Willow Springs International Raceway owner Bill Huth died Monday night at 11:15 p.m. at a hospital near the iconic Rosamond, California racetrack. He was 91 years old.

According to his daughter Stephanie, Bill Huth died as a result of complications related to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), a byproduct of lifelong smoking.

Bill Huth was an early advocate of improving safety for riders at his track, moving back dirt embankments adjacent to the racing surface starting in the early 1980s, at a time when other tracks routinely refused to make any changes to reduce the chances of riders hitting hard objects when they crashed. 

He also oversaw expansion of the facility, adding The Streets Of Willow and Horsethief Canyon road courses as well as paved and dirt ovals and a kart track. 

The 2.5-mile original course at the facility has long been a popular venue for shooting car commercials.

He also founded the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club (WSMC) to run club races at the track in 1991, following disputes with AFM (over a club associate criticizing EMTs at the track) and ARRA, (which Huth said ran events without the track-required medical insurance). 

WSMC ran the third Sunday of every month for most of its 21-year history before Bill Huth closed it down in 2012. 

Bill Huth is survived by daughters Jamie Sue Miller and Stephanie Huth; sons Gregory C. Huth and Christopher C. Huth; 10 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren with another on the way. He was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine.

Stephanie Huth told Roadracingworld.com that the family would continue to operate the racetrack, because “it’s what Dad wanted us to do.”

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Funeral services are pending.