The state of California was once home to some of the most iconic drag strips in the world, but those golden days have long since passed. It now looks like the last Los Angeles-area drag strip, Irwindale Speedway, will be closing in December of 2024.
So many people have gotten their horsepower fix at this multi-purpose facility over the years. Irwindale Speedway opened in 1999 and has hosted a multitude of events. Stock cars, open-wheel machines, and drifters have all made laps around Irwindale’s circle track. The drag strip has played host to NHRA, NMCA, and weekly racing events with big turnouts as well.
The track’s future has been in doubt for some time due to its year-to-year lease. There have been reports it was going to be replaced with either a truck stop or a shopping mall at some point. The Irwindale City Council has already approved the closure and demolition of the facility, but somehow the track has remained open.
Well, it now seems the bell has finally rung for the final 1/8th mile drag strip in the greater Los Angeles region. The announcement of the track’s closure is expected to come sometime this week, and the track will fall silent sometime in December. This means the only active 1/8th mile drag strip in the region is Baron in Lakeside, California. The closest facility now to the Los Angeles area is the Street Legal Dragway next to the Perris Auto Speedway dirt oval.
This is just another reminder of how important it really is to support your local drag strip. Stay tuned Dragzine as we will continue to follow this developing story.