PIR Gives Fans Access to NASCAR Stars as Part of Entertainment Offering!

Phoenix-area resident Danica Patrick – set to make her Phoenix International Raceway NASCAR debut during the upcoming Kobalt Tools 500 race weekend – will participate in a fan Q&A at PIR’s Budweiser ROLL-BAR stage on Nov. 12. The event will be open to all ticketed race fans, with a special front-stage section reserved for PIR season-ticket holders.

Other drivers scheduled to interact directly with NASCAR fans at PIR include:

·         Rusty Wallace, the 1989 Sprint Cup champion, and his son, Nationwide Series driver Steve Wallace
·         Kevin Harvick, one of three favorites currently competing for the 2010 Sprint Cup
·         Clint Bowyer, winner of two Chase for the Sprint Cup NASCAR playoff races in 2010
·         Ryan Newman, winner of April’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ at PIR
·         Kasey Kahne and Robby Gordon, two Sprint Cup fan favorites from the West Coast
·         Ricky Carmichael, the former motocross champion turned NASCAR driver (all driver appearance details listed in schedule below)

PIR also offers a host of live music for fans, headlined by the Restrictor Plates – an Atlanta-based Southern Rock experience led by touring slide-guitar ace Benji Shanks. The Restrictor plates will bring race fans a set list of classic Southern Rock from the Budweiser ROLL-BAR stage at 11 a.m. on Sunday Nov. 14, just before Kobalt Tools 500 pre-race ceremonies commence. The weekend kicks off Thursday, Nov. 11 in the SPEED Cantina with PIR fan favorite Harry Luge, Jr. The singer/songwriter and regular on the “Country Thunder” Festival circuit, mixes Southern Rock and Country to create what he calls Arizona’s “own” country music. The Queen Creek native takes the stage from 9 to 11 p.m. at SPEED Cantina both Thursday and Friday nights. Local favorites the Crown Kings, Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band Freebird and popular NASCAR writer/country crooner Monte Dutton are all also scheduled to perform at various venues throughout the race weekend.

The weekend’s full schedule of entertainment is listed below. Please note that events scheduled within the Budweiser ROLL-BAR Club or the Trackside Club requires patrons to purchase a ticket to those areas.

Tickets to Budweiser ROLL-BAR Club are available for advance purchase at $89 for Nov. 13 and $139 for Nov. 14. Additional purchase of a grandstand ticket is still required for track admission. Tickets for a full weekend package in Trackside Club are $699. A three-day package for Octane is $2,400 per person and includes unlimited food/beverage and many other plush accommodations. Tickets to Budweiser ROLL-BAR, Octane, and Trackside Club are available online at PhoenixRaceway.com, or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223).

ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE FOR KOBALT TOOLS 500

Friday, November 12, 2010

Noon – West Series Open House begins outside Turn 2
2:30pm – Q&A’s begin – West Series Open House
3:00pm – Driver autograph session – West Series Open House
3:00pm – NASCAR Smarts, SPEED Display on Fan Midway
3:00pm – Danica Patrick Q&A, Budweiser ROLL-BAR Stage
4:00pm – SPEED Talent Autograph Session, SPEED Display on Fan Midway
5:30pm – Trackside LIVE, SPEED Display on Fan Midway
Checkered Flag – Freebird, The Ultimate Lynyrd Skynyrd Experience, Budweiser ROLL-BAR Stage (Fireworks at Checkered Flag)
9:00pm – Rhythm Night at SPEED Cantina featuring Harry Luge, Jr.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

11:00am – Rusty & Steve Wallace Q&A, Trackside Club
11:30am – Ricky Carmichael Q&A, Inside Budweiser ROLL-BAR Club
Noon – Ricky Carmichael Q&A, Octane
Noon – Chad Freeman & Redline, Budweiser ROLL-BAR Stage
5:00pm – NASCAR Live, SPEED Display on Fan Midway
9:00pm to 11:00pm – 3 Amigos Tequila Night at SPEED Cantina featuring the Crown Kings
TBD Time – Colin Braun Q&A, Ford Racing Display on Fan Midway
TBD Time – Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford Racing Display on Fan Midway
TBD Time – Miss Sprint Cup, Inside Budweiser ROLL-BAR Club

