From the latest edition of Vintage Motorsports – 2.17.2011
“”Phoenix Road racers in the Phoenix metro area will have one less circuit to play on starting in March. During a press announcement about the repaving of Phoenix International Raceway’s one-mile NASCAR oval, track officials revealed that the infield road course comprising 1.51-miles, 11 turns and 2/3 of the oval, will not re-open after the seven-month project is completed in September 2011.
With the closure, road racers in the Phoenix area will have only one real local option, Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona at the southern edge of the city. As the PIR “roval” was recently the only area track used for sanctioned vintage races by HSR-West, and, previously, VARA, it’s doubtful that any vintage racing will take place in the Phoenix market until 2012, if at all. The PIR road course hosted only 8-10 events annually, including February and December dates by HSR-West, along with a number of regional SCCA events with a few vintage/historic run groups attached. The last major professional road racing series held on the PIR infield was the Rolex Grand-Am series which ran there from 2000 to 2006.
The infield road course at PIR “did not fit in with plans to eventually renovate the infield at PIR to include greater fan, media and team/driver amenities for use during our (February and November) NASCAR event weekends,” explained PIR’s communications director Paul Corliss. The $10 million oval repaving project, the first since 1990 (when the infield circuit was added), will include (see graphic) installation of a four-layer track surface; widening the front straight by 10 feet, to 62 feet; pushing the “dog-leg” curve between turns 2 and 3 out 95 feet and tightening its radius; varying banking on the track and reconfiguring the pit road with concrete pit stalls. It’s all designed to promote more side-by-side racing on the oval, currently the site for NASCAR’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 (Feb. 24-27) and Kobalt Tools 500 (Nov. 11-13).
PIR’s road course closure may provide an assist to the state’s newest road circuit, Inde Motorsports Ranch, in Willcox, Arizona, about 45 minutes East of Tucson and some three hours from central Phoenix. The private motorsports club, open just over a year, is organizing an inaugural vintage racing series on its 2.6-mile, 18-turn circuit Feb. 25-27, March 25-27 and April 22-24.” Read the whole story here.
This decision by PIR is a huge disappointment. While not denying the entertainment value of NASCAR it cannot be considered seriously racing. Small wonder that America does not feature in any world recognized open wheel competition or indeed any road track competition of any kind.
In this case PIR would rather sell RV space than support true racing. Shame on you. I for one will be boycotting all PIR events.