PIR Announces Ticket Sales For 2013 Season!

Phoenix International Raceway announced today that tickets for the 2013 season are now available for purchase. Following the prestigious Daytona 500, PIR’s March 1-3 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ event weekend is the first of two appearances for NASCAR’s top series at the famed one-mile oval. As the only facility in the west with twp Sprint Cup series events, PIR will host the first and last appearances on the west coast for NASCAR’s top series.

PIR will host a total of eight races in 2013, including two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, two NASCAR Nationwide Series races, one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, two NASCAR K&N Pro Series West races and the inaugural NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series race.

The same great individual pricing options are still available for both 2013 race weekends with Sprint Cup tickets starting at just $25, Nationwide Series for $15, Camping World Truck Series for $7 and the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series for $20. Free daily on-site parking, combined with regular tram service, live music entertainment and interactive fun throughout PIR’s Midway delivers fans the “best value in NASCAR.”

Fans will receive extra savings by purchasing tickets for the 2013 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ early. The value pricing period takes place now through December 31, 2012. Regular pricing will begin on Jan. 1 and run through the start of the event weekend.

Season tickets will remain at the same low price as last season, with packages starting at $99. By purchasing a season ticket, buyers will receive significant savings over the regular ticket prices along with all the benefits that come with being season ticket holder- fan appreciation events, the option to purchase additional seats at season prices, first opportunity to upgrade seats and a dedicated phone line to a PIR Customer Relationship Manager.

The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ will kick off PIR’s 2013 event season, featuring races in NASCAR’s three top series. The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will take place Sunday, March 3.  The event weekend will also feature the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series and Talking Stick 50 K&N Pro Series- West races on Saturday, March 2, as well as the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series 75 on Friday, March 1.

NASCAR returns to Phoenix for its traditional fall weekend in November, featuring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series semi-final race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup – the AdvoCare 500 – on Sunday, Nov. 10. The AdvoCare 500 event weekend will also feature the Great Clips 200 Nationwide Series race, the Lucas Oil 150 Camping World Truck race and the K&N Pro Series- West Championship race.

Watch the Semi-Final Race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at PIR on Sunday, Nov. 11.

Tickets for the entire Nov. 8-11 NASCAR event weekend at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com/Tickets or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). For more information, visit PhoenixRaceway.com, Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway and Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway.

Fox Sports Arizona & PIR Announce New Partnership!

FOX Sports Arizona and Phoenix International Raceway have agreed to a new partnership that allows the regional sports network the ability to showcase Arizona’s premiere motorsports venue.

The historic track hosts the Southwest’s biggest racing events and has become one of NASCAR’s fastest and most exciting stops in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Beginning this Wednesday (Oct. 10), racing fans will be able to relive some of PIR’s best races in recent memory when FOX Sports Arizona debuts its new “Phoenix International Raceway Classics” series.

Produced to highlight past races at the venue won by NASCAR legends and get fans ready for this year’s Advocare 500 Weekend at PIR (Nov. 11-13), the first show will take viewers back to the 2003 Checker Auto Parts 500 that was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr. The series will offer four different one-hour episodes hosted by Valley resident Chris Neville, who is part of NASCAR’s coverage on TNT and SPEED TV.

Other races that will air in the series include the 2006 Subway Fresh 500 won by Kevin Harvick, the 2007 Subway Fresh Fit 500 won by Jeff Gordon and the 2009 Subway Fresh Fit 500 won by Mark Martin. Here is the complete schedule:

Oct. 10 @ 7:00 pm        2003 Checker Auto Parts 500
Oct. 15 @ 7:00 pm        2006 Subway Fresh 500
Oct. 24 @ 7:00 pm        2007 Subway Fresh Fit 500
Oct. 30 @ 7:00 pm        2009 Subway Fresh Fit 500

With the victory in 2007, Gordon tied Dale Earnhardt with his 76th all-time win and he recently said this about the moment, “What stands out to me is winning that race, tying Dale Earnhardt and carrying the No. 3 flag. That was a big deal. I looked up to Dale so much, admired him, respected him, to accomplish anything that he did in this sport was huge, so we wanted to honor him.”

