Near the end of the Valley\u2019s southwestern sprawl, where urbanization meets the seemingly endless, still untamed desert, lies a venue dedicated to speed that has provided entertainment, excitement and engagement for 62 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s known as Phoenix Raceway.<\/p>\n
Since its opening in 1964, the track has been a Western hub for closed- and open-wheel auto racing in the United States. NASCAR has held annual races at the track since 1988, and predecessors to the modern IndyCar series kept open-wheel running at the track from its inaugural year to 2005.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Apart from a three-year stretch from 2016 to 2018, IndyCar hasn\u2019t been back since.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Until now.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The IndyCar Series is returning to Phoenix Raceway on March 6-7 for a doubleheader weekend alongside NASCAR, giving Southwest motorsports fans something they\u2019ve been dreaming about.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first question that I was getting from all our fans when I started is, \u2018When are you bringing IndyCar back?\u2019\u201d track president Latasha Causey said. \u201cThe fact that we are able to do it now, and not only bring it back on its own, but bring it back as a doubleheader is great.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Causey, a Valley native who became the first Black woman to run a NASCAR-owned track in 2022, wasn\u2019t part of the initial conversations to bring IndyCar back to Phoenix Raceway \u2014 those were primarily between NASCAR and IndyCar themselves \u2014 but was on board nonetheless.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were looking for the oval,\u201d Causey said. \u201cAnd we have that, and we have that available, and we were open. When I got the phone call (asking), \u2018Would you be willing to do this?\u2019 It was an immediate yes for me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even with all parties hoping for the event to take place, there were logistical challenges to running an IndyCar race while NASCAR is running a Cup Series, O\u2019Reilly Auto Parts Series and ARCA race over the same weekend that had to be taken into consideration.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not only do all of the series need their time on track, but safety technology like the SAFER Barriers (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction Barrier), which line the circuit, have to be up to standard for both series.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have gone through, with competition on both sides, IndyCar and NASCAR, to really be in the weeds of making sure that we are prepared and that we are ready,\u201d Causey said.<\/p>\n
To help make sure that IndyCar officials and drivers were ready for the challenge, the series put on the Unser IndyCar Open Test at Phoenix Raceway Feb. 17-18, allowing valuable miles to be driven and data to be collected.<\/p>\n
A total of 4,853 laps were completed by the 25 full-time IndyCar drivers and their teams over the two days, with Ed Carpenter Racing\u2019s Alexander Rossi posting the fastest overall time at 20.6254 seconds with a top speed of 174.542 MPH.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got through everything we wanted, and when you can do that, it\u2019s a good day,\u201d Rossi said through a press release.<\/p>\n
The IndyCar veteran is one of five full-time drivers on the 2026 grid to have competed at Phoenix Raceway when the series was last at the track in 2018. He finished third that day, his best ever finish at the track, but it wasn\u2019t the best finish of the five.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Team Penske\u2019s Josef Newgarden, the 2017 and 2019 IndyCar champion, finished on the top step of the podium in 2018, a place where Chip Ganassi Racing\u2019s Scott Dixon, a six-time champion, stood two years earlier.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With a subsection of the grid not only familiar with the track but also carrying past success under their belts, it was imperative for other drivers to get up to speed quickly. That was something Team Penske driver David Malukas was able to do on the first day of testing, posting the fastest time at 20.8569 seconds with a top speed of 172.605 mph.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that we have pace,\u201d Malukas said. \u201cThe car is good, and we\u2019ve kicked off our oval setup with the team on a strong suit. (I) feel confident, but is it (going fastest) what we were aiming for today? No, we just ran through our test plan and we managed to get the time up on the board.\u201d<\/p>\n
Malukas was one of a handful of drivers to compare Phoenix Raceway to World Wide Technology Raceway, located in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The track, commonly referred to as Gateway, is known for its unique asymmetrical design, where turns one and two are tighter and have steeper banking than turns three and four.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Phoenix Raceway\u2019s differences between turns one and two and turns three and four are less extreme, but still evident. Turns one and two feature lower banking and a more traditional radius, while turns three and four have more banking and are closer to 90 degrees, something that Arrow McLaren driver Nolan Siegel compared to a road course.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201c(It) is a very interesting combination,\u201d Siegel said. \u201cAnd an interesting challenge to have the two of them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luckily for the drivers, they have tools at their disposal on oval courses to attempt to deal with the different corners on the track.\u00a0<\/p>\n