Sunday, November 14, 2010

9:00am – #31 Pit Crew Autograph Session, Chevy Display on Fan Midway
9:30am – Robby Gordon Q&A, Octane
9:30am – Kevin Harvick Q&A, Inside Budweiser ROLL-BAR Club
9:30am – Ryan Newman Q&A, Trackside Club
9:45am – AJ Allmendinger Q&A, Inside Budweiser ROLL-BAR Club
9:50am to 10:05am – Ryan Newman Q&A, Chevy Display on Fan Midway
10:00am – Kasey Kahne Q&A, Inside Budweiser ROLL-BAR Club
10:00am – NASCAR RaceDay, SPEED Display on Fan Midway
11:00am to Noon – The Restrictor Plates, Budweiser ROLL-BAR Stage
TBD Time – Clint Bowyer Q&A, Inside Budweiser ROLL-BAR Club
TBD Time – Greg Biffle Q&A, Ford Racing Display on Fan Midway
TBD Time – AJ Allmendinger Q&A, Ford Racing Display on Fan Midway
TBD Time – Miss Sprint Cup, Trackside Club

For fan schedule updates, please visit http://PhoenixRaceway.com. Schedule subject to change.

NASCAR and NASA Team Up for Gears and Galaxies Event!

NASCAR driver Michael McDowell – a product of Glendale, Ariz. – and former NASA astronaut William Gregory will meet fans and answer questions about the thrills and challenges of their respective fields at “Gears and Galaxies” Night on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at Challenger Space Center in Peoria.

Gregory, who piloted Space Shuttle Endeavour flight STS-67, said “Gears and Galaxies” will be a very special event for everyone involved:  “Speed, excitement, and a whole lotta noise.  Sounds like NASCAR in two dimensions and a shuttle launch in three.”

The family-oriented event runs from 4-8 p.m., with Gregory and McDowell hosting a joint Q&A session for ticketed guests from 6-7 p.m.  Valley TV and radio motorsports personality Wally Cahill will serve as emcee for the evening.

“Gears and Galaxies” also features the unveiling of a new, on-loan NASA exhibit showing a real Space Shuttle tire, a NASCAR tire, and a replica lunar rover tire, along with items flown in space from Mr. Gregory’s personal collection.  Phoenix International Raceway’s Official Pace Car will be on display in the parking lot.

Challenger Space Center rounds out the evening with fun family activities including space-themed movies, an Extreme Space Weather demonstration, arts and crafts projects, prize giveaways and more.  Among the prizes is a pair of reserved grandstand seats for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race on Feb. 27, 2011, including two pre-race pit passes, courtesy of Phoenix International Raceway.

Tickets for “Gears and Galaxies” are available on a first-come, first-served basis at http://www.azchallenger.org/public.nasa.nascar.htm.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children and include admission to the Q&A session and an autographed photo from both the astronaut and the race car driver. As part of the event, Challenger also has a special ticketing option for NASCAR events at Phoenix International Raceway as part of the Nov. 11-14 Kobalt Tools 500 race weekend. To purchase tickets, contact Jonathan Stone at 623-463-5672.

Beginning Nov. 1, the public can bid on eBay for an opportunity to “Fly with the Pros” – which offers a very special, one-hour simulated mission into outer space with Gregory and McDowell. The two will personally fly the mission with winning auction bidders (ages 9 and up) from 5-6 p.m. on Nov. 10. “Fly with the Pros” utilizes Challenger’s million-dollar spaceflight simulator platform and tasks participants to use teamwork to rendezvous with a comet’s tail and successfully launch a scientific probe.  Mission seats are not included in “Gears and Galaxies” admission and must be purchased separately on eBay.  A link will be posted on www.azchallenger.org by Nov. 1 to the eBay auction.

Tickets to the Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race and WYPALL 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race are also available on Challenger Space Center’s web site through a special arrangement with Phoenix International Raceway.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit Challenger AZ’s educational programs.  Visit http://www.azchallenger.org/public.nasa.nascar.htm to purchase online; tickets will be available for pick up at the PIR will-call window.

