California-based Irwindale Drag Strip and Irwindale Speedway Will Close at End of 2024 Season
Although the news of tracks opening and closing in 2024 has been favoring the re-opening / new tracks side of things, news broke today that California will lose another track at the end of this season.
Irwindale Drag Strip and sister half-mile circle track Irwindale Speedway will close their gates at the end of 2024.
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California is credited with a lot of the movement to organized drag racing, but in recent years the state has lost a few tracks. Rumors had been circulating about Irwindale’s future heavily in the past few weeks, and being about a half-hour from downtown Los Angeles, the track had the appearance of solid attendance.
The announcement today brings the future of the facility into grim focus after 24 years of operation.
The announcement from Irwindale is below:
IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY & DRAGSTRIP TO CLOSE AFTER 2024 SEASON,
WITH FINAL FAREWELL SET FOR DECEMBER 21
Farewell Extravaganza to Serve as Grand Finale for Iconic Motorsports Venue
IRWINDALE, CA (October 29, 2024) – Irwindale Speedway & Event Center Inc. (ISEC) has announced that Irwindale Speedway and Dragstrip will close following the 2024 season, ending a quarter-century as a beloved motorsports hub in Southern California.
Since opening in 1999, Irwindale has been home to NASCAR races, demolition derbies, street-legal drag racing, and the iconic Formula Drift events at “The House of Drift,” along with numerous car culture festivals. Its final event, Irwindale Speedway’s Farewell Extravaganza, is set for December 21, marking the close of a significant chapter in racing history.
“Irwindale has been more than just a track—it’s been a home and gathering place for racing enthusiasts worldwide,” said Tim Huddleston, President of ISEC. “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.”
Events will continue through the remainder of 2024, with highlights including Thursday Night Thunders, Night of Destruction on November 2, Nitro Revival on November 8-9, and SevenStock 26 on November 16. The dragstrip will host its final events in December, starting with the last Thursday Night Thunder on December 5, giving fans one last chance to race down the dragstrip or enjoy the burnout box.
Irwindale Dragstrip will then close out its history with the legendary Mooneyes Christmas Party on December 7, featuring drag racing, a classic car show, live entertainment, and more—a fitting farewell to the iconic drag racing venue.
Irwindale Speedway’s Farewell Extravaganza on December 21 promises an unforgettable finale, packed with heart-pounding action. Fans can expect a full day of NASCAR short-track races, wild Night of Destruction events like Figure-8s and Trailer Races, a high-octane Drift Invitational, and the prestigious ARCA Menards Series West.
This historic event will be Irwindale’s biggest and most thrilling celebration yet, a fitting tribute to the legacy of a track that has defined West Coast racing for 25 years.
While the closure marks the end of an era, Irwindale’s motorsports legacy will continue as its assets and events transition to Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield for 2025, ensuring that Southern California’s racing spirit endures.
The closing of Irwindale would bring the remaining drag strips for the state down to ten.
The National Hot Rod Association has six tracks with their sanctioning in California: Pomona Dragstrip, Famoso Dragstrip, Samoa Dragstrip, Sonoma Raceway, Redding Motorsports Park, and Barona Drag Strip (an eighth-mile track).
The International Hot Rod Association sanctions three tracks in California (all on an eighth-mile format): Eagle Field Drags, Kingdon Drags and Mendota Raceway Park, and the World Drag Racing Alliance has one track, Street Legal Dragway, a unique 330-foot located on the Southern California Fairgrounds.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Irwindale Dragstrip.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com