Phoenix to flip track around (3rd Update)
05/23/16 Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law Thursday a bill that provides more than $40 million to promote races at Phoenix International Raceway from fiscal years 2022-2051 provided the track incurs projects costs of at least $100 million beginning next year. Lesa France Kennedy, chief executive officer of International Speedway Corp., which owns Phoenix International Raceway, stated in February that the 1-mile track is targeted for upgrades now that the company's $400 million improvements at Daytona International Speedway are complete.
Bryan Sperber, president of Phoenix International Raceway, told NBC Sports then that "we're starting to put together plans now, but it's a long way away from any kind of announcement.''
HB2495 requires that Phoenix International Raceway has incurred the requisite project cost between Dec. 31, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2020. If that is done, HB2495 requires $1.5 million to be appropriated annually to the Arizona Office of Tourism to promote the track's races, beginning July 1, 2021 (when fiscal year 2022 starts).
A spokesperson with the Arizona Office of Tourism told NBC Sports that to their knowledge this type of budget allocation has not been done before. The money from the Arizona Office of Tourism would be used to promote any event at Phoenix International Raceway "that is sanctioned by a nationally recognized premier national auto racing series governing body.'' NBC Sports
04/03/16 PIR President Bryan Sperber is expected to attend an International Speedway Corporation (PIR’s parent company) directors meeting later this month to further discuss plans and budget to modernize the facility, with work possibly done over a two-year period. No final decision likely will come out of that meeting but improvements would include upgrades for fans, competitors and corporate guests.
ISC recently completed a $400 million “re-imagining" of its flagship Daytona International Speedway. PIR was built in 1964.
One possible twist would be moving the start/finish line just past Turn 2 with new grandstands built in that area. Sperber would not deny an Internet post that PIR is considering development of the popular hillside outside Turns 3 and 4, to possibly include bench seating. AZcentral.com
 |
| Will Phoenix be flipped? |
03/12/16 Bryan Sperber, president of Phoenix International Raceway, told NBC Sports Friday that any talk about the track flip-flopping the frontstretch and backstretch is "all speculation at this point." International Speedway Corp., which owns the track, had no comment on a Fox Sports 1 broadcaster saying that the "rumor" is the company will flip the frontstretch and backstretch at Phoenix.
During Friday's broadcast of Sprint Cup practice on Fox Sports 1, broadcaster Mike Joy said: "The rumor now is that ISC is going to take and flip-flop this track as has been done at Atlanta and Darlington and the reason is that these (frontstretch) seats face South, which means you are sun-baked all day long, so there's a possibility of making this (Joy drew on the screen along the backstretch) the frontstretch with new seats and suites."
Sperber told NBC Sports: "It's no secret that we've been looking at upgrading PIR in general, and we're starting to put plans together now, but it's a long, way away from making any kind of announcement."
Sperber said they're putting together a list of possible changes and examining prices for the projects. NBC Sports