Irwindale Speedway’s final laps may be on the immediate horizon.
The speedway put out a press release announcing their “final farewell” which is set to take place on December 21 in what the track also calls its largest short track racing event ever. The ARCA Menards Series, Pro Late Models, Super Late Models, Legend Cars and much more will be a part of the event.
“Irwindale has been more than just a track—it’s been a home and gathering place for racing enthusiasts worldwide,” Tim Huddleston, president and promoter of Irwindale Speedway and Events Center, said in a statement. “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.”
Irwindale Speedway, located in Southern California about 20 miles away from Downtown Los Angeles, opened in 1999 and has hosted big name events including the ARCA Menards Series West, the Toyota All Star Showdown which was broadcast on SPEED (now FS1), and much more. However, this latest announcement of the track’s closure is not the first time the speedway’s future was left in limbo.
The track had closed down from 2011-2013, was set to close down again after the 2016 season, and in January 2018.
There are plans in the works to repurpose the Southern California track into an industrial park pending the outcome of environmental impact studies, however similar plans existed prior to the previously announced closure of the track in 2017.
The 2024 racing season at Irwindale Speedway will continue as planned through December. The statement released by the track notes that speedway’s “legacy will continue as its assets and events transition to Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway,” which is located in Bakersfield, California.
