Willlow Springs Raceway for Sale - Emelia Hartford buying?

[MR2 Fan]

If anyone doesn't know who Emelia Hartford is, she's a youtube personality/car builder and actress who has done a lot of cool projects and was also in the Gran Turismo movie. She also has a podcast with Sung Kang (Han from F&F).

I heard the other day that the track was for sale but was surprised to see this post today


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5ue1RifS9o

[Kchrpm]

I like this stage of car culture, where popular young content creators are effectively using their money to hopefully support the larger community rather than being bought buy a corporation or old billionaire that may have less future-friendly ideas for how to handle it.

(I say this before watching the video and knowing very little about what kind of investment is needed to maintain/improve the track, what her plans are, etc...I guess I should watch the video)

[Kchrpm]

Back after watching the video: she seems excited, invested, and informed. I like it.

[Cam]

I'm stunned that a YouTuber can afford to put in an offer on something like this. She either makes way more than I think she does, or she has no foresight into how much it will cost to run it. (I have not watched the video.)

[MR2 Fan]

She makes a lot of money...she just had a few videos of the R34 GT-R she just bought from Japan, then decided to buy a $200,000+ Aventador

[dodint]

She could also be signaling that she's putting together an offer and interested potential partners should reach out; form an ownership group.

[Crazed_Insanity]

I had my very 1st track experience there. Spun my S2000 on that track multiple times! :D

If she's buying it to avoid it being destroyed, I'm all for it.

However, I'm not sure how to really make money off of a track like that though. It can't possibly host an F-1 race... nor Indycar race... nor NASCAR race. It's just too small! So it can only host smaller series? Or perhaps just make it a test track for car companies or doing promo videos? Or just continue to rent it out for amateur folks like me to run their cars on it?

Current seller must be getting rid of it due to it not able to make much money? I hope things turn out great for her and I support her 'emotionally', but financially, even if I do have the money, I'm not sure I'd want to invest. Unless she's thinking about expanding the track to possibly attract those other big time series to come race on it? Anyway, whatever happens, I wish her and the willow springs track well.

[Kchrpm]

She could also be signaling that she's putting together an offer and interested potential partners should reach out; form an ownership group.

She basically said that she's not crowdfunding this, but if you want to make a serious partnership or investment then you'll know how to reach her.

[Cam]

I've been there. It's pretty much in the desert, far from any major town. The track would need upgrades and more facilities to accommodate major racing series.

Edit: It's actually closer to LA than I remember. :shrug:

[Tom Servo]

It's still a pretty hefty drive from LA. It's a good 90 minutes in no traffic from where I'm at, and there ain't much around it.