New surface and track changes designed to ‘make a good thing even better’
(PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber today announced details related to the NASCAR facility’s first major track paving project since 1990. Construction will begin in March with the removal of the facility’s current racing surface and the subsequent installation of a new surface to go with a series of changes designed to promote side-by-side racing. While maintaining the integrity of PIR’s oval – including the 1-mile distance – the slight configuration changes will produce a racier track with average speeds that are expected to increase two to three miles per hour. The project is slated to conclude in September.
“When the time to repave PIR approached due to the life expectancy of our current racing surface, we wanted to make sure to take advantage of the opportunity to make a good thing even better for our fans,” Sperber said. “Our goal for this project was to not radically change a track that’s celebrated by fans and drivers alike, but to utilize new technology to ensure great moments in the next chapter of racing history at PIR.”
Aside from the installation of a new, four-layer asphalt and aggregate surface, PIR will make the following adjustments:
– Widen the front stretch from 52 to 62 feet
– Reconfigure pit road with the installation of concrete pit stalls
– Push the dog-leg curve between Turn 2 and Turn 3 out 95 feet
– Tighten the turn radius of the dog-leg from 800 to 500 feet
– Implement variable banking to ensure the immediate use of two racing grooves, including 10-11 degree banking between Turn 1 and Turn 2; 10-11 degree banking in the apex of the dog-leg; and 8-9 degree banking in Turn 4
A rendering of the PIR Track Paving Project is attached to this press release, with a high-resolution version available by request.
Project leader Bill Braniff, Senior Director of Construction for North American Testing Corporation (NATC) – a subsidiary of PIR’s parent company, International Speedway Corporation – said the conclusion to tweak PIR’s layout came after spending hundreds of man hours on computer simulations. PIR’s pavement project will be the seventh of its kind for Braniff, including last summer’s high-profile repave at Daytona International Speedway.
“We’re very confident that we’ll have multi-groove racing at Phoenix from Day 1 because of the variable banking that will be implemented,” Braniff said. “All of the changes – including the adjustment of the dog-leg – will be put in place in order to present additional opportunities for drivers to race side-by-side.”
The project will include the removal of 684,000 square feet of asphalt from the current surface, followed by the installation of a new surface that will include 7,000 cubic yards of concrete, 600,000 pounds of metal reinforcement, 70,000 cubic yards of import fill and 23,000 tons of new asphalt.
To commemorate the last 20 years of NASCAR competition on Phoenix International Raceway’s current surface, fans may vote for their favorite moment at PIR from 1990-2010 at PhoenixRaceway.com/moments. The top fan moment will be announced during the upcoming SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ race weekend and acknowledged during pre-race ceremonies.
Upon demolition, genuine pieces of PIR’s current racing surface will be made available to fans for purchase. Visit PhoenixRaceway.com/repave starting in March for details.
Tickets to the exciting Feb. 24-27 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ NASCAR event weekend are 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).
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 famed one-mile oval – including five-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tony Stewart and many more – on February 27, 2011 in the Subway Fresh Fit 500. Tickets for the entire Subway Fresh Fit 500 weekend at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com/Tickets or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). For more, visit PhoenixRaceway.com, Facebook.com/PhoenixRaceway and Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway.
