Track officials at Phoenix International Raceway are making preparations to ensure a safe and efficient travel route for the thousands of race fans who will arrive for the Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR event weekend Nov. 10-13. PIR will close out the 2011 West Coast NASCAR season with the debut a newly repaved and reconfigured 1-mile oval for Sunday’s NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup race at 1 p.m.
A multi-agency collaboration with the Department of Public Safety, Arizona Department of Transportation, Maricopa County’s Department of Transportation and Sheriff’s Office, and the cities of Avondale and Goodyear will ease travel for fans as they move through numerous communities and jurisdictions on their way to and from the raceway.
During the this month’s event weekend at PIR, “Road Safe” deploys more than 4,000 traffic cones, 600 barricades, approximately 75 people, and numerous special signs and vehicles to help ensure safe travel for the nearly 100,000 fans heading to the Kobalt Tools 500. (Note: A complete listing of equipment is available upon request to the Phoenix International Raceway Communications Department.)
Track officials encourage race fans to plan ahead for the 1 p.m. start time of Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race – the busiest event of the weekend. The race will conclude at approximately 5 p.m. with the heaviest outbound flow for the Nov. 13 race expected to take place from 5 to 7 p.m. During this period, motorists traveling on I-10 will experience intermittent closing of Exit 131 (Avondale Boulevard) to allow for the successful egress of race traffic.
Phoenix International Raceway encourages motorists – passengers, not drivers – to call 511 and press *7 when prompted for traffic updates. Additionally, fans can check for traffic updates on Twitter at Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway.
Park ‘N Ride Encouraged
The popular Park ‘N Ride program – featuring a new terminal at PIR – returns to Ashley HomeStore Furniture Pavilion, located just two blocks north of I-10 on 83rd Avenue (Exit 135). All NASCAR fans planning to use the service are welcome to enter the Pavilion Grounds at the 83rd Avenue entrance and board a First Student Charter of Phoenix shuttle for transport to the new Park ‘N Ride Terminal located at Gate 4 at the track. Cost for parking and shuttle services to PIR will remain $7 per car and free for fans with a PIR-issued parking pass. Guests with PIR-issued parking passes can “Park N Ride” at no charge. Shuttle buses will escort guests to PIR via preferential traffic routes, offering guests an easy arrival to the track.
“Park ‘N Ride” services will be available for 12 hours – from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. – on Sunday, giving all NASCAR fans an alternate transportation option, before and after the race. The first shuttle will depart at 7:30 a.m. The raceway opens to the public at 8 a.m.
Parking Pass Determines Exit
Fans driving their own vehicles to the track should remember that their parking pass – or lack thereof – determines the exits they should take from I-10 to the race. Fans without passes and planning to use the free general parking lots must exit the roadway at either Litchfield Road (Exit 128) or Estrella Parkway (Exit 126) and travel south following directions.
Fans with special passes and permits – and only those fans – should exit at Avondale Boulevard (Exit 131). Motorists who take the wrong routes may face major delays as they approach the track. At all times, motorists should follow the directions of officers and deputies. Guests with facility parking passes may refer to the reverse side of their parking pass for directions to and from the track.
Directions for General Parking Admission – Eastbound:
Take Exit 126 – Estrella Parkway. Drive south approximately five miles to Vineyard Road. Follow the signs and directions from officers and deputies while traveling east about three miles to the entrance to the parking lot.
Directions for General Parking Admission – Westbound:
Take Exit 128 – Litchfield Road or Exit 126 – Estrella Parkway. Drive south approximately five miles to Vineyard Road. Follow the signs and directions from officers and deputies as, depending on traffic flow, traffic may be diverted for a short time onto MC 85 or Broadway Road. When traffic reaches Vineyard, motorists will travel east for about two miles to the entrance to the parking lot.
Directions for Parking Pass Admission – Eastbound and Westbound:
Take Exit 131 – Avondale Boulevard. Drive south approximately six miles to the entrance to the parking lot. Fans taking this exit without a parking permit will be re-routed several miles to the proper roadway.
Directions for Local Traffic – MC 85 (Buckeye Road):
Local fans who travel on MC 85 (Buckeye Road) should exit on Litchfield Road or Bullard Avenue. Fans with special passes and permits – and only those fans – may use Avondale Boulevard.
