SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ marks final event before 1-mile oval undergoes repave
(PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Phoenix International Raceway wants to hear from its fans. Before the track begins a large-scale track paving project following the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ on Feb. 27, PIR is asking its fans to vote on the most memorable NASCAR moment in the desert over the past 20 years.
PIR’s one-mile oval track was last resurfaced in 1990 and the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ will mark the final NASCAR event held on the facility’s current racing surface. Motorsports media from around the country selected the top six defining NASCAR events at PIR and now it’s time for fans to choose their top moment. The winning memory will be announced during February race week with a special acknowledgement during pre-race ceremonies for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™.
Please see the list of NASCAR moments as selected by media and vote for your favorite at www.phoenixraceway.com/moments, no later than Feb. 21.
1. THE INTIMIDATOR TAKES PHOENIX – November 4, 1990: Dale Earnhardt brought the No. 3 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet to PIR’s Victory Lane for the first and only time with a narrow .53-second win over Ken Schrader in the 1990 Checker 500.
2. MARTIN WINS CLOSEST RACE IN PIR HISTORY – October 31, 1993: Mark Martin won the closest Sprint Cup event in PIR history on Halloween, edging Ernie Irvan by .19 second to win the Slick 50 500.
3. HAMILTON BRINGS THE 43 BACK TO VICTORY LANE – October 27, 1996: The late Bobby Hamilton won the 1996 Dura Lube 500, taking team owner Richard Petty’s iconic No. 43 car to Victory Lane for the first time since the King’s final Sprint Cup win in 1984.
4. GORDON TIES EARNHARDT – April 21, 2007: Jeff Gordon opened the 20th season of NASCAR racing at Phoenix with a thrilling win in the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ that tied him with Dale Earnhardt on the Sprint Cup career wins list at 76. Gordon celebrated with a victory lap while holding a “3” flag out of his driver’s side window in honor of Earnhardt.
5. JOHNSON DOMINATES THE DESERT – November 15, 2009: Jimmie Johnson won his third consecutive Chase for the Sprint Cup event at Phoenix and fourth race in five tries at PIR. The win propelled Johnson to a then-record fourth consecutive Sprint Cup.
6. EDWARDS SWEEPS AWAY COMPETITION – November 14, 2010: Carl Edwards owned the November 2010 NASCAR weekend in Phoenix, setting a Sprint Cup qualifying record before sweeping both the WYPALL* 200 Nationwide Series race and the Kobalt Tools 500 Sprint Cup event. He celebrated not only with his traditional back-flip (twice), but also partied with fans in PIR’s Bryan Grandstand.
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.
