Up in smoke: Irwindale Speedway hosts its last Formula Drift event

Professional drifting first came to the United States in 2003 with the D1 Grand Prix, a one-off exhibition of the Japanese drifting series set at Irwindale Speedway in California. The event was such a success — it was reportedly the first time the Speedway had sold out its 10,000-seat capacity — that it spawned the Formula Drift series that debuted the next year.