For media members wishing to attend “Gears and Galaxies” or “Fly with the Pros,” please RSVP to Challenger Space Center by Nov. 8.  Event sponsorships are still available for this special evening.  Call 623-322-2001 for media reservations and sponsorship opportunities.

PIR Announces Complete 2011 NASCAR Schedule!

Following NASCAR’s 2011 schedule announcement Wednesday, Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber confirmed today that the track will host a total of six races in 2011, including two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, two NASCAR Nationwide Series races, a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and the season finale NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race.

2011 Phoenix International Raceway NASCAR Schedule:
– Friday, Feb. 25 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
– Saturday, Feb. 26 – Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series
– Sunday, Feb. 27 – SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
– Saturday, Nov. 12 – NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
– Saturday, Nov. 12 – WYPALL* 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series
– Sunday, Nov. 13 – Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

*Event names are subject to change

The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ will kick off PIR’s 2011 event season, featuring races in NASCAR’s three top series. The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will take place Sunday, Feb. 27 – the series’ second stop of the season following the Daytona 500. The SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ event weekend will also feature the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, Feb. 26 and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday, Feb. 25.

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 Kobalt Tools 500 – on Sunday, Nov. 13. The Kobalt Tools 500 event weekend will also feature the WYPALL*200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season finale race on Saturday, Nov. 12.

Race fans can secure 2011 PIR Season Tickets before they go on sale to the general public. Fans can make a $50 deposit to reserve 2011 seats online at http://www.PhoenixRaceway.com or by calling 877-PIR-XTRA (747-9872). 2011 Season Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, Oct. 29, with prices starting at just $99. 2011 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ individual tickets go on sale Thursday, Nov. 11 and start as low as $25.

Tickets for this year’s exciting Nov. 11-14 Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR event weekend are also still available with prices starting at just $25. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.phoenixraceway.com/tickets or call 866-408-RACE (7223).

Great Tickets Still Available For Subway Fresh Fit 600!

The thrill of NASCAR action at Phoenix International Raceway is just two weeks away, and tickets are available for each night of racing in the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ event weekend.

Seats remain for 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 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ 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, March 27 and Sunday, March 28, and again on Saturday, April 3 and Sunday, April 4 (Easter Sunday), from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

Additionally, the PIR Ticket Office will remain open on Good Friday – Friday, April 2 – for normal business hours. Normal weekday ticket office hours 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 2010 at Phoenix International Raceway can also be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223).

Let’s go racin’ – Boogity, Boogity, Boogity!

Kasey Khane, Clint Bowyer, and Others Appearing at PIR’S Budweiser ROLL-BAR!

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star and Budweiser driver Kasey Kahne will appear at Phoenix International Raceway’s Budweiser ROLL-BAR for a question-and-answer session with NASCAR fans before the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ on Saturday, April 10.

Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, qualified for the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup – his second such distinction. Kahne has three top-10 finishes in 11 Sprint Cup Series starts at Phoenix International Raceway.

Fellow Sprint Cup competitors Clint Bowyer, Robby Gordon, and A.J. Allmendinger will also appear at Budweiser ROLL-BAR over the weekend. Each driver will be scheduled to participate for 15 minutes, and appearance times will be confirmed shortly and announced on PhoenixRaceway.com.  More driver appearances will be announced soon.

Budweiser ROLL-BAR is located just behind the Bobby Allison Grandstands on the west side of the track, and features the best in live entertainment each day and night throughout the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ NASCAR weekend and appearances by some of NASCAR’s top personalities.

The innovative hospitality environment at Budweiser ROLL-BAR includes a special VIP section for guests, featuring high-end furniture on a raised platform. A number of unique custom structures – including a bar to house a replica of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford driven by Kahne – adorn the beer garden area and highlight the Budweiser branding seen throughout the club.

Single-day tickets to Budweiser ROLL-BAR are available for $89 on Friday, April 9 and for $139 on Saturday, April 10. Additional purchase of a grandstand ticket is still required for track admission.

Tickets for the April 10 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ – with prices as low as $25 – and all other events throughout the first NASCAR event weekend of 2010 at Phoenix International Raceway are still available at www.phoenixraceway.com or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223).