When also asked a few weeks ago about his 2009 victory in Phoenix, Mark Martin said “That race was real special because it certainly looked like I wouldn’t win another race in my career at that time and it had been a few years since I’d won.”

This new agreement will also have FOX Sports Arizona produce a half-hour program in the Spring that highlights all the happenings from the 2013 Subway Fresh Fit 500. Phoenix International Raceway is one of just 12 tracks to host two Sprint Cup Races in one season and this program will bring to light everything that happens on not only the 1.0-mile oval, but off the track and outside PIR during race week. The air date and time for the show will be announced at a later date.

“Our new partnership with Phoenix International Raceway expands FOX Sports Arizona’s coverage of the local sports scene even further and strengthens our reputation as the network Arizona sports fans turn to first for comprehensive local sports programming,” said Brian Hogan, FOX Sports Arizona Sr. Vice President & General Manager.

“We’re tremendously excited to work with FOX Sports Arizona on a project that showcases many of the dramatic victories that have occurred at PIR over the years,” said Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber.  “It will be a real treat for fans to watch some of these historical accomplishments as we draw closer to our 2012 semi-final race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup – the AdvoCare 500.”

In addition to the Sprint Cup Races, PIR is also home to the Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series, K&N Pro Series West and the first NASCAR Mexico Series race to ever be held in the United States on March 1, 2013.

FOX Sports Arizona televises the most regional sports action in the state and is the exclusive cable television home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Coyotes, Arizona Cardinals, Northern Arizona University and Phoenix Mercury. FOX Sports Arizona is currently seen in 2.5 million households in Arizona & New Mexico and can also be seen across the country via home satellite services. And for even more coverage of the local sports scene, log onto www.foxsportsarizona.com, www.twitter.com/foxsportsaz and www.facebook.com/foxsportsarizona.

Why Jimmie Johnson is Going to Win his 5th Straight Championship this Sunday!

By Patrick Blackburn, NASCAR Senior Staff Writer

After the shocking turn of events in the final 15 laps in Phoenix on Sunday, Jimmie Johnson is in the driver’s seat to win his 5th straight championship next Sunday at Homestead in Miami.

Denny Hamlin will start the race as the Cup leader, 15 points over Johnson and 46 points to the good on Kevin Harvick. When the Chase started, had anyone told Hamlin that he would leave Phoenix with a 15 point lead over the reigning champion, he would have been ecstatic and confident. Nobody, however, could have predicted how the last 15 laps were going to shake out. Of the three contenders, Hamlin dominated the race. It took him no time to drive from his starting position, 17th, to the front, and he remained there throughout most of the race. With 12 laps to go, Hamlin came in for his final pit stop to get enough fuel into his tank to take him to the finish. Everyone knew Harvick was going to stay out, having about ten laps fewer on his tank. The big question was whether the 48 would play it safe and pit or risk his entire championship and stay out. Chad Knaus, being the champion crew chief that he is, prepared for this scenario all the way back to lap 89, when Jimmie made his final pit stop. Knowing that the Phoenix race has come down to fuel many times before, Knaus told Jimmie to start saving fuel. Remember, Johnson won his first Phoenix race in 2008 with superior fuel strategy.

Championship Focus at PIR – Historic fourth titles for Johnson and Hornaday on the line; Busch seeking first!

As the numbers have it, the spotlight of NASCAR championship glory could shine down on Phoenix International Raceway not once, not twice, but three times over the November 12-15 Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 event weekend.

With just a 73-point lead on his closest pursuer (Mark Martin) in the Sprint Cup Series, Jimmie Johnson is not as comfortable as he’d like to be heading into PIR this weekend. However, with three Phoenix wins since 2004 – Johnson seems primed to continue his quest for a record fourth consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship at the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil.

