Phoenix International Raceway

Great venue for NASCAR, you can see all the action. We got lucky and our seats are across from Harvick pits. Nice to see NASCAR has honored Paris with a moment of silence and prayer.

Great venue for the Phoenix area. Plenty of parking and a staff geared towards guest satisfaction makes this racetrack a must see for locals.

I’ve never been to another race track other than here and Indianapolis Motor Speedway so it’s hard to know what makes nice racetrack. What’s nice is that it’s kind of oval so it’s easy to get around the whole track pretty quickly. They always have a lot of fun things for kids and adults to do outside of the track to keep you busy when you are waiting for the race to start. The box seats here are really nice and enclosed which is nice especially on a hot day. The food service in the box seats is very good. Parking is kind of a pain in the ass if you don’t have VIP parking. I highly recommend you find a way to get the parking that’s next to the stadium or else you will be walking from across the street. If you plan on indulging in some snacks at the race than maybe it’s a good idea you get some exercise and take the long way.

I was at Phoenix international raceway last weekend for the full race weekend… have been to several nascar cup races over the past 13yrs. Long story short. .please don’t spend your hard earned money to have the trackside club experience… $ 699 per person to sit in a tent that may or may not have working air. .you still have to wear earplugs and if you are one of the 22 – 27 (unreserved; not guaranteed to get your seat back if you leave to go to the bathroom in Porta potty or garage tour… lady that was working tent said if I left my jacket at the seat to hold it… it may not be there when I get back. «I have had jackets disappear before.») lucky people to sit in an indoor seat looking OUT at the race track through the people on the outside deck, and chain link fence where you can barely read the tower and no sprint vision screen… no view of the pits. We bought our tickets online and the trackside club was extremely misadvertised. The people on the lower level of the stands had better seats than us. After our complaints were heard… we ended up upgrading our tickets to the octane club… most expensive VIP so far at any track we have been to… my synopsis… if you want a great race experience for your money sit in the octane club… great people. great seats. .great food… don’t waste your time or money at the trackside club ($ 699 per person… shitty seats… shitty food. .shitty Porta potty… what did you say… I can’t hear you. wait until there is a caution).

I am learning that each raceway has it’s on personality. For me, PIR feels «old school»… that’s a very good thing. If you’re a NASCAR fan and you’re lucky enough get hot or cold passes; there is no better track to gain access to cars, drivers, owners and crews. Due to the close proximity between pit and garage areas, several drivers took plenty of time to say hello to fans, sign autographs and take pictures. The experience at PIR is «up close and personal». NASCAR does a very good job at connecting fans to the sport. However; PIR takes it to the bank. For example, this weekend Blake Shelton filmed a new video at the track. I saw him everywhere and he could be seen by all fans during the race on top of an RV, inside the track. I can’t speak about the track from a drivers point of view, but I can say this track rocks from a fans perspective. I hope to someday see a race from the spotters point of view. I love this track! I’ll be back in November.

I will say this tracks staff and police workforce really has its stuff together… getting in and out is very fast.
The NASCARS are very loud at this track.
Small track. What I really liked most about it was before the race you can go down and sign the starting/​finish line… and see the winning car .I would highly recommend this track

Went to PIR for the second to last Nascar race of the season in November. What a fan friendly race track! The layout for RV camping was great and easy to navigate to find your spot. The showers were FREE (and clean), they had a store set up in the middle of everything; Safeway that was awesome, just like walking into a regular Safeway. The prices were spot on at there Club prices. There was a small deli for a coffee or sandwich, it even tasted good. They also had Camping World on property in case you forgot something for your RV or it broke, again the prices were not out of this world! They even had guys ready to come out on a service call if you needed. There was a Cantina Bar for those who wanted to party after the race each night. (That kept the camp spots more peaceful for those who don’t drink and party).
The whole layout from parking to RV camping to siting in the stands for the race was a great experience!
I have only one complaint: to many stairs to climb if you have seats on the top or near the top of the stands to watch the race ;(
Over all great race track very fan friendly, can’t wait for the race in March!!! We will be back again and again…
Thanks Holly T

OH MY What a day! All Unilocalers pack your own stuff if you want to save a buck, and wear your walkin shoes… LOL but OMG if speed, noise and the smell of fuel is your thing, then you will be in heaven! I think all the goodies were over priced, T-​shirts and all! But if you got enjoy! Your overall experience I’m sure was worth it!

