Built in the foothills of the Estrella Mountains in the Arizona desert with a unique, general admission seating area on the Monument Hill hillside that offers a great vantage point overlooking the facility. Phoenix International Raceway is thought to be one of the most picturesque tracks on the NASCAR circuit. The weather which is not too hot or too cold at the time of the races is perfect and makes for one of the biggest assets at the raceway.
Built in 1964 the facility originally had a 2.5 mile road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval to incorporate a road course and a drag strip. The reason that the raceway was built like this was because of the terrain the designers had to build a "dogleg" into the backstretch. Phoenix International Raceway was originally built with the vision of becoming the "Jewel in the Crown" of open wheel racing and sports cars and the United States Auto club (USAC) began racing here in 1964, to soon become a favourite and replaced the old track at the Arizona State Fairgrounds.
NASCAR began racing at the Raceway in 1978 but it wasn’t until 1988 when NASCAR’s Premier Division, now the Sprint Cup Series, started racing here that Phoenix International Raceway enlarged the grandstand to a capacity of 30,000. Later the old 2.5 mile road was replaced with the1.51 mile infield road currently used today. In 2006 the grandstand was extended from turn 1 to turn 2 giving a reserved seating area of 76,800. The D shaped Tri-Oval has a surface of asphalt and a length of 1 mile. The four turns have variable banking, turns 1 and 2 have banking from 2 - 11 degrees and turns 3 and 4 have banking of 4 - 9 degrees with the front stretch having 3 degrees and the back stretch has 9 degrees. The Phoenix International Raceway has announced a multi-million pound long-term development that will include the reconfiguration of the track that will begin after the Subway Fresh Fit 500 takes place in February 2011. Phoenix International Raceway hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Previous events include USAC< Indy Lights, CART, IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The annual autumn NASCAR weekend, including Cup, Nationwide, Truck and Featherlite Southwest Series races, is one of the biggest events in the entire state. Phoenix International Raceway is a place where fans of every type of racing can converge throughout the year and truly enjoy their racing experience, while the drivers who are competing enjoy the challenge of the unusual design of the oval track with its backstretch dogleg or the 11 turn winding road course. The track address is 7602 S. Avondale Boulevard. Avondale, Arizona 85323 and the office address is at 125 S. Avondale Boulevard, Suite 200, Avondale, Arizona 85323.
Tickets
Ticket office: 866-408-7223 or Online: Buy tickets. Pit passes: Available, must be accompanied by an admission ticket. Call the track ticket office for further information.
Fan hospitality
Different options are available, including Trackside Club, Budweiser ROLL-BAR and Octane. Call the ticket office for more information. Special packages: Call the track ticket office for further information.
Carry-In Items
Coolers: Allowed (one soft-side bag/cooler - limit of 6"x6"x12"; one, clear plastic bag - limit of 18"x18"x4"; plastic bags can't contain ice). Glass containers: Not allowed. Alcoholic beverages: Not allowed. Cameras/binoculars: Allowed; must be worn separately.
Souvenirs and Displays
Merchandise: Driver and NASCAR merchandise haulers on-site. Scanners: Scanners available for rent on-site.
Autographs
Check local newspapers and television.
Pit Area Guidelines
Shirts: Required; must cover shoulder area. Shoes: Required; no open-toe shoes allowed. Shorts/capri pants: Not recommended. Alcoholic beverages: Not allowed.
Camping
Reserved: Available. Unreserved: Available. Call the track ticket office for further information.
Location
Getting There: From airport (downtown), take I-10 west to Avondale Blvd (formerly 115th Avenue). Drive south (left) for 6 miles; track is on the left. (Note: All information regarding routes, suggestions and detours is available prior to race day in the Arizona Republic newspaper.)
Parking
All parking is free. Handicapped parking: Limited availability, arrive early. Park and ride option: Located two blocks north of the Interstate 10 on 83rd Avenue, Cricket Pavilion offers Sprint Cup event parking for all NASCAR fans. Parking and shuttle services total just $7 per car. Guests with PIR-issued parking passes can park and ride for free. Shuttle buses will escort guests to PIR via preferential traffic routes, offering guests an earlier arrival to the facility. The service is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on April 10 and from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Nov. 14.
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