Irwindale

[Donny B.]

I read in an article about the Mooneyes Xmas Party that Irwindale  had been sold to a national retail chain who wants to build a shopping complex.  I hope this is wrong, but more and more drag strips are going away.  I don't race, but I enjoyed the events at Irwindale and hope this doesn't happen.  Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[richie]

Track manager confirmed this to me last time I was their, its on borrowed time now

Richie

[Fiatdude]

That would have to be the dumbest development ever done -- there ain't nothing within a mile except more rock,sand and gravel outfits and then the surrounding neighborhoods past that would not be classified as high rent districts.

For a hoot -- pulled up the sat view on mapquest of the facility -- they are drag racing -- the parking lot is full, but only 5-6 cars in the lanes -- wish it was like that when I went there LOL

<iframe style="height: 270px; width: 450px;" src="http://www.mapquest.com/embed?hk=1snDijS" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

[johnl]

That would have to be the dumbest development ever done -- there ain't nothing within a mile except more rock,sand and gravel outfits and then the surrounding neighborhoods past that would not be classified as high rent districts.

For a hoot -- pulled up the sat view on mapquest of the facility -- they are drag racing -- the parking lot is full, but only 5-6 cars in the lanes -- wish it was like that when I went there LOL

<iframe style="height: 270px; width: 450px;" src="http://www.mapquest.com/embed?hk=1snDijS" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>

I'm not disagreeing with you regarding the area but as far as "dumbest development ever done" I can only compare to a location you may have heard of.  What was very similar to what you described is today Las Vegas.........  Progress is not always good but it is "progress".....

[Jason Foster]

last I heard awhile back they got the ok for 2015 season.

[Fiatdude]

It looks like Irwindale will be closing after the 2015 season  -- The city council has approved the construction of an outlet mall on the site

All the watch dog outfits have been raising the alarm about the closure of the last legal racing facility as there has been a surge of street racing deaths in the past few months

[dragvw2180]

That really sucks , hard to legally race with no track.

[Dave Galassi]

Fiatdude, your info is correct.  It will be over after the 2015 season.  The only good news is that the grandstands are slated to head to Fontana. Remember, this is the second time this has happened in Irwindale alone. Ironically, I understand that Lucas Oil Company tried hard to purchase the facility, but was outbid (the property sold for $22,000,000).  Like Fiatdude, I can't imagine an outlet mall there............
With the recent publicized street racing accidents (and fatalities), you'd think there would be more effort to keep a strip in Los Angeles County (other than Pomona, which is limited to 8 racing days per year), but the real estate values and NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) citizens have made it nearly impossible.
In the 50's, the Lion's Club, in response to street racing and with the help of the police, created Lions Drag Strip, to get them off the street.  We still have the same problem 60 years later, but the land isn't as readily available or affordable as it once was, not to mention liability issues.
As long as there have been cars, there have been car races. 

[Russell]

Very sad, that's the one and only track I've raced at in the USA and love it. Such a shame for the Thursday night racers.

Will have to try and get there once this season just to say bye.....