This was my first Nascar experience. Yes it was not just a race it was an experience. Although we only went to the Sprint cup race we met up with friends who were camping in the RV area Saturday night as well. The amount of people camping out amazed me. The camps ranged from simple RV’s with chairs outside to elaborate set ups including pool tables and full size dance floors. There were a lot of people having a great time.
As for the race-​the venue itself is huge! There was so much going on I am positive that we missed out on a lot because we ran out of time. There was something for just about everyone. Yes the food and drink prices were high but not as much as some of the other sporting venues in the valley. There was also a huge variety of food to choose from.
The race was loud and I was glad I brought ear plugs although they were available for purchase for $ 2. The seats are bleacher seats but they were pretty roomy so overall we were quite comfortable.
We arrived early and left as soon as the race was over plus we had a parking pass right near the track so traffic was not an issue for us. Although this was our first race I am sure it won’t be our last!

This was my first time ever at PIR and my first-​ever NASCAR race as well, so I was very excited about it and my friends I went with were really happy I could go, as they’d been wanting to get me out to a race for quite some time.
I like that parking is free out there. Crazy enough that ANY kind of sporting event is usually over-​priced, between food/​beverages/​souvenirs, so the fact that parking is free is a benefit.
We hit up the souvenir booths and got souvenir shopping done first thing. Each of the vendors were friendly, outgoing, and really having fun talking to the fans and selling items. From there, we took all our goodies back to my friend’s car, locked them up, and headed back in for the day’s events.
So many awesome things to do and see out there! Many different food and beverage vendors for a variety of options is great, because if you want something outside the norm of everyday food or fast food, this place definitely has it, from Loaded Baked Potatoes, to Turkey Legs. Something to consider, however, is with as big a place as PIR is, you definitely want to be wearing comfortable shoes, preferably tennis shoes, walking shoes, or some kind of sneaker. We saw a lot of females in flip-​flops but we also heard a lot complaining that they should have worn actual shoes too.
Also, being that the races are held in spring and fall, consider bringing sunscreen, especially if your seats are out in direct sunlight areas of the grandstands like ours were. Even on an overcast day, you can still come away fried like a lobster from the UV rays that come through overcast and even dark clouds.
If you aren’t used to loud noise or have never been around a racetrack before, bring earplugs in case. I lucked out and the noise didn’t bother me and my sensitive ears at all. I actually ENJOYED hearing the loud, powerful engines roar by on the track!
And, one more fab tip: There’s not a bad seat in the house to sit and enjoy the beautiful mountain views and the races. It’s all wide open and visibility is fantastic!
Getting in and out of PIR can be crazy if you aren’t used to it, but I do recommend taking in a race and absorbing the whole experience and ambience of Phoenix International Raceway, especially on a gorgeous fall day. Take my word for it :)

This place is a pretty cool track. I have been here for a nascar race and to drive a nascar race car as well.
As a spectator, sit in the covered seats, wear sun screen, and ear plugs you may need them. There are not many bad seats in the house, and it really is a blast to get a pit pass and go down and check out the cars/​crews and general on goings in the middle of the track. If you haven’t done so, do it at least once. Also note there are a ton of things to do there before the races usually. Be sure to check out whats going on.
As a driver. HOLY COW. I’ve always wanted to do this and this was my first chance. I want to race at PIR again, the dogleg is a little off putting if you have never driven a race car before but peddle to the meddle and go thru it the car takes to this track really nicely.
I am really glad we have PIR up here. Firebird closed, and I used to frequent Tucson Raceway Park when I was younger but Tucson is a long haul.

