PIR Announces Traffic Patterns for Kobalt Tools 500 – Fans Encouraged to Plan Ahead!

Track officials with Phoenix International Raceway are making preparations to ensure a safe and efficient travel route for the thousands of race fans who will arrive for the November NASCAR Kobalt Tools 500 race weekend on Nov. 12-14. Phoenix International Raceway will host four races in three days with a doubleheader on Saturday and NASCAR’s semi-final race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup on Sunday at 1 p.m.

A multi-agency collaboration with the Department of Public Safety, Arizona Department of Transportation, Maricopa County’s Department of Transportation and Sheriff’s Office, and the cities of Avondale and Goodyear will ease travel for fans as they travel through numerous communities and jurisdictions on their way to and from the raceway.

During the this month’s event weekend at PIR, “Road Safe” deploys more than 4,000 traffic cones, 600 barricades, approximately 75 people, and numerous special signs and vehicles to help ensure safe travel for the nearly 100,000 fans heading to the Kobalt Tools 500. (Note: A complete listing of equipment is available upon request to the Phoenix International Raceway Communications Department.)

Track officials encourage race fans to plan ahead for the 1 p.m. start time of Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race – the busiest event of the weekend. The race will conclude at approximately 5 p.m. with the heaviest outbound flow for the Nov. 14 race expected to take place from 5 to 7 p.m. During this period, motorists traveling on I-10 will experience intermittent closing of Exit 131 (Avondale Boulevard) to allow for the successful egress of race traffic.

Phoenix International Raceway encourages motorists – passengers, not drivers – to call 511 and press *7 when prompted for traffic updates. Additionally, fans can check for traffic updates on Twitter at Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway.

Park ‘N Ride Encouraged!

After much success in recent years, the Park ‘N Ride program returns to Cricket Pavilion, located just two blocks north of I-10 on 83rd Avenue (Exit 135). All NASCAR fans heading to PIR are welcome to enter at the 83rd Avenue entrance and park on Pavilion grounds, and board a shuttle from First Student Charter of Phoenix will be provided to the Gate 7 area at the track. Cost for parking and shuttle services to PIR will remain at $7 per car.

“Park ‘N Ride” services will be available for 12 hours – from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. – on Sunday, giving all NASCAR fans an alternate transportation option, before and after the race. The first shuttle will depart at 7:30 a.m. The raceway opens to the public at 8 a.m.

Guests with PIR-issued parking passes can park and ride at no charge. Shuttle buses will escort guests to PIR via preferential traffic routes, offering guests an earlier arrival to the facility.

Guests with PIR-issued parking passes can “Park N Ride” at no charge. Shuttle buses will escort guests to PIR via preferential traffic routes, offering guests an easy arrival to the track.

Parking Pass Determines Exit…

Fans driving their own vehicles to the track should remember that their parking pass – or lack thereof – determines the exits they should take from I-10 to the race. Fans without passes and planning to use the free general parking lots must exit the roadway at either Litchfield Road (Exit 128) or Estrella Parkway (Exit 126) and travel south following directions.

Fans with special passes and permits – and only those fans – should exit at Avondale Boulevard (Exit 131). Motorists who take the wrong routes may face major delays as they approach the track. At all times, motorists should follow the directions of officers and deputies.

Directions for General Parking Admission – Eastbound:

Take Exit 126 – Estrella Parkway. Drive south approximately five miles to Vineyard Road. Follow the signs and directions from officers and deputies while traveling east about three miles to the entrance to the parking lot.

Directions for General Parking Admission – Westbound:

Take Exit 128 – Litchfield Road or Exit 126 – Estrella Parkway. Drive south approximately five miles to Vineyard Road. Follow the signs and directions from officers and deputies as, depending on traffic flow, traffic may be diverted for a short time onto MC 85 or Broadway Road. When traffic reaches Vineyard, motorists will travel east for about two miles to the entrance to the parking lot.

Directions for Parking Pass Admission – Eastbound and Westbound:

Take Exit 131 – Avondale Boulevard. Drive south approximately six miles to the entrance to the parking lot. Fans taking this exit without a parking permit will be re-routed several miles to the proper roadway.

Directions for Local Traffic – MC 85 (Buckeye Road):

Local fans who travel on MC 85 (Buckeye Road) should exit on Litchfield Road or Bullard Avenue. Fans with special passes and permits – and only those fans – may use Avondale Boulevard.

Tickets for the November 14 Kobalt Tools 500™ – with prices as low as $25 – and all other events throughout the final NASCAR event weekend of 2010 at Phoenix International Raceway are still available at www.phoenixraceway.com or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223).

PIR’s Park ‘N Ride Makes it Easy For Fans at the Upcoming Kobalt Tools 500!

Phoenix International Raceway has announced its operating schedule for its Park ‘N Ride program – encouraging race fans to take advantage of the shuttle service when traveling to and from the Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Race on Sunday, Nov. 14.

After much success in recent years, the Park ‘N Ride program returns to Cricket Pavilion, located just two blocks north of I-10 on 83rd Avenue (Exit 135). All NASCAR fans heading to PIR are welcome to enter at the 83rd Avenue entrance and park on Pavilion grounds, and board a shuttle from First Student Charter of Phoenix will be provided to the Gate 7 area at the track. Cost for parking and shuttle services to PIR will remain at $7 per car.

With the green flag dropping on the Kobalt Tools 500 at 1 p.m., “Park ‘N Ride” services will be available for 12 hours – from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. – on Nov. 14, providing NASCAR fans with an alternate transportation option, before and after the race. The first shuttle will depart at 7:30 a.m. The raceway opens to the public at 8 a.m.

Guests with PIR-issued parking passes can park and ride at no charge. Shuttle buses will escort guests to PIR via preferential traffic routes, offering guests an earlier arrival to the facility.

Tickets to the November 11-14 Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR event weekend are still available with prices starting at just $25. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit http://phoenixraceway.com or call 866-408-RACE (7223).

Park ‘N Ride Program Available for Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500!

Phoenix International Raceway is encouraging race fans to make their trip to the track a smooth one on Sunday, November 15.

Following its success for previous PIR events, the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Park ‘N Ride will be available for fans to make an easy trip to the feature event of the track’s November NASCAR event weekend, the November 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Presented by Pennzoil.

After much success in recent years, the Park ‘N Ride program returns to Cricket Pavilion, located just two blocks north of I-10 on 83rd Avenue (Exit 135). All NASCAR fans heading to PIR are welcome to enter at the 83rd Avenue entrance and park on Pavilion grounds, from where shuttle bus service from First Student Charter of Phoenix will be provided to the Gate 7 area at the track. Parking and shuttle services to PIR will total just $7 per car.

With the green flag dropping on the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at 1:15 p.m., “Park ‘N Ride” services will be available for 12 hours – from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. – on Sunday, giving all NASCAR fans an easy way both to and from the track, before and after the race.

Guests with PIR-issued parking passes can “Park ‘N Ride” at no charge. Shuttle buses will escort guests to PIR via preferential traffic routes, offering guests an earlier arrival to the facility.