In 1964, when Phoenix International Raceway was carved out of the foothills of the Estrella Mountains, it was intended to be a new jewel in the crown of American open wheel racing.
Drivers like Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones and the Unsers soon came to love the one-mile paved oval with the unique bend in the backstretch. And they really loved coming to Phoenix, where the tourism industry was just starting to grow and its western-style hospitality was second to none.
But it wasn’t until 1988, when NASCAR Nextel Cup Series racing came to PIR, that auto racing in Phoenix really became a major sporting attraction for the “Valley of the Sun.”
New racing legends and legends-in-the-making like Davey Allison, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace and the rest of the Cup stars found out firsthand what their champ-car brethren had known for years: Phoenix International Raceway is truly a great place to race, both for the drivers and especially the fans.
Today, Phoenix International Raceway has a tradition that is unmatched in the world of racing. The Indycars have made 58 visits to PIR, and the annual Fall NASCAR weekend – including Cup, Busch, Craftsman Trucks and Featherlite Southwest Series races - is one of the biggest events in the entire state.
(Courtesy of NASCAR)
It's not a reprint from last week: Jimmie Johnson won again, his third in a row, to take the points standings lead on Jeff Gordon with just two races left. Who has the upper hand this week in Phoenix? Gordon won the spring race here, his first win ever at the track, but Johnson has been the best driver over the past month. He's my pick, along with Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart to have good days. J.J. Yeley could be a spoiler. -MR