Southern California - no place to drag race in the birthplace of drag racing

[Unconventional]

What’s funny is I heard a rumor last Saturday while I was at Irwindale, that core samples have been taken and the land is not usable for residential or commercial growth. Could just be a rumor but it made me question all the reasons I thought the track was going away.

The ground under Irwindale is just one giant sand wash Being so close to the mountains that sand is also occupied by some rather large chunks of aggregate that just rolled with the flow They have numerous neighbors that specialize in the processing of such material for their use in concrete and asphalt products. I attended the "Last Blast" at the previous Irwindale in the late 70s. Many racers that evening expressed their displeasure with "MILLER BEER SUCKS!" added to their race car graphics Few years later their sits a Miller brewery.

 

[fishmens67]

Keep laughing. They're going to turn your state into the next Cali. Even if you think it's just XYZ group and they're good people because they're leaving Cali, they'll bring the politics and the trash with them because they can be middle class in Cali and yuppie snobs in your state.

I watched it happen in Colorado in the '90's.

The needle isn't swinging, if anything Boise is turning more red.

yuppie snobs in your state.

Their the ones that high tail it out once they figure Idahoans don't tolerate their ideas and beliefs.
Most coming here are looking for change for the better, not to change us.

 

[Unconventional]

I read in a different news article the other day that Kevin Harvick and his enterprises had bought the hardware from them. Harvick does have a substantial piece of property in the southern San Juaquin Valley currently occupied by KCRP 1/2 mile asphalt, 1/3 mile dirt, and MX track. Nice facility it is.

 

[autoxcuda]

I read in a different news article the other day that Kevin Harvick and his enterprises had bought the hardware from them. Harvick does have a substantial piece of property in the southern San Juaquin Valley currently occupied by KCRP 1/2 mile asphalt, 1/3 mile dirt, and MX track. Nice facility it is.

Are you talking about Kern raceway?
That’s a naming rights sponsorship deal.

Current leasee will/can move any hardware above ground they want to their new property at Kern.

Grandstands unbolt.

 

[autoxcuda]

….
I STILL believe the roundy has HUGE rent, and the leasee's are losing money daily.

It’s profitable for leasee with the rent.

The circle track itself is half or less of square footage

Parking, return road, and drag strip co-used by other non roundy round events ($$$)

Circle track itself used for parking for large events ($$$)

Also circle track is seen in tons of TV commercials and shows. That’s week day rental ($$$) during non event hours.

Lots of ways to make money.

 

[TT5.9mag]

The ground under Irwindale is just one giant sand wash Being so close to the mountains that sand is also occupied by some rather large chunks of aggregate that just rolled with the flow They have numerous neighbors that specialize in the processing of such material for their use in concrete and asphalt products. I attended the "Last Blast" at the previous Irwindale in the late 70s. Many racers that evening expressed their displeasure with "MILLER BEER SUCKS!" added to their race car graphics Few years later their sits a Miller brewery.

You have first hand knowledge and in my opinion that’s much more solid than hearsay. But, what you say is in the ground there, and what I heard is in the ground there are complete polar opposites with regards to natural or unnatural things. I’ll leave it at that.

 

[autoxcuda]

My guess is the owners either want to put a trucking center there; similar to what’s next door (part of facility is currently subleted to neighbor).

OR warehousing like what they just built across the street.

 

[Kern Dog]

Hmmm, the irony of that.

Sacramento Raceway park was sold awhile back, it was thought to be slated for residential development. It is currently a truck storage facility.

 

[junkyardhero]

My guess is the owners either want to put a trucking center there; similar to what’s next door (part of facility is currently subleted to neighbor).

OR warehousing like what they just built across the street.

apparently the word on the wire is just that: another industrial park/logistics/commercial retail center.

 

[autoxcuda]

Hmmm, the irony of that.

Sacramento Raceway park was sold awhile back, it was thought to be slated for residential development. It is currently a truck storage facility.

like 33Imp said, this is an unique city set up to serve industry. Residents, not so much.

Also, there is a huge gravel pit cliff about 10-20ft from edge of drag strip. The gravel pit that shares the south property line is as large as Irwindale speedway.

 

[autoxcuda]

apparently the word on the wire is just that: another industrial park/logistics/commercial retail center.

The U.S. buys so much overseas goods through the LA Port, that there’s a huge demand for warehousing and trucking support.

There’s a boom on Ontario/Fontana area warehouse projects. But there are so many that many are on hold while electric infrastructure is built to serve new load.

Irwindale Speedway already has existing load and infrastructure in place… And it’s closer to the LA Port than Fontana/Ontario

 

[33IMP]

The ground under Irwindale is just one giant sand wash Being so close to the mountains that sand is also occupied by some rather large chunks of aggregate that just rolled with the flow They have numerous neighbors that specialize in the processing of such material for their use in concrete and asphalt products. I attended the "Last Blast" at the previous Irwindale in the late 70s. Many racers that evening expressed their displeasure with "MILLER BEER SUCKS!" added to their race car graphics Few years later their sits a Miller brewery.

The original Irwindale closed BECAUSE Miller bought the land under the track. I was one of those who boycotted Miller for decades. That boycott ended when the new Irwindale opened up.
I remember a friend spitting out a mouthful of beer, and pouring a sixpack of Lowenbrau into the toilet when it was pointed out to him that Miller made Lowenbrau.

