The closing of Irwindale Speedway leaves a massive void in the Southern California racing scene, which has seen a string of race track closures over the decades.

Racer Andrew Porter first came to Irwindale when he was 6 to watch his grandfather, Kenny Smith, race. His father, Scott Porter, began racing and Andrew, now 34, started running in the kid’s division when he was 13. He eventually won the track’s divisional title.

For 25 years, race car enthusiasts have had a place to legally test the limits of their machines: the Irwindale Speedway. Now that space will be no more.