Phoenix International Raceway: Subway Fresh Fit 500 Preview

Let's go racing, Pardner. Week 8 has the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) and the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS), headin' out west to the 1.0- mile quasi-oval of Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). PIR is located in lovely Avondale (not really in Phoenix), Arizona.

Here's a summary of the television broadscast schedule for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 race weekend.

Practices
NNS, Friday, April 17, 11:00am/et, on SPEED TV (Only Practice)
NSCS, Friday, April 17, 1:00/et, on SPEED TV
NSCS, Friday, April 17, 3:30/et, on SPEED TV (Final Practice)

Qualifying
NNS, Friday, April 17, 5:30pm/et, on SPEED TV
NSCS, Friday, April 17, 7:10pm/et, on SPEED TV

Race
NNS, Bashas' Supermarkets 200
Friday, April 17, 9:00pm/et on ESPN2

NSCS, Subway Fresh Fit 500
Saturday, April 18, 8:00 pm/et on FOX
Green Flag at ~8:46pm/et

Pre-Race Honors

Michael Strahan, future NFL Hall of Fame Defensive End for the New York Giants (1993-2007), wiil be the race's Grand Marshall, and will cue the racers to "Start Your Engines!"

Country Music performers, and twin sisters, Kate and Kacey Coppola, will do the honors of presenting the National Anthem.

I think the U.S. Navy will execute the pre-race flyover.







Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has officially declared Phoenix International Raceway as “Zoomtown U.S.A.", for the race weekend.

Interesting Stats
There have been 25 NSCS races run at PIR (1988 through 2008).
*Chevys have won 11 events at PIR, including 9 of the last 10 races.
*Fords have won 12 events at PIR, including 11 of the first 15 races.
*Pontiacs have won the other 2 races.
*The average winning pole speed is 131.243 MPH.
*The average race winning speed is 103.203 MPH.
*The race averages 7 cautions and 39 laps run under caution.
*Only 42 cars started the the 1992 race.
*44 cars started the 1995 and 1996 races.

Greenhorns Shootin' to Qualify

These drivers will be attempting to make their first NSCS PIR start.

Brandon Ash (No. 02 Sprinter Trucking, Inc Dodge) - Between 2006 and 2008, the 32 year old Ash has 4 NSCS starts; three on road courses and one at Kansas Speedway, with a best finish of 38th.

Dexter Bean (No. 51 LiveWire Enrgy Chews Dodge) - 22 year old Bean, has only one NNS start under his belt. I he does manage to make this race, God bless him, and God help the other 42 drivers.

Trevor Boys (No. 06 Boys Will Be Boys Racing, Co. Dodge) - Boys, aged 51, actually has 102 NSCS starts, between 1982 and 1993 (93 of 'em between 1983 and 1987). Boy's best finish was 10th, at Darlington, in 1984. He drove for James Hylton in all 102 races.

Special Paint Schemes
Carl Edwards - No. 99 Subway Ford
Denny Hamlin - No. 11 FedEx Office/March of Dimes Toyota
Elliott Sadler - No. 19 Stanley Tools Dodge
John Andretti - No. 34 Taco Bell Chevy
Marcos Ambrose - No. 47 Chlorox Toyota
Mark Martin - No. 5 CarQuest Auto Parts Chevy
Paul Menard - No. 98 Peak Antifreeze Ford