Irwindale Speedway cancels all 2012 events, will likely be shut down

For the past decade, Irwindale Speedway has played host to a variety of events including Formula Drift, the Global RallyCross Championship and NASCAR's K&N Pro Series West. The versatility of the facility also allowed for one-off events like Auto Soccer, and the 1/8 mile drag strip was one of the few places near Los Angeles that car enthusiasts could legally drag race.

It looks like Irwindale Speedway won't be hosting events any time soon, however. In a brief statement sent to the media, the motorsports facility stated that "the management of Irwindale Speedway today announced that the 2012 racing season has been cancelled." Just like that.

As ESPN reports, though, the closure was inevitable. This past summer, NASCAR cancelled the All-Star Showdown, and just a few weeks later, Toyota ended its sponsorship of the track. While the speedway has yet to confirm that they are permanently shutting down, things aren't looking good. Reports indicate that grandstands at the track have been removed and offices have been completely cleaned out. Even the track's website appears to have been shuttered. Only a driving school, L.A. Racing Experience, now remains on the property.