Willow Springs International Raceway opened in 1953 and was purchased by Bill Huth in 1962. Under his ownership, the track expanded beyond the original 2.5-mile, nine-turn Big Willow course to include the Streets of Willow and Horse Thief Mile road courses, a paved oval track, a dirt oval track, and a karting circuit. Big Willow's long front straightaway helped earn it the nickname "the fastest road in the west," and Chris Huth said that straightaway originally attracted his father, a former Lancaster speed shop owner, to the property. Bill Huth had first intended to create a drag strip rather than a road course, but the available stretch was too short at 5/8 of a mile when he needed 3/4 to run AA/Fuel dragsters. After the drag strip plan proved unworkable, the SCCA Cal Club and the AFM motorcycle group approached him and offered to rent the track and guarantee a set number of races if it were paved, which led to its beginning as a road course. Since then, the raceway has become an important part of Motor Trend's testing regimen, with Streets of Willow and Big Willow used regularly in comparison and track tests, and it has remained a favorite for generations of Southern California enthusiasts because of its many layout options and proximity to Los Angeles. In 1996, after efforts by fans, the State of California declared Willow Springs International Raceway a California Point of Interest, and it is recognized as part of Kern County history.