Long Live the Drag Strip

May 6, 2013
Story By
Tim Sutton

In this day of ever changing landscapes, new construction, and people who can’t tolerate other people’s fun – it’s getting rare to find drag strips able to open their doors to the public to get behind the wheel and go fast. While there has been a resurgence of this sport as of late – I don’t see it lasting too long if we don’t figure out how to hold on to it.

Irwindale Speedway almost fell suit to what many racetracks have in recent years, closure. Names such as Carlsbad, Ascott, LACR and Lyons are just a thing of the past now.

Urban sprawl has been a main reason for many old drag strips closing. When they were constructed, most were far away from everything and everyone. No noise complaints except for a few jack rabbits and squirrels (PETA don’t get on board please). Nowadays, the urban landscape has rolled right up against these tracks and the new home and business owners take offence….what did they expect when they moved next to a racetrack?!?

Last year, upon hearing of Irwindale’s closure, I was super bummed. I loved watching the figure-eight racing and drags there, but never made much of an effort to go. Figuring Toyota’s ownership/sponsorship kept it secure, I immediately thought “I shoulda gone to support the place more” upon hearing of its closing. With Irwindale reopening, I now have a second-chance opportunity to go out and support this place more.

While Irwindale isn’t completely out of the clear, it’s open for now. It’s still quite sparse at it's location just off the 605 freeway, between a stone quarry and Monrovia – but you can be sure that as LA grows someone, sometime, will try to push it out again. In our world it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, and this is no exception. I’ve found that if people take interest, things stay. So I recently took an evening to go out to the “Run What You Brung” races held each Thursday at Irwindale.

It was awesome to see a full parking lot and people packing in the staging lanes to be “weekend warriors” with their shiny, and not so shiny, street machines.

For those with nitro in their veins, it’s a great time and a cheap date. 10 bucks gets you in and 20 bucks gets you racing.

Don’t think for a second that you’ve got to have a super pricey car to run. Everything from daily drivers straight off the sales lot to Pro Stock Chevy’s…and everything in between.

So if you’re wondering what to do on a free Thursday or weekend, head over to Irwindale for an awesome evening!!!! www.irwindalespeedway.com500 Speedway Drive Irwindale, California 91706 -Tim Sutton

Long Live the Drag Strip

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