The Checkered Flag

After 15 years of bringing motorsport coverage to our dedicated readers, it is with a heavy heart that I must announce the closure of TheCheckeredFlag.co.uk. This decision hasn’t been made lightly. The motorsport media landscape has changed dramatically since our inception in 2009. What was once a relatively modest space has become increasingly crowded, with numerous outlets competing for attention in an oversaturated market.

After twenty-five years, Irwindale Speedway & Event Center will close its doors for good. A final event, called the Farewell Extravaganza, will be held on 21 December. Although popular, the track’s fate had been murky since its previous owners filed for bankruptcy in 2012. It resumed operations a year later before rumours about demolition came about in 2015.

Wouter-jan Van Dijk stole the show at the 2023 Baja 1000 when he completed the full race distance on his own, with a motorcycle that barely passed SCORE International inspection, and was basically falling apart at the seams and held together by zip ties. One year later, he’ll certainly hope his second start goes a little smoother but is up for the adventure. The 2023 1000 marked Van Dijk’s first time racing in SCORE, on encouragement from his friend Shane Moss who had done the 2019 race.