ODE TO IRWINDALE
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Ian Brightman
The U.S. Heartbeat of Drifting.
For over 25 years, Irwindale Speedway was a symbol of motorsport culture in Southern California, and well beyond. Affectionately dubbed the ‘House of Drift’, it was also the epicenter of the American drifting scene - hosting legendary battles and shaping the landscape of Formula DRIFT (FD) and other drifting organizations - where fans from across the globe would come to witness the thrills.
In a sport known for its explosive energy and dynamic, high-speed action, Irwindale was a proving ground where drivers honed their craft and made history in front of thousands of passionate spectators.
The track’s closure in 2024 struck a devastating blow to the motorsport world, especially to those that have watched the rise of drifting in America firsthand. As its doors closed for the last time at the end of December, the drifting community - from drivers to fans - found themselves reflecting on a significant chapter of racing history that had come to an end.
“It is a really big knock on motorsports in Southern California and [the impact] is obviously huge,” stated Ryan Sage, Formula DRIFT president and co-founder. “This is really where drifting started formally in the States, so to lose an iconic venue is sad, disappointing.”
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Ian Brightman
‘House of Drift’ Legacy.
For local area PRO driver, Rome Charpentier, Irwindale also held a special personal significance. He frequently raced here in front of family and friends, who would often fill the stands to support him. Irwindale wasn’t just a track; it was deeply embedded into the heart of the community.
In fact, it was at Irwindale, where the professional motorsport of drifting transitioned from an underground phenomenon to a global one. Thanks, in part, to the track's obliging owners, unique layout, electrifying atmosphere, and passionate crowds.
In addition to hosting year-round drifting events, Irwindale Speedway was the ultimate battleground where top-tier drivers from across the globe would showcase their skills and fight their way to the end of the North American PRO season. The stakes were never higher than at the final round of Formula DRIFT.
PRO driver Jeff Jones - who alongside partner R.J. Contreras, owns and manages the infamous HOTPIT Autofest annual comp series - revelled at how deeply the track had influenced his own career.
“This place gave me the inspiration sitting in those grandstands,” Jones reflected, pointing up toward the stands and reminiscing about his first drifting event. “We sat outside on the street, from like, I think 4 a.m., till the morning when we were let in; and the passion grew right there.”
Photo courtesy of Formula DRIFT
“It's such a unique track, and the only track like it with a big bank like this, super inclined,” Charpentier added. “The setups are crazy. I mean, we've been developing setups for the couple of years that we've driven here, but teams have been developing them for 20 years, and it's such a different chassis set up to get this car to go around the track properly.”
Indeed, Irwindale not only offered a perfectly curved bank for these skilled drivers to skim around, but it was the only track with a big left-handed bank on the FD circuit.
For Jones and Charpentier, and so many others, Irwindale was more than just a place to race - it was a track that shaped how many drivers approached the sport of drifting. Its steep incline and tight corners made for driving challenges that rewarded skill and precision. It was also the track’s energy that made it a special place to perform.
“From a driver’s point, it's quite saddening, because this is a track that all of us have kind of grown up on,” Charpentier lamented. “I like that it's a giant bowl. The fans are sitting up above us looking down and it’s a really good vibe.”
Photo courtesy of Irwindale Speedway
Ending a Key PRO Drifting Chapter.
The track’s closure did more than just disrupt drifting tradition. It effectively raised questions about how FD would adapt.
After all, Irwindale wasn’t just another stop on the circuit for FD—it’s where the annual PRO series closed the season. Often, with the championship hanging in the balance, the final round at ‘The House of Drift’ was almost always a spectacle in itself.
With its unique combination of technical challenges, and the raucous, intimate crowd, FD’s Title Fight was a culmination of months of intense competition. A track where drivers gave their all; knowing ‘anything can happen’, holding out hope that the championship could still be within reach. To date, literally every FD champ has had their title crowned at Irwindale, making the track not only iconic for the ‘wow factor’ of drifting, but also for Formula DRIFT’s Title itself.
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Sam Frazzle.
As Formula DRIFT shifts into its 22nd season, fans and drivers alike are still wondering what’s next. The schedule has been announced, including familiar venues like Road Atlanta, Orlando Speed World, and Evergreen Speedway, but the season’s Title Fight venue and date remain unknown; effectively making the significance of Irwindale Speedway’s absence even more palpable.
