Irwindale Event Center

Irwindale Speedway & Event Center
“House of Drift”, “LA’s 1/2 Mile Super Speedway”
Irwindale Speedway as it was prepared for the 2006 Toyota All-Star Showdown
LocationIrwindale, California
Time zoneGMT-8
Capacity6,500 without portable seating
OwnerLindom Properties, Arcadia
OperatorTim Huddleston
OpenedMarch 27, 1999; 25 years ago (1999-03-27)
ClosedDecember 21, 2024; 24 days' time (2024-12-21)
Former namesIrwindale Event Center (2012–2017)
Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (2008–2011)
Irwindale Speedway (1999–2007)
Major eventsNASCAR
Toyota All-Star Showdown
ARCA Menards Series West
CARS Tour West Series
Whelen All-American Series
Formula Drift
Websitehttp://www.irwindalespeedway.com
SurfaceAsphalt
Length.5 miles (.804 km)
Turns4
Banking6°, 9°, 12° (progressive)

The Irwindale Speedway & Event Center (a.k.a. Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale Dragstrip, or "The House of Drift") is a motorsports facility located in Irwindale, California, United States. It opened on March 27, 1999, under the official name Irwindale Speedway. Toyota purchased the naming rights to the facility in 2008, and from that time until 2011 it was also known as the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.[1]

The speedway features banked, paved 12- and 13-mile oval tracks and a 18-mile drag strip. The property is primarily used for NASCAR races such as ARCA Menards Series West and Whelen All-American Series events. In late 2011, NASCAR announced it was dropping Toyota Speedway from its schedule. The company that managed the track, Irwindale Speedway LLC, filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy on February 13, 2012.[2]

In January 2013, it was announced that the track would be re-opening as the Irwindale Event Center, and would operate as a Whelen All-American Series venue for the 2013 season.[3] For the past decade, the Formula D Championship Series had featured sold out events at the venue.

In 2015, plans were made to demolish Irwindale Speedway and build an outlet mall on the site of the track. On August 9, 2017, it was officially announced that Jim Cohan, CEO of Team 211 Entertainment, who operated the track under the name of Irwindale Event Center, would cease operation. [4] On December 29, 2017, it was announced that the track would not close in January 2018 as former Irwindale Late Model driver and track champion Tim Huddleston, along with K&N West team owner Bob Bruncatti, took over management of the speedway to have it remain open. On October 29, 2024, it was announced that the speedway and the drag-strip will close by the end of December.

  1. ^ Lair, Keith (March 17, 2008). "An optimistic outlook". San Gabrial Valley Tribune. Archived from the original on June 14, 2011. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  2. ^ Haddock, Tim (February 14, 2012). "Irwindale group files for bankruptcy". ESPNLosAngeles.com. ESPN. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  3. ^ Peltz, Jim (January 4, 2012). "Irwindale Speedway to again host minor-league NASCAR racing". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, CA. Retrieved 2013-01-05.
  4. ^ "Irwindale Speedway Announces Final Date of Operation".