Update:

In a report from ESPN Los Angeles, Irwindale Raceway LLC filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Monday with the United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District. According the filing, the track management group owes various creditors $331,773.11, which includes a $150,000 personal-injury claim. Nu-Way Industries Inc. owns the property, which was leased by the track management group. No word yet on whether Nu-Way plans to sell the property or the future of the racing facilities.

Earlier:

Southern California was the virtual birthplace of the sport of drag racing and for decades it remained the hot bed of aspiring racers – the place that young hot rodders went to make a name for themselves. but these days, you’d never know it.

A region once home to a quarter mile strip of asphalt on what seemed like every corner, the state of California has squeezed organized drag racing out of its state, and those that weren’t, fell on financial hard times and closed up shop on their own. This has left a very limited number of facilities for racers and illegal street racers to ply their trade, and according to new information that’s come to light, the region may be minus one more strip.

According to reports on numerous media outlets, the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, located in Irwindale, Calif. has ceased operations. The multi-purpose facility, opened in 1999, features an 1/8-mile dragstrip in addition to the paved 1/2 and 1/3-mile oval that was used for NASCAR sanctioned racing events.

Late last year, NASCAR announced that it’s K&N Pro Series West circuit would not return to Irwindale, and later reports indicated that the facility was close to filing bankruptcy. Over the weekend, a number of Los Angeles area media outlets, including the Los Angeles Daily News, reported that the track was in the process of being closed permanently, with eyewitness reports of the grandstands being dismantled, the freeway sign being disconnected, and the sudden absence of the track’s website. In addition, a moving truck was seen backed up to the administration building and moving box stacked outside.

According to a prominent Irwindale racer who wished not to be identified, “They went out of business.”

Vice president and General Manager Bob DeFazio and Track operations director Bob Klein both refused to comment on the matter, stating only that an official announcement would be made today.

This would seemingly bring to an end a facility popular with hobbyist racers in Los Angeles and a facility that’s hosted everything from Formula D drift events to NASCAR and Hollywood movie and commercial scenes.