Now Irwindale is gone (1 Viewer)

[sammi]

It finally happened. It looks like Irwindale Speedway and drag strip are gone. Super sad that the ancestral home of drag racing and car culture does not have a track within a couple of hours of LA. A fun track with a huge paved pit area, legit fire and rescue crew and a bunch a awesome track workers.
It wasn't left wing tree huggers that closed the place. It wasn't Gov. Newsome and Nancy Pelosi. It wasn't the federal government. Care to guess what happened? Rhymes with what happened to: San Fernando, Irwindale 1, OCIR, Riverside, Lions, Fontana 1and 2, Ontario, etc.

 

[4onthefl4]

Can't help but wonder about Pomona. Is it on the hit list?

 

[Randy]

Can't help but wonder about Pomona. Is it on the hit list?

Anymore, no place is safe except Firebird Raceway in Eagle, Idaho. It was made into an Idaho State Park years ago. Supposedly they can't touch it.

 

[mick]

honestly, i do not know why it is closing. it seems to be surrounded by industy, not exactly a residential area prime for development.

 

[robinjackson]

Maybe someone wants to build a brewery.

 

[mick]

let me rephrase earlier post. does anyone know why this track is closing?

 

[You!]

^^^To generate money. The track isn't capable, and frankly NO TRACK is capable at least out here of providing the same ROI as industrial warehousing/distribution can. Big reason why Lions closed over 52 years ago,

Sad but true.

 

[sutton]

let me rephrase earlier post. does anyone know why this track is closing?

Gibbs told me at the CHRR they will start a industrial complex early next year
Larry Sutton---

 

[mick]

thank you larry. lot of aggregate in that immediate area. those folks have big money.

 

[You!]

Mike, good chance it's China $$$.

 

[mick]

Mike, good chance it's China $$$.

no kidding? probably a case of prop. taxes going thru the roof, no matter how much the owner/s enjoy running a racing facility in LA basin,
at some point i suppose it becomes a losing proposition

 

[glofria]

Heard rumor this week that there's a rancher in Kern County (possibly Tejon Ranch) looking to build an 1/8 mile track near Arvin and closer to the Grapevine. But I cannot conform.

Me feels that Irwindale was a good fit for the Nitro Revival and if moved to Famoso that it would have to be incorporated into the CHRR. And I feel that both have become too large to hold on the same weekend.

 

[J. S.]

This place was supposed to close - what - 3 or 4 years ago? And we got a reprieve until now. So we've been lucky we have been able to enjoy Gibb's Nitro Revival there the last several years.

Enjoy going to the Big Show races at Pomona while we still can. One never knows about the future.

 

[You!]

Gino,

Supposedly considering putting something on or very near Kern County Raceway which while not convenient for SoCal locals, is better than nothing, I guess.

And not too surprising since Tim Huddleston is now the track manager.

 

[sutton]

Heard rumor this week that there's a rancher in Kern County (possibly Tejon Ranch) looking to build an 1/8 mile track near Arvin and closer to the Grapevine. But I cannot conform.

Me feels that Irwindale was a good fit for the Nitro Revival and if moved to Famoso that it would have to be incorporated into the CHRR. And I feel that both have become too large to hold on the same weekend.

Gino
Famoso and Nitro Revivial are talking about it.
Larry Sutton---

 

[J. S.]

Gino,

Supposedly considering putting something on or very near Kern County Raceway which while not convenient for SoCal locals, is better than nothing, I guess.

And not too surprising since Tim Huddleston is now the track manager.

View attachment 14977

Is Kevin Harvick involved with that track along I-5? I didn't know that. I always thought it was a huge missed opportunity that ever since that place was opened, there is NO sign whatsoever along the 5 that tells anyone what that place is and what races are coming up. Remember the big signs at OCIR along the Santa Ana Fwy, and the big sign along I-10 for Ontario Motor Speedway? There are a zillion vehicles going up and down the 5 every day past that Kern track. That's a ton of free advertising being missed.

 

[glofria]

Yes, it is known as Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway. I guess the story goes that Huddleston was going to buy Willow Springs, but that fell through and Kern Raceway came available. I think this track paralels the town of Bakersfield and would be a slightly shorter drive than Famoso.

https://www.arcaracing.com/2023/11/29/tim-and-lisa-huddleston-acquire-kern-county-raceway-park-rename-track-to-honor-kevin-harvick/

Not to mention that Buttowillow Raceway is 20 miles further up the 5.

Heard rumor also that at the Parris Fairground, with the successful support they're getting for the 1/16 mile track that their looking to go to an 1/8th mile. But this may just be hearsay.

 

[Mike]

Gino, its all rumors. Kevin Harvick is the money behind Kern County Raceway and just because they had a !/8 mile track at Irwindale doesnt mean they'll have one at Kern County. Tim has spent a lot of time with Blake at Famoso over the past month so I'm pretty sure He is well aware of the huge amount of money involved to build a track.

Perris Fairground has a space problem to grow. It seems to be working so why mess with a good thing.

 

[roscoe37]

Gino, its all rumors. Kevin Harvick is the money behind Kern County Raceway and just because they had a !/8 mile track at Irwindale doesnt mean they'll have one at Kern County. Tim has spent a lot of time with Blake at Famoso over the past month so I'm pretty sure He is well aware of the huge amount of money involved to build a track.

Perris Fairground has a space problem to grow. It seems to be working so why mess with a good thing.

the guy that does the bug ins said that they already broke ground on a 1/8 mile strip at kern

 

[Mike]

Brad, not according to the guy who runs Kern last weekend.

Lets just keep in mind tracks like Banning, Santa Maria, and many others were all just rumors that never happened but "oh the started building yesterday"