I live in Seattle yet always find myself flying down to Phoenix for this race. My first time was in 1999 and have been to 5 races there. I’ve been to tracks bigger and smaller than PIR but this track offers the best of everything a race fan could want. Good weather, you can see the whole track from your seat, off track activities and local sheriffs always do a great job moving traffic. Last time we went was November 2012 (famous Gordon vs bowyer brawl) and it took us one hour to drive from our parking spot to Scottsdale. Traffic was not a problem at all. I will choose this track over the other west coast tracks like Vegas or Autoclub

NASCAR is my husband’s thing not mine. This was my first and last race. That being said it was nice enough; the event seemed pretty family and fan friendly. Several options for food, pricey but most sporting events over charge for their concessions expect to spend about $ 15 – 20 per person if you purchase a drink, something to eat, some chips and maybe something sweet. On the bright side you can bring in a soft-​sided 14″ x 14″ x 14″ cooler and lots of plastic bottled beverages and your own food. Noise reducing headphones are definitely needed if you want to save your hearing. Do yourself a favor and pay to park otherwise leave early or it can take 40 – 60 minutes to get out of general parking.

I love going here and watching the race. It might not be the most exciting track, but it is usually packed with people and the weather is great! The stands are easy to read and find your seat. The only draw back is the parking so allow an extra 30 – 45 minutes to get into the parking area and park.

If you’re a NASCAR fan, this place is great! Love Carl Edwards!

We live in Northern California, and up until this point had not ventured beyond Infineon/​Sonoma Raceway. We’ve been there twice, and enjoy it, but it’s a road course and we were eager to experience an oval track.
As luck would have it, Hubby’s aunt & uncle live in Scottsdale, and the planets just aligned for us to visit them for the first time and wrap in attending the Subway Fresh Fit 500 race to watch a NASCAR race on an oval track. Score!
I can tell you that getting in and out of PIR is SOOOOO much better than Infineon. That helped set the tone. Plus, Uncle has a handicap license plate, so we got to bypass a lot of the traffic at PIR and zip on up to the handicap lot, pretty darned close to the track. Cool!
There was lots of room to move, lots of places you could easily spend a lot of money on your favorite driver of choice. You should have SEEN the mass of people at Danica’s merchandise trailer… wow! And after the race, winning really helped Carl Edwards’ merchandise sell, as evidenced by the sea of people there! Good for him!
Anyway, we were seated in section Allison 1E, Row 35… it was PERFECT to view the whole track from our Turn 1 vantage point. Plus, if it had been sunny (it was overcast almost all day), we would have been in the shade. When we come back to PIR, we will try to get the same section and seats because it worked out perfectly for us.
Exiting went pretty smoothly, but we actually waited about an hour after the race to leave because I met up with some friends who had their RV parked at PIR since the Tuesday before. Pretty sweet set-​up, I must say!
Had a great time, and can’t wait to come back to PIR. Just definitely remember to bring earplugs ;)

