo Halls, including the huge parking area and RV park to the North-East of White Ave. and the blue shaded area North of the Raceway. I think the fact that the LA County Fair is held here every year holds a very good probability that we won't see the buildings go anywhere, but some of the land just might. The community in general would knee-jerk react to the destruction of the County Fair pretty harshly and I don't think any councilperson wants that egg on their face. Sell out the local community to big wig developers? There's an '80s movie in there somewhere. I think the LA Roadster Show is going to diminish into oblivion unless something drastic is done due to the aging out of club members, etc. before the Fairplex slams its gate on us. As far as the GNRS, as many have mentioned, it's been relocated many times and could probably survive at least one more move.
California seems to be getting less and less friendly to anything related to cars or drag racing with each passing year. Just my opinion. Jimbo
Land in good places command a premium dollar. I’d bet (don’t know) if there was a cornfield in Iowa near a thriving metropolis, developers would be knocking on the owners door and make him rich. That’s about as political as I care to get @PotvinV8 very informative post. I enjoyed the read!
Same thing is happening in other places, CA is just where it seems to be more prevalent. The war between car enthusiasts and the public has been going on since the first street races happened. It has been an uneasy peace since NHRA was founded. They grew from taking racers off the street to mega million racers that left the little guys out. Now some of the public only see the money they make and not what they have done for the community at large. I don't have an answer. We are slowly dying community that doesn't have the pull it once did. There will always be car and racing enthusiasts, but we may be forced back to the streets and back roads just like it started. Full circle if you will.
CA is in a permanent legal 'state of emergency'. There are no real Leases on county property, they can put housing anywhere on the property at any time under emergency powers. There are many reasons for this development to happen and eliminate our uses. The cities get big sales taxes from commercial developments, and don't from current uses. The county can use Bond money to build the low-income housing and then rent them out for a continual rich income stream. There is a lack of open space to do low-income housing in LA County. Politicians look good building parks and green energy nonsense like train stations. The neighbors around the Fairplex hate the events and the drags. If they develop the entire property they all win and we lose. In that case it will happen.
The Jalopy Journal