To officially clinch the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship at Phoenix International Raceway, Johnson would need to exit the one-mile oval with a 196-point lead over second place. If Johnson leaves PIR with at least a 162-point lead, he would need to simply start the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to earn the title.

In a NASCAR teleconference this week, Johnson spoke to his past successes on the remaining tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule.

“I would say that looking at the schedule, the best track remaining for us would be PIR,” he said.

Johnson mentioned that the inclusion of the new double-file restart rule on the narrow oval could easily play to the advantage of his entry from Hendrick Motorsports, which has fielded the last five Sprint Cup Series winners in Phoenix.

“I feel very strong about the performance Hendrick Motorsports will have (at Phoenix),” Johnson said. “I just hope it’s the 48 car on top of the heap.  But the double file restarts will be interesting.  The bottom will probably be the preferred line.  I think in Turns 1 and 2 the outside will do a really good job of hanging on and can maintain down the backstretch.  But in most cases, the bottom of 3 and 4 is the preferred line, and we’ll probably end up prevailing through the length of the race.”

A clinched championship for Johnson at Phoenix would be the third in the track’s 22-year Sprint Cup Series history, and the first in the Chase for the Sprint Cup era. In 1991, Dale Earnhardt left the Checker 500 with a 156-point lead – with 151 the maximum single-race gain – over Davey Allison to clinch his fifth of seven Cup Series championships. In 1998, Jeff Gordon’s 329-point advantage over Mark Martin coming out of Phoenix gave him a mathematical clinch of his third series championship with two races remaining.

Johnson will not be the only driver, however, searching for a fourth series championship at Phoenix International Raceway next weekend. Ron Hornaday currently holds a 202-point lead over Matt Crafton in Camping World Truck Series competition, and like Johnson is in search of adding to his collection of three series championships. A fourth title for Hornaday would be a Camping World Truck Series record, untying Hornaday’s current tie with Jack Sprague.

Hornaday must leave the Lucas Oil 150 at PIR with a lead of 141 points over second place. By contrast, the driver of the No. 33 Chevrolet would require a 282-point advantage following this weekend’s event in Texas – an increase of 80 points – to clinch the championship before arriving in Phoenix.

Kyle Busch’s current lead of 215 points in the NASCAR Nationwide Series leaves him in prime position to clinch his first national championship at PIR, as he requires a 162-point advantage following the Able Body Labor 200 to clinch the title ahead of the season finale. Like Johnson, Busch would need to lead the Nationwide Series point standings by 324 points after this weekend’s event at Texas, meaning he would have to add 109 points to his current lead over the course of just a single race.

On a final note, being a HUGE Jeff Gordon fan – here’s to Jimmie finding some bad luck again, and allowing the 24 to make it a three dog race heading into Homestead.

Let’s go JG!

Great Seats Remain for Upcoming Races at PIR!

The thrill of NASCAR action at Phoenix International Raceway is just three weeks away, and tickets are available for each night of racing in the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, Able Body Labor 200, and Lucas Oil 150 Presented by Pennzoil event weekend.

Great seats remain for select grandstand areas and can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com or over the phone at 1-866-408-RACE (7223).

For added convenience, the Phoenix International Raceway Ticket Office will be open seven days a week leading up to the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil event weekend, giving race fans more time to buy tickets in person in the days before the green flag.

The PIR Ticket Office will open for special hours on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, and again on Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Normal weekday ticket office hours in the weeks leading up to the event are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The PIR Ticket Office is located in Avondale at 125 S. Avondale Boulevard, just south of I-10 at Exit 131.

Tickets for the November NASCAR event weekend at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com, or over the phone at 1-866-408-RACE (7223). Follow Phoenix International Raceway 365 days a year on the Web at PhoenixRaceway.com and on Twitter at twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway, and become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway. Be a part of it all at PIR!