“FD wasn’t started here. FD started in Atlanta. But D1 [in the States] was started here,” said Jones. “This was where drifting was born, so it’s crazy that it’s going away and I don’t have any information on where FD is going to go.”
Regardless of the outcome, everyone knows that without Irwindale, all of these competition programs must now identify a replacement location that can somehow offer a similar level of intensity and crowd engagement. And, for FD, it’s one tall order.
“I don’t think they’re going to be able to match it, but I do think the fans are going to be looking for something else new,” Charpentier offered. “It’s gotta be something local to the Los Angeles area, because we start here and we end here, so it’s really good for the whole series and for all the fans.”
Jones agreed, offering a few speculations of his own. “You have to wonder if they’re going to somehow pull off Long Beach twice and do something else similar to it somewhere else in the greater Los Angeles area,” he said.
Jones also complimented the series for putting a spotlight on the sport and pulling it off the streets, adding. “Formula D has created so many new outlooks on racing, and drifting wasn't even on anyone's radar before. You just had time attack, circle track, autocross, and now, you have a whole culture and sub-cultures within that. It's no longer just that Japanese style of funny business; it's like a full-on American sport!”
Photo courtesy of DRIFTEM Correspondent Ian Brightman
Finding The Next PRO Drifting Title Venue.
What will it take to find a suitable replacement for Irwindale?
“It’s interesting actually knowing how logistics work for FD,” Jones said, indicating much is based on schedules from the racetracks. “They’ve always been cool enough to tell us why they go to certain tracks; like, Atlanta has to fall on a certain weekend they’re given, and so does [Seattle] Washington.”
Getting deeper into the intricate logistics involved in selecting any venue for such a highly-organized and specific series like FD, Jones added, “Some of them can be moved around, but even with that, they’ve told us a facility has to have so many bathrooms, we can't be pitting in the dirt, and we have to have an area for all of our rigs.”
As Jones noted, it’s not just about finding a big space. Many other considerations, such as track layout, proper crowd capacity (think ‘Goldilocks’), pit space, access to all the necessary facilities, and more, need to be evaluated and factored in.
“There's a lot of cool places we could go to, but either they're dirt, or just don't have the capacity all the way around for what's going to happen,” concluded Jones.
Of course, future growth is a consideration as well, but even the larger venues such as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum come with their own set of challenges. They have the capacity to handle big crowds, but they don’t have the same intimate and electric atmosphere Irwindale was known for. They also come with a steep price tag.
As a result, Formula DRIFT is tasked with finding a way to bridge the gaps between a venue they can continue to grow in and one that delivers the same level of fan engagement, as well as somewhere with the intimate excitement Irwindale provided. All, without compromising the local footprint of the core audience.
For Charpentier, it boils down to one objective. “The fans will be looking for something fun and entertaining,” he stated. “That's a very intimate relationship, which is how Irwindale was - so risk and reward - something in SoCal and something that the fans can be really involved in.”
Photo courtesy of Irwindale Speedway
The Next Round of PRO Drifting Memories.
Of course, challenge is often the catalyst for amazing opportunities, and now that the 2025 season is about to begin, excitement is brewing about FD’s fresh direction and its chance at redefining what the PRO sport of drifting can be.
“FD has always been creative and innovative,” Jones said. “We have to find new ways to stay relevant to keep the culture alive and push it forward.”
And, while the fans - and even the circuit’s drivers - still sit on pins and needles, optimism is running high inside the Formula DRIFT offices.
“We knew this day was coming, so we have been on it for the past year and a half or so,” said Sage. “We believe we have something that will really amaze people.”
Sage did admit the task of replacing Irwindale wasn’t easy; especially with the price of real estate making some venues unviable. However, he graciously confirmed the final event will stay in Southern California, indicating the new location will also be, “a custom venue in the region.”
And, though the next chapter for FD will undoubtedly look different, with determination and innovation (the qualities that made competitive drifting what it is today), the series will continue to capture the same energy and excitement that Irwindale once provided. Because, most would agree, Irwindale was not merely a drifting venue; it was a proving ground for the professional sport in North America, and its influence will continue to be felt for years to come.
And, for drivers like Jones and Charpentier, Irwindale will forever hold a special place in their careers and hearts, where they will carry with them the lessons, memories, and inspiration that Irwindale ignited.
Even though the track is no longer here to enjoy, the passion and spirit of Irwindale - along with the tight knit SoCal drifting community it helped build - will live on to fuel the next generation of drifters and fans.