NASCAR Irwindale Track Closing

Just the Facts:

• Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, in eastern L.A. County, is closing, according to media reports.
• The multipurpose motorsports facility opened in 1999.
• The track was host to a number of prominent short-track racing events.

IRWINDALE, California — Various media sources are reporting the impending closure of Toyota Speedway, the motorsports complex in eastern Los Angeles County that opened as Irwindale Speedway in 1999.

Some grandstands and other structures were being dismantled over the weekend, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. AutoWeek magazine on Sunday reported the impending closure, citing an unnamed speedway official.

Officials of the track have not announced or confirmed any plans. An official statement is expected on Monday.

For the past several years, the track has been host to several junior-level NASCAR events such as the Toyota NASCAR Showdown and other races such as the Turkey Night Grand Prix, an open-wheel event that traced its origins to the pre-World War II era and the early days of Midget racing, which originated in the L.A. area.

Irwindale also features a one-eighth-mile drag strip and is considered the birthplace of drifting in America. Known as the "House of Drift," Irwindale has hosted Formula D since the series began in 2003.

Ever since its opening, Irwindale was one of the most highly regarded short tracks in the country, with a half-mile oval enclosing a one-third-mile oval with a paved infield. It was a pristine facility with state-of-the-art facilities, amenities and lighting.

Early hints of closure came in December, when Irwindale was missing from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West 2012 schedule. The regional short-track series had been a staple ever since the track opened.

Some reports claimed car counts for the track's racing programs were down dramatically last season.

Inside Line says: Sadly, a track that opened with such promise and enjoyed such widespread popularity apparently has gone the way of so many other Southern California auto racing facilities.