Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale Arizona

Track Size: One mile paved

Track web site: Phoenix International Raceway

History - "P.I.R." plays a vital role in motorsports. For HammerDown's purposes, the Copper World Classic is the annual event that has helped lauch the careers of Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Mike Bliss, and Billy Boat, just to name a few. The annual race, held as the rest of the country is still dealing with winter cold, is a welcomed warm retreat for fans from everywhere.
From Bobby Gerould's Positivity column, March 2004: ...Phoenix impressions: A weekend in the Valley of the Sun is hardly a bad thing. Even with record high temperatures for March, three days and two nights in Phoenix, Arizona can be cool if you see four features in that span. That was possible this past weekend with the Copper World Classic Midgets, and Silver Crown races plus two nights of USAC / CRA sprint cars dicing at Manzanita Speedway. ...The midgets on the mile at PIR are annually one of the best races you will see. Without exception, you could throw a blanket over the top three, or sometimes more, all the way around the track. They qualified faster than the times that the early 70's Indy Cars did. As USAC Western States head man, Tommy Hunt said, "You are talking about serious race cars when you talk about the races we hold here." True dat. (Ebonix for I heard that!") It is a doggone shame that the Midget portion of the Copper World will not be seen (as it stands) on T.V. The race was so good I called my buddy BF and bragged about watching a "sick race on pavement". J.J. Yeley, and Dave Steele took the gloves off in a 25 mile scorcher with Bobby East playing the role of spolier. East gassed his racer up and impressed me again as a can't miss talent. If you read this deal with any regularity you know what we think of Yeley (a true open-wheel hero. certified), and Steele (the best open-wheel pavement racer without a major NASCAR deal). Of course the midget race at PIR was a points race for our Racers Racing Series. The drivers know better than anyone how difficult it is to succeed at a event like the Copper World. If you're team isn't of championship caliber, you have zero chance to win. If you don't stand up in the chair and absolutely drive the shit out of the car you have zero chance to win. I want to see 60 races like that be combined into one simple formula. ...Tyler Walker had a problem with his #67 Silver Crown car that kept him considerably slower on restarts than the rest of the field. It absolutely took away any chance he had to run with the leaders. Once he got going he was as fast as everyone else. He finished 21st.

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