 

[33IMP]

It’s profitable for leasee with the rent.

The circle track itself is half or less of square footage

Parking, return road, and drag strip co-used by other non roundy round events ($$$)

Circle track itself used for parking for large events ($$$)

Also circle track is seen in tons of TV commercials and shows. That’s week day rental ($$$) during non event hours.

Lots of ways to make money.

You're right! I used the incorrect term, I meant the leassor, the guy PAYING the lease. (Is the guys losing their ***)

 

[33IMP]

My theory?
The land can be sold, making a bundle for the landowner.
The track is losing a bundle for the guys running it (circle track lease must be huge).
It's a wonder the track ever came back at all, and it's a wonder it lasted this long.
Wanna build a track that lasts?
BUY THE F#@KING LAND it sits on, and build it 50 miles away from civilization.
With the exception of the fifty miles, that's what the Barona Indians did, build it on reservation land, and thumb your nose at the epa!

 

[autoxcuda]

You're right! I used the incorrect term, I meant the leassor, the guy PAYING the lease. (Is the guys losing their ***)

You had it right first.

• Lessor
  The owner of the asset or property that is being leased out. The lessor grants the lessee the right to use the asset or property in exchange for regular payments.
• Lessee
  The party that rents or leases the asset or property from the lessor. The lessee is granted the right to use the asset or property for a specified period of time in exchange for regular payments.

It takes time to develop the property. So and owner (Lessor) can do two things. Rent it for market value on short term lease. OR let it sit vacant.

Rent might be a lot less than mortgage payments. But better than nothing.

 

[autoxcuda]

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/it...speedway-will-close-after-2024-racing-season/

The Irwindale Speedway was in danger of closing several times, including an occurrence in 2012, when parent company Irwindale Speedway LLC filed bankruptcy. The track re-emerged as the Irwindale Event Center in 2013. That same year, the facility was sold to Lindom Properties. In 2015, Irwindale Outlet Partners, LLC received permission to build a 700,000 square foot strip mall on the property. Another closing announcement went out in 2017 before Huddleston and Bruncati took over management of the facility late that year, giving the venue new life. The chances of someone else stepping up to the plate to continue running the business this time around seems unlikely. A report by CBS News states that the speedway’s 63-acre parcel changed ownership two years ago and developers plan to transform it into an industrial park following the 2024 season.

I just googled the track's address and on Google page 2 right there from City of Irwindale website shows what a company called Irwindale Outlet Partners 3270 Inland Empire Blvd, Ste 400 wants to built there:

500 Speedway Drive - Speedway Commerce Center Specific Plan | Irwindale, CA - Official Website

 

[33IMP]

You had it right first.

• Lessor
  The owner of the asset or property that is being leased out. The lessor grants the lessee the right to use the asset or property in exchange for regular payments.
• Lessee
  The party that rents or leases the asset or property from the lessor. The lessee is granted the right to use the asset or property for a specified period of time in exchange for regular payments.

It takes time to develop the property. So and owner (Lessor) can do two things. Rent it for market value on short term lease. OR let it sit vacant.

Rent might be a lot less than mortgage payments. But better than nothing.

Well ****. Should have looked it up myself.

 

[autoxcuda]

Well ****. Should have looked it up myself.

I had to look it up first time you posted just to make sure.

 

[crackedback]

employer/employee

Lessor/Lessee

Business law classes were so long ago.

 

[PROSTOCKTOM]

We still have lots of dragstrips around where I live in Indiana, but what's killing the tracks is lack of spectators. You go to a track and there might be a good crowd of cars, but no paying customers in the stands. The guys that raced 30-40 years ago weekly are either deceased, or far to old to race any longer. Track preparation is also now so costly that operators just have no prep races, and those suck in my opinion, and are far to dangerous to race a fast car at. I am not done with racing, but I am going to build a 1937 Nash for just cruising around town for when there are no racetracks left or I get to old to race any longer.

Tom

 

[autoxcuda]

We still have lots of dragstrips around where I live in Indiana, but what's killing the tracks is lack of spectators. You go to a track and there might be a good crowd of cars, but no paying customers in the stands. The guys that raced 30-40 years ago weekly are either deceased, or far to old to race any longer. Track preparation is also now so costly that operators just have no prep races, and those suck in my opinion, and are far to dangerous to race a fast car at. I am not done with racing, but I am going to build a 1937 Nash for just cruising around town for when there are no racetracks left or I get to old to race any longer.

Tom

@PROSTOCKTOM

Try: Open up no/little prep on weekday nights for 1/8 mile. Brings in 18-30 year olds with street cars. They are more likely to buy track food and drinks than older crowd too. Street cars don’t oil down strip and they are less picky than older guys with dedicated street cars. 1/8mi makes it safer for beginners. Friends come and hang out to watch (no family since younger). Only run it 4pm to like 8-9pm. So only 4-5 hours. And staff can come from their daytime jobs.

Works well if near larger cities.

Try: to rent the track and parking lot during week for non drag stuff. Maybe police training, fire training, etc. gotta make use of venue when not racing.

These events might not be your cup of tea. But track needs revenue so you can run the events you normally choose to run at.