PIR To Offer Enhanced Pre-Race Pit Pass Experience!

Fans looking for a behind-the-scenes peek to the NASCAR action at the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ on March 3 at Phoenix International Raceway, will now have an opportunity to enjoy an enhanced experience with their ‘Pre-Race Pit Pass’.

Offered at $60 per person, the Pre-Race Pit Pass entitles pass holders to a variety of added, backstage action on the NASCAR Sprint Cup race day, including:

• Garage Walk Access :: Catch a glimpse of your favorite driver or car as they roll out of the garage and onto pit road before the start of the race (participants randomly selected).
• Driver Introductions :: Access to pit road and the track to watch driver introductions.
• Trophy Photo Opportunities :: Pose in Gatorade Victory Lane with the iconic SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ Trophy prior to the start of the race

Pre-Race Pit Passes are available now for purchase on PhoenixRaceway.com/Tickets or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). Passes must be accompanied by a Grandstand Ticket to the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™.

Once purchased, fans will receive a redemption coupon which must be brought to the race and may be redeemed at any Trading Post location in the Fan Midway during pre-race pit access hours. Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and Pre-Race Pit Pass holders must show photo identification for redemption.

Tickets for the March 3 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, as well as all other events throughout the March race weekend at Phoenix International Raceway are available at www.phoenixraceway.com or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223).

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.

Denny Hamlin Wins The Subway Fresh Fit 500!

Denny Hamlin led the most laps in the Daytona 500 but had to settle for fourth. Today, he didn’t lead the most laps, but did take home the victory in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. He led the final 59 laps for his 18th career win.

In his second race with 2011 Sprint Cup championship crew chief Darian Grubb on his pit box, Hamlin held off Kevin Harvick in a 53-lap green-flag run to finish the 312-lap race at the one-mile track and took over the series points lead for the first time since surrendering it in the final race of 2010 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Hamlin surged into the lead after a restart on Lap 254, passing Harvick and pulling away. Ryan Newman’s hard contact with the Turn 4 wall two laps later caused the seventh caution of the afternoon, but Hamlin again stretched his advantage over Harvick after a restart on Lap 260 and held on the rest of the way.

Harvick was concerned about having enough fuel to get to the end and just missed it, the No. 29 coasting over the line just ahead of Greg Biffle for second.  Jimmie Johnson, who started off strong then faded, rallied to finish forth.  And Brad Keselowski snunk in to round out the top five.

Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, and Joey Logano, completed the top ten respectively.

After the race, Hamlin said that initially he didn’t think he had a winning car today.

“If you would have asked me at the beginning of the day I would have said I would have taken a top 15 finish,” said Hamlin. “Just an amazing job by this FedEx office team. We just kept working on it and every time they worked on it, it kept getting better.”

Hamlin sits atop the points standings after two races, which is an unfamiliar spot for him so early in the season.

“Huge momentum. We’ve never been in this position so early in the season. We’ve always struggled. We’ve always taken our time, 5 or 6 races in before we hut our stride.”

It’s a long season to go, but the 11 team seems to have the right attitude and momentum for their 2012 campaign.

Candlebox to Perform at Budweiser ROLL-BAR at Phoenix International Raceway!

Legendary rock band Candlebox will energize the crowd at Phoenix International Raceway with a live concert this Sunday, March 4, to celebrate the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ event weekend. The concert begins at 11 a.m. at Budweiser ROLL-BAR, PIR’s showcase venue for live music and entertainment.

“Candlebox is going to get the crowd rocking on the main stage at Budweiser ROLL-BAR,” said Phoenix International Raceway President, Bryan R. Sperber. “By the time the concert is finished, fans are going to be as fired up as the drivers for the start of the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™.”

Known for their blend of hard rock and a contemporary sound, Candlebox is scheduled to release their fifth album, Love Stories and other Musings, on April 3 and will begin a six-week U.S. tour two days later.

Live entertainment on the Budweiser ROLL-BAR main stage and access to the custom Budweiser ROLL-BAR Beer Garden is available to all grandstand ticket holders. Hours for the Budweiser ROLL-BAR for the March 2012 NASCAR event weekend are 10 a.m. until one hour after the checkered flag waves for the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 and the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™.

Single-day tickets to Budweiser ROLL-BAR are available for $99 on Saturday, March 3 and for $149 on Sunday, March 4. A Budweiser ROLL-BAR Club Pass and a Pre-Race Pit Pass for Sunday, March 4 is available for $179 and a weekend Budweiser ROLL-BAR pass (Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4) including a Pre-Race Pit-Pass is $249.  Additional purchase of a grandstand ticket is still required for track admission.

About Phoenix International Raceway

Since 1964, Phoenix International Raceway has served race fans as the premier motorsports venue in the Southwest. Watch the brightest stars in NASCAR take on PIR’s one-mile oval on March 4, 2012 in the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™. Tickets for the entire SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR 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.