We’ve got a hidden treasure here in Southern California, and it just keeps grinding out timeslips week after week, year after year.
The Irwindale Event Center is a workhorse in SoCal, home to a cool 1/8-mile dragstrip sitting in the southeast corner of the facility, backing on the busy 605 Freeway. Opened in 2001 with the late Wally Parks looking on, the Irwindale Dragstrip has been a weekly habit for mostly Street Legal hot rods, there’s also a healthy exhibition class of quicker, mufflered racecars that usually show up. Junior Dragsters are also welcome.
Because of persistent rains this week the regular NHRA Test-N-Tune has been rescheduled to Friday night, which should bring out the regulars and some new people who don’t have to work the next day. To race, all you need is a current drivers license and have your car pass a safety check, but it’s important to get there early since weekly entries are limited to 225 Tech Cards.
You can watch your friends for $10 bucks (Kids $5) and race down the track for $20 bucks. Gates open at 4:00 PM with racing from 5:00 to 10:00 PM. The Food Court has a tasty selection for you, however your personal ice chest is welcomed.
Prior to getting project “Legal Tender” underway, BangShift’s Chad Reynolds thrashed his Blazer to find a baseline at Irwindale Drags’ Thursday Night Thunder.
Irwindale Dragstrip is a low pressure, fun place to hang out or race and with a full 2017 Schedule recently published, there’s something going on virtually every week during the year.
An occasional Thursday Drift Night on the ½-mile Irwindale oval with your fast street machine is often schedule while the dragstrip operates and the facility is regularly used for TV and commercial production.
This week’s Thursday Night Thunder morphs into Friday Night Thunder since we’ve had so much rain this week, and Friday looks good!
The Irwindale Dragstrip is located at 500 Speedway Drive, Irwindale, California. For more info call (626) 358-1100 or the Website: Irwindale Event Center