Now I said I would update this review once I attended the Subway Fresh Fit 500. Well here goes and I am going to tell you EXACTLY what you need to do if your coming to this racetrack. First let me start by saying the oval is a mile in distance and there is not really a bad seat in the house. I sat in the AJ Foyt section Row O Seat 10… great view of pit road and the actual track itself. Now with that being said let me get to my original point… here again is EXACTLY what you need to do if your planning on coming to a race at P.I.R.
First…and I can’t stress this enough… if your over 40 and NOT in tip top shape buy a parking pass… let me repeat that… buy a parking pass… because the walk from the general free parking lot is more than a notion folks. So again I don’t care how much it is BUY THE PARKING PASS… so you can park as close to the track as possible. There is also an option to park and ride at one of the local hotels for 7 bucks for everyone in the car… that is an awesome deal. Let me make that clear that is 7 bucks total… NOT PER PERSON… again an awesome deal.
Secondly if you decide to park in the general FREE parking lot areas please take Litchfield road and just follow the signs around to the racetrack. It will take about 10 minutes to get to the track but there will be 3 lanes you can use because they let you use the shoulder as a lane. HOWEVER here is the problem with that… they don’t tell you exactly where you need to be and the guards from the Sheriff’s office and the local Police Dept. are horrible. Here is what you need to remember if you want to park at the very back of the general parking area in hopes of getting out first then use the lane on the far right (shoulder) because they block of each section of the general parking lot based on what lane your driving in. If you want to park about middle ways then make sure your in the middle lane… and if you want to park in the first section of general parking closest to the track use the lane on the far left which is also another shoulder. I highly recommend if your not in good shape and don’t like to walk to far to take the FAR LEFT LANE as you approach the track. However let me advise again BUY THE PARKING PASS or PARK and RIDE.
Next if you do plan on parking for free then get there EARLY… I can’t stress this point enough. 9 maybe 10am is the latest you should arrive or you will regret it. If you stay for the entire race you will discover why getting there after 10am will cost you dearly. Let me put it this way… the race on Sunday was over at 4:30pm or so and even though we parked in the rear in hopes of getting out early… we didn’t get home until 7:00pm. That’s right I said 7pm… because we were in the lot for over an hour waiting to get out. So again get there EARLY… EARLY…EARLY. Gates open at 8am… so you have no excuse.
Buy your scanner ONLINE and you will save yourself 10 bucks GUARANTEED. Now you will have to go to will-​call and get a plastic looking credit card and then you will have take that to one of the MANY scanner vendors and grab your equipment. You will receive the scanner with video if you select FANVISION… a pair of headphones… a charger… and an extra battery which you probably won’t really need if use it only when the race starts. If you rent from Racing Electronics you will get everything I just mentioned except for the video portion. These are a little cheaper to purchase and to rent so that is a nice option.
The nine or so rows of steps that lead over the major parking roadway near the vendors is totally ridiculous. You would think that all the money that over 130,000 plus people bring to P.I.R that they could at least build an escalator and just cover it. If that doesn’t work just remove it all together because again for those not in the best of shape this could cause you real problems. So once you come down on the other side everything else is pretty awesome about the place.
Most of the popular Nascar Drivers have a vendor trailer selling everything from T-​Shirts to collectibles. You then walk through gate 3 or gate 4 and then just find your seat. Now be advised they are very serious about what you can and CANNOT bring in there… so make sure you call… or check the website before you arrive so you won’t be disappointed when you show up at the gate. There are air cushions for sell and for rent as well as some pretty decent seatbacks. The food and drink prices are a bit steep but not unexpected if you attend tons of sporting events like I do. I must say to be totally honest you really shouldn’t be spending money on food anyway because they let you bring just about anything edible into the track area. That also goes for anything to drink because they let you bring soft sided coolers inside as well.
If you remember all of these things… you should have an awesome day at this track… I know I will NEXT TIME. Eat, Drink and be Merry my Friends!!!

Love to come in November for the Sprint Cup and Nationwide races. We usually sit in the Petty grandstands at the top and use headsets. There is always great racing and easy parking!

This place is pretty good for those looking to check out a NASCAR or other racing event. I had a few problems though…
1. For newbies (like my group) it’s difficult to find the main enterance. There wasn’t any difficulty finding the parking areas, but finding Will-​Call was a totally different beast. I should’ve bought the tickets and printed them instead of going to Will-​Call
2. People do not respect your seating arrangements and there is very little staff managing seats. I had an obnoxious guy and his drunk lady friend give me attitude when I told them they were sitting in our seats.
3. Noise level is high! Do NOT forget to wear earplugs while sitting in the lower portion of the stands!
Other than that, there are great views of the whole track from every angle. Clearly displayed signs to indicate racer’s positions, and lots of food/​beverage vendors.