For those who want to go back to Phoenix

[TimmyZ1]

this little nugget was in Jayski this morn, I'm assuming those who want to go back want to go for the configuration correct?

PIR to repave? maybe re-confugure? NASCAR drivers almost certainly will find Phoenix International Raceway to be a very different place a year from now. The first repaving of the 1-mile oval since 1993 is considered very likely, with the work to begin soon after February's Subway Fresh Fit 500. But the changes could be dramatic: reconfiguration to include bottom-to-top gradual banking, widening and even opening-up the radius of the turns. Such modifications could make racing more exciting for fans. Directors of International Speedway Corp., PIR's parent company, are expected to green-light the estimated $10 million repaving project at a meeting Wednesday in Miami, The Republic has confirmed. The Avondale City Council also must OK a development agreement with PIR; that's likely to happen by early December. Computer modeling will be used to evaluate how such a reconfiguration would affect competition - no final decisions have been made. The banking currently ranges from 3 to 11 degrees, and in racing terms PIR is considered a "flat" track. The progressive banking design has been popular at other tracks, such as the 1 1/2-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway. "We have put together a request to the board of directors to approve funding to repave after the February race," PIR President Bryan Sperber said. "Track management and ISC have been working on the preliminary plans."(Arizona Republic)(11-14-2010)

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/2010/11/13/20101113pir-undergo-dramtic-renovation.html

[Peabody]

ISC is going to ruin another track. They seem to want all tracks to be clones of each other.

[Hawk]

If all the tracks are the same maybe Goodyear can figure out how to build a tire that doesn't shread down ... in a few years.

[INDYINDY]

Such modifications could make racing more exciting for STUPID fans.

Corrected.

[NoviVespa]

If all the tracks are the same maybe Goodyear can figure out how to build a tire that doesn't shread down ... in a few years.

A solid rubber tire should do the trick.

[rrrr]

Oh, fer sh*t's sake... :mad:

[Tony Johns]

Jeez. Heaven forbid we have a DRIVER'S oval on the schedule. I'm going to drive down to Avondale and kick Sperber in the teeth personally.

[Spike]

There goes another great track.

Thanks NASCAR.

[Jacoby]

ISC already ruined this track once - now they are going to do it again? They also killed a great event - the Copper World Classic. They also drove the IndyCars out of there. And don't blame it on IndyCar. I remember the lame, destructive advertising they were doing when "promoting" the Indy cars at that track. I don't recall the specifics, but it had something to do with admission for kids. I remember hearing the advertising, and thinking how idiotic. It was obvious to me they wanted to get rid of IndyCar and add a second NASCAR race. Sorry, but PIR used to be a great place with some great races.

[TUBORG-fan]

What a huge mistake. Today, Homestead measn nothing to me, in the old days the track was great for racing, a true drivers oval.

[Spike]

ISC already ruined this track once - now they are going to do it again?

Second time's the charm.

They also drove the IndyCars out of there. And don't blame it on IndyCar..... It was obvious to me they wanted to get rid of IndyCar and add a second NASCAR race.

Attendance for the IRL events there was weak from the very beginning so you can't blame ISC for everything. That said, if ISC wanted to "get rid of IndyCar" as you say wouldn't it have been easier to just not stage the races to begin with?

PIR used to be a great place with some great races.

Agreed.

[225_at_Indy]

I would disagree. We have ovals because they make racing more exciting for the fans than road/street tracks do. So why not improve track to have a better racing? Increasing banking would make the track faster, it definetly will make racing better. Flat tracks usually have just one groove, passing is difficult, racing is slow, not much action.

[pb]

Everyone's a libertarian until someone wants to do something with their own property.

[rrrr]

I would disagree. We have ovals because they make racing more exciting for the fans than road/street tracks do. So why not improve track to have a better racing? Increasing banking would make the track faster, it definetly will make racing better. Flat tracks usually have just one groove, passing is difficult, racing is slow, not much action.

There is no tangible indicaiton whatsoever that these changes you describe will "improve" racing at PIR.

[INDYINDY]

I would disagree. We have ovals because they make racing more exciting for the fans than road/street tracks do. So why not improve track to have a better racing? Increasing banking would make the track faster, it definetly will make racing better. Flat tracks usually have just one groove, passing is difficult, racing is slow, not much action.

Why not just give up and race IROC cars on the inside of a sphere? Then the drooling NASCAR fans will get all of the "rubbin," "side-by-side," and "big ones" they can handle. Plus, you would only need one track, so the rest of them could go back to being appropriate for proper racing.