After twenty-five years, Irwindale Speedway & Event Center will close its doors for excellent. A last occasion, called the Farewell Extravaganza, will be hung on 21 December.
Although popular, the track’s fate had actually been dirty considering that its previous owners declared insolvency in 2012. It resumed operations a year later on in the past rumours about demolition happened in 2015. Another ownership modification ultimately kept it open under the management of Irwindale track champ Tim Huddleston and NASCAR group owner Bob Bruncati.
“Irwindale has been more than just a track—it’s been a home and gathering place for racing enthusiasts worldwide,” stated Huddleston. “On behalf of my wife Lisa and our partners Bob and Maureen Bruncati, we extend heartfelt thanks to our fans, racers, sponsors, and the City of Irwindale for their unwavering support over the past 25 years. We’re grateful for every moment and memory we’ve shared as a community.”
Located in Irwindale, California, the track opened in 1999 as a half-mile oval with progressive banking in the turns. It likewise includes a third-mile oval within and a drag strip.
From 2003 to 2010, the oval was utilized for NASCAR’s Toyota All-Star Showdown that combined the leading chauffeurs from NASCAR’s local departments (presently the ARCA Menards Series East and West and the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). Notable victors consist of driver-turned-team owner David Gilliland, previous ARCA title competitor Michael Self, and two-time winner and ultimate two times NASCAR Cup Series champ Joey Logano.
The ARCA West Series has actually run a points race at the track considering that 1999 when it was Winston West; Sean Hingorani is the last NASCAR/ARCA points winner after sweeping the 2024 weekend in July. Points-paying stock cars and truck occasions were likewise held for the now-defunct NASCAR Southwest Series and the ASA National Tour.
The track is likewise thought about among the leading locations for wandering. D1 Grand Prix held its inaugural round beyond Japan at Irwindale in 2003 in front of a sold-out crowd. A year later on, it was on Formula DRIFT‘s inaugural schedule, where it had actually stayed considering that. Its appeal has actually made it the name “The House of Drift”.
Irwindale’s place near Los Angeles has actually likewise made the properties a typical recording place for commercials and tv series. The comedy Malcolm in the Middle utilized video from the 1999 Winston West Series race there for among its episodes. The Titan Games, a short-term sports competitors hosted by Dwayne Johnson, performed its very first season at Irwindale.
Its closure leaves the currently having a hard time Southern California racing market in a more precarious position. Auto Club Speedway, the area’s main NASCAR center, was closed and destroyed in 2023 as part of a reconfiguration job to turn it into a brief track, though development has actually been sluggish. The agreement to run the Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum likewise ended after 2024, moving it to Bowman Gray Stadium for 2025. Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield will acquire the majority of Irwindale’s staying properties.
The drag strip’s last race will be on 5 December. The Farewell Extravaganza will consist of figure-8 races, wandering, and an ARCA West exhibit race.
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