Podcast Summary: The Smoking Tire – “We Bought Willow Springs Raceway”

Release Date: April 29, 2025

In this special episode of The Smoking Tire, hosts Matt Farah and Zack Klapman delve deep into the acquisition of the iconic Willow Springs Raceway. Joined by automotive enthusiasts and industry insiders Sam Byrne of Cross Harbor Capital and Maz Fawaz of Singer Vehicle Design, the conversation unpacks the significance of this purchase, the future plans for the racetrack, and its profound impact on the Southern California car community.

1. Introduction to Willow Springs Raceway Acquisition

Matt Farah opens the discussion by expressing his excitement about the episode's focus:

Matt Farah [00:26]: "This is a very special episode of the podcast because I've been waiting to talk about this in detail for months. Today we're gonna go out to Willow Springs."

The hosts set the stage by highlighting the importance of Willow Springs Raceway to the LA, San Diego, and broader SoCal automotive scene.

2. Meet the New Owners: Sam Byrne and Maz Fawaz

Sam Byrne and Maz Fawaz introduce themselves, emphasizing their passion for motorsports and commitment to enhancing Willow Springs:

Sam Byrne [02:24]: "Pleasure. Nice to be here."

Maz Fawaz [02:25]: "Yeah, thanks for having us."

Matt acknowledges their recent acquisition:

Matt Farah [02:26]: "Big news. You guys own a racetrack now. Good times."

3. The Acquisition Journey

Sam Byrne shares the story behind acquiring Willow Springs Raceway, detailing his background as an enthusiast and investment strategist:

Sam Byrne [03:39]: "I'm an enthusiast and collector to begin with. For the last decade, we've seen a lot of track deals... but something about the Willow Springs’ scale and proximity to LA was super appealing."

He highlights the challenges other tracks face, such as lack of soul in private clubs and the threat of tracks being replaced by commercial developments like Amazon warehouses.

4. The Significance of Willow Springs Raceway

Maz Fawaz underscores the unique position of Willow Springs in Southern California, contrasting it with distant tracks like Laguna Seca:

Maz Fawaz [06:39]: "We think of ourselves as sort of of California... Southern California can have a racetrack, a real racetrack."

Matt emphasizes the community's concerns when the track was up for sale and his trust in Sam and Maz's vision:

Matt Farah [04:52]: "That was a fear too, when the track sold, that it might not remain a racetrack."

5. Future Plans and Upgrades

The guests delve into their comprehensive plans for Willow Springs, aiming to balance public access with private club amenities:

• Safety Enhancements: Upgrading to FIA 2 standards for improved safety.

  Sam Byrne [12:04]: "We're going to be FIA 2, which means there's going to be a tremendous amount of improvements... to make it more safe."

• Facility Improvements: Building proper paddock setups, corporate support areas, and potentially hospitality facilities like a hotel.

  Sam Byrne [25:11]: "We will have to build a proper paddock setup to support corporate, to support public events."

• Membership Clubs: Introducing private club memberships that offer exclusive access without restricting the racetrack to a select few.

  Maz Fawaz [29:02]: "No, absolutely not. You don't have to have a Singer Vehicle Design car."

6. Balancing Public and Private Use

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around maintaining public access while cultivating a vibrant club community:

Sam Byrne [14:07]: "We will lean at least as much into the public and OEM as we will the club side."

Maz highlights the importance of community over exclusivity:

Maz Fawaz [24:51]: "The community is what matters. Pure private places don't have a soul."

7. Business Model and Sustainability

Sam Byrne outlines the multi-faceted revenue streams essential for the racetrack's sustainability:

1. Public Access: Hosting track days and public events efficiently to maximize usage.

   Sam Byrne [60:13]: "The public vertical... make a lot of these improvements... these are big revenue generators."

2. OEM Partnerships: Leasing space to manufacturers like Singer Vehicle Design for customer experience centers.

   Sam Byrne [60:43]: "We'll rent space to the OEMs. Singer will have a customer experience center here."

