Phoenix Int'l Raceway Road course torn down
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Phoenix Int'l Raceway Road course torn down
PIR announced this morning to NASA, the road course is going to be torn up and replaced with garages for NASCAR.
All at NASA-Az is very sad tonight.
The official announcement from PhoenixRaceway.com:
"Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber 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 available by clicking here.
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.
All at NASA-Az is very sad tonight.
The official announcement from PhoenixRaceway.com:
"Phoenix International Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber 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 available by clicking here.
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.
Last edited by 96solo; 02-10-2011 at 01:54 AM.
#4
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The news is making the rounds. I believe NASA (and our Arizona Corvette Racing group) had PIR back on the schedule in December when the planned "resurfacing" was to have been completed. It seems to me PIR deliberately mislead NASA. PIR obviously knew the infield road course was going to be obliterated. IMO they should have been upfront about it from the beginning.
PIR was NASA's 'home' track but there are other options...Firebird International Raceway (FIR) has 3 road courses...4 if you count the combined FIR main course/Bondurant road course which they do sometimes. I'm not from Phoenix but I understand there's another road course that has re-opened in the Phoenix area but its heavily restricted with respect to noise. That would probably eliminate half or more of the cars that usually run NASA unless they change their exhaust systems. The finest road course in Arizona is Inde Motorsports Ranch west of Willcox, Arizona. It's the easiest track for me to get to (living in Tucson) but most everyone in NASA is from Phoenix. It's quite a drive from Phoenix. For whatever reason, after the Inde track opened NASA was slow (compared to other racing organizations in the state) to have an event there. There are other tracks not too far away in California and New Mexico but none with the convenience of PIR for all the guys from Phoenix.
For me, of all the tracks I run PIR was my worst track. I don't know if it was all the walls or what but I didn't like running PIR as much as the other road courses in Arizona. No excuses though, I know a racer has to be adept at whatever course you're on. I was progressing but suffice it to say there was lots of room for improvement. We'll see what happens...losing PIR may end up being a good thing.
PIR was NASA's 'home' track but there are other options...Firebird International Raceway (FIR) has 3 road courses...4 if you count the combined FIR main course/Bondurant road course which they do sometimes. I'm not from Phoenix but I understand there's another road course that has re-opened in the Phoenix area but its heavily restricted with respect to noise. That would probably eliminate half or more of the cars that usually run NASA unless they change their exhaust systems. The finest road course in Arizona is Inde Motorsports Ranch west of Willcox, Arizona. It's the easiest track for me to get to (living in Tucson) but most everyone in NASA is from Phoenix. It's quite a drive from Phoenix. For whatever reason, after the Inde track opened NASA was slow (compared to other racing organizations in the state) to have an event there. There are other tracks not too far away in California and New Mexico but none with the convenience of PIR for all the guys from Phoenix.
For me, of all the tracks I run PIR was my worst track. I don't know if it was all the walls or what but I didn't like running PIR as much as the other road courses in Arizona. No excuses though, I know a racer has to be adept at whatever course you're on. I was progressing but suffice it to say there was lots of room for improvement. We'll see what happens...losing PIR may end up being a good thing.
#6
well on a possible bright note......the NASCAR race at PIR was one of the most BORING on the schedule. Maybe now that race will be a little better.
But it does suck to lose a road race course.
But it does suck to lose a road race course.
#7
Sucks......I had hoped to find the time to run one of the NASA events at PIR and get a taste of the banked section that was used as part of the infield course.
I love the Inde Motorsport track out in Wilcox.....wish we could build something like that out near Lake Pleasant in NW Phoenix where the elevation changes could be 80+ feet as well.
I love the Inde Motorsport track out in Wilcox.....wish we could build something like that out near Lake Pleasant in NW Phoenix where the elevation changes could be 80+ feet as well.
#9
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
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