Though the end has been near for the last few years, this time it appears the end is finally in sight for southern California’s Irwindale Speedway. Irwindale Speedway’s president, Tim Huddleston, announced on Tuesday that the iconic track will close for good at the end of this year with a final event scheduled for December 21.

“Irwindale has been more than just a track. It’s been a home and gathering place for racing enthusiasts worldwide,” said Tim Huddleston, President of Irwindale Speedway and Event Center. “On behalf of my wife, Lisa, and partners Bob and Maureen Bruncati, we extend heartfelt thanks to our fans, racers, sponsors, and the City of Irwindale for their unwavering support over the past 25 years. We’re grateful for every moment and memory we’ve shared as a community.”

The iconic half-mile short track opened in 1999 and quickly became home to some of the biggest short track racing events on the west coast. The track would later add an inner 1/3-mile oval and a 1/8-mile drag strip on the property as well. 

In 2015, it was announced that the track would be shuttered in a few years and demolished, with a shopping mall set to be built on the site after the track was gone. The track was scheduled to close in January of 2018, but in late December of 2017, Huddleston and Bruncati were announced to be taking over the race track and keep it in operation.

But now, Irwindale’s long-expected closure is finally set for the end of this year. Huddleston and Bruncati said that all the scheduled events through the end of this year will take place as scheduled, with the final “Farewell Extravaganza” set for December 21.

They said that “the historic event will be Irwindale’s biggest and most thrilling celebration yet, a fitting tribute to the legacy of a track that has defined west coast racing for 25 years.”

The track also said that all of Irwindale’s assets and events will be moved to Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield for 2025.