3. Club Memberships: Establishing a break-even model through memberships that fund track improvements and operations.

   Sam Byrne [62:29]: "The club model to be a break even model. That's all you really are trying to achieve."

Maz adds that optimizing track usage and strategic location are pivotal:

Maz Fawaz [64:24]: "The location of this place can't be ignored. It's kind of perfect."

8. Enhancing the Southern California Car Community

The new ownership aims to create a hub for automotive enthusiasts, fostering events like cars and coffees and ensuring the track remains a vibrant, accessible venue:

Sam Byrne [35:10]: "We're gonna try to kick off that activation in early October, and we hope to have a great community out here."

Matt reflects on the benefits compared to existing facilities:

Matt Farah [08:58]: "You don't have to stay out here. You can be home by dinner."

9. Comparisons with Other Racetracks and Global Standards

Maz draws parallels with prestigious tracks worldwide, emphasizing the unique opportunities Willow Springs offers:

Maz Fawaz [32:44]: "We've been to McGaragawa in Japan... It looks like something Dubai would do."

He contrasts this with the limited configurations and noise restrictions of local tracks:

Sam Byrne [12:14]: "There's nothing there yet. So we can make track related improvements... beyond that to build hospitality oriented stuff like potentially a hotel."

10. Insights into Singer Vehicle Design’s Craftsmanship

Throughout the episode, Maz and Sam highlight Singer Vehicle Design's unparalleled restoration quality, setting a benchmark in the automotive world:

Maz Fawaz [44:25]: "Rob dedicates a tremendous amount of time to detail... Everything has been massaged. It's very, very deliberate."

Matt shares his firsthand experience driving a Singer Turbo:

Matt Farah [46:46]: "What made that car special is that it's the first time I've ever driven any restored car... you genuinely couldn't tell there was a car there before."

Sam elaborates on the meticulous engineering and unwavering commitment to excellence:

Sam Byrne [70:26]: "If you're not spending literally tens of millions of dollars on engineering with Bosch and everyone else to make it perfect, it's not going to be this car."

11. Community Engagement and Future Events

Listeners are informed about upcoming track activities and the integration of community events:

Sam Byrne [77:58]: "We'll get you back in September and October. We hope to roll out a lot more information about what's going to be possible here."

Maz emphasizes the intention to cultivate a welcoming environment for all enthusiasts:

Maz Fawaz [30:21]: "It's an experience that we've been to a bunch of private, fully private clubs. They can be really quiet."

12. Conclusion and Future Outlook

As the episode wraps up, the hosts and guests express optimism about the future of Willow Springs Raceway. Matt anticipates exciting developments and personal experiences driving at the newly revamped track:

Matt Farah [78:23]: "It looks anything like that when they're done, we're in for a real big treat."

Sam and Maz convey their gratitude towards the community and collaborators, ensuring ongoing support and enthusiasm for the project:

Sam Byrne [79:15]: "Like, Zach Brown turned us on to Alex Wirtz... It's been great."

Notable Quotes

• Matt Farah [08:11]: "They put up the little banners like you put up for the photo shoot. Absolutely nothing else."

• Sam Byrne [12:30]: "Safety is like the number one thing. So we're running the track very carefully right now."

• Maz Fawaz [25:11]: "We will have to build a proper paddock setup to support corporate, to support public events."

• Sam Byrne [44:25]: "We do that on the, you know, underneath the skin as well. So everything is really, really deeply considered."

• Matt Farah [46:46]: "You genuinely couldn't tell there was a car there before, which to me was a real turning point in modification of vehicles."

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Smoking Tire provides an in-depth look into the transformation of Willow Springs Raceway under the stewardship of Sam Byrne and Maz Fawaz. With plans to enhance safety, foster community engagement, and maintain public accessibility, the new ownership promises to preserve the racetrack’s legacy while propelling it into a vibrant future. Whether you're a die-hard motorsport enthusiast or a casual car lover, the developments at Willow Springs are poised to offer something exciting for everyone in the Southern California automotive landscape.