The Irwindale Speedway in California is going to be closing down on January 31, 2018 if things all go according to plan. The track was built in 1999 and was bought out by a development company back in 2013 after the speedway's operator declared bankruptcy in 2011. Employees new that the change would be coming, but they had no idea it would be happening so soon. 

The track will be transformed in a 700,000-square-foot shopping mall, which is apparently something that California needs way more than a racetrack. That being said, Irwindale hasn't exactly had the greatest history of racing. The first fatal crash happened on opening day on March 27,1999 when 23-year-old Casey Diemert crashed his car during practice. His death was not announced to the crowd when they arrived and many people didn't know about his death until the day after the event.

From then until 2002, three more drivers died on the track. The track did gain some popularity in later years, but wasn't able to stay afloat before bankruptcy had to be called. Hopefully the mall is more successful. I'm sure California already has plenty of malls around and I'm not sure why another one is completely necessary, but it's out of my control. So long Irwindale Speedway.