Copper World Classic

Phoenix Raceway

Phoenix International Raceway in November 2011
Location	7602 S Avondale Boulevard Avondale, Arizona 85323 United States
Time zone	UTC−7
Capacity	51,000
Owner	International Speedway Corporation
Opened	1964
Former names	Jeff Gordon Raceway
Major events	Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Verizon IndyCar Series NASCAR Xfinity Series NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Dogleg oval
Surface	Asphalt
Length	1.022 mi (1.6447 km)
Turns	4
Banking	Turns 1 & 2: 10–11° Dogleg: 10–11° Turn 3: 8° Turn 4: 8–9° Backstretch: 10°, 8° Frontstretch: 3°
Lap record	18.8701 (Hélio Castroneves, Penske Racing, 2017, IndyCar Series)
Road course (1991–2011)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	1.51 mi (2.43 km)
Turns	13
Road course (1964–1991)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	2 mi (3.2 km)

Phoenix Raceway (PIR) is a 1 mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. Phoenix Raceway has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.

The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) road course that ran on both the inside and the outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current 1.51 miles (2.43 km) interior layout. Phoenix Raceway currently has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 51,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.

Phoenix Raceway is home to two annual NASCAR race weekends, one of 13 facilities on the NASCAR schedule to host more than one race weekend a year.

Phoenix Raceway was built in 1964 around the Estrella Mountains on the outskirts of Avondale, Arizona. Because of the terrain and the incorporation of a road course and drag strip, designers had to build a "dogleg" into the backstretch. The original roadcourse was 2 miles (3.2 km) in length and ran both inside and outside of the main oval track. The hillsides adjacent to the track also offer a unique vantage point to watch races from. "Monument Hill", located alongside turns 3 and 4, is a favorite among race fans because of the unique view and lower ticket prices. At the top of this hill lies a USGS bench marker known as Gila and Salt River Meridian, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Long before Phoenix Raceway existed, this spot was the original land survey point for all of what later became the state of Arizona.