As we reported yesterday, the management at Irwindale Speedway was expected to make a statement regarding the plans for the track during the coming season. That announcement came and sadly it wasn’t good. In a short statement, the track simply stated:
Irwindale Speedway announcement: 2012 season
Irwindale, Calif. (February 13, 2012, 1:30PM ) – – The management of Irwindale Speedway today announced that the 2012 racing season has been cancelled.
We were hoping for something much less drastic than that. So you’re thinking, “If they are cancelling the racing season, the place is going out of business.” That’s not exactly right in our estimation because there is lots of television and movie filming booked at the facility in 2012 as well as a racing school that seems like it will be continuing, at least according this this announcement. They did not announce the closing of the facility, the sale of the facility, or a change of personnel, the simply stated that the racing season had been cancelled.
The track can now operated with a skeleton crew, open when necessary for film work, etc, and hopefully get the financial end of things back in order for 2013.
This is awful news for area drag racers and circle track competitors who undoubtedly were planning on running at this place in 2012. We’re heartbroken for those racers as this literally came out of the blue and fell right on top of them.
Pretty amazing that the birthplace of hot rodding is almost completely devoid of weekly racing facilities now.
If there are any developments in this story, we’ll make sure to keep you up to date!
With another racetrack closed, there will only be a increase in street racing in the area now. By the way, I don’t condone street racing.
Sad but true about the street racing……….our local 1/8th. mile closed this year, got nowhere to race:(
You would think they could at least figure out how to keep the drag strip open. We packed the place every Thursday night. Stands were full, 200 cars running. And it kept people off the streets.
Rumor has Lucas Oil buying the place and converting the 1/3 mile track that is inside the 1/2 mile to dirt.
So much for Formula Drift competition there this season.
As The Piston Burns,
Although Irwindale was never the same when it was changed or re-born if you will, its name was synonymous with drag racers all over Southern California. Still to this day when someone speaks of drag strips they use to race at, or went to watch races at, back in the sixties, seventies and into the eighties, Irwindale ranked right there with OCIR, Lions, old Fontana, Bakersfield and Carlsbad just to name a few.
One of the last remaining tracks from the from an era gone by when drag racing was king and if you were a car guy, they would find you at one of many tracks on any given Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday nights.
Say goodbye to another piece of history that once was truly a Southern California icon.
What will they shut down next???
If you’re lucky enough to have a race track close to where you live, enjoy it, because it may not be there tomorrow. With the car culture we have here in Southern California you’d think we could keep a few of these tracks open. Now most of us have to drive 2 to 5 hours to enjoy racing. Maybe it’s time to move??? No…that SUCKS!!!
Goodbye old friend!
Thanks BANGshift.com