Phoenix latest track to add SAFER walls

PHOENIX, Airz. -- SAFER barriers are coming to Phoenix International Raceway.

Track president Bryan R. Sperber announced Wednesday that installation of the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction wall system is under way and should be completed by January.

PIR joins Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, New Hampshire International Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway as the only tracks on the NASCAR circuit to have SAFER barriers on the outside retaining walls.

The barriers run continuously for 1,550 feet through Turns 1 and 2, and for another 1,650 feet in Turns 3 and 4. The walls are 40 ½ inches high and contain steel tubes and 22-inch thick blocks of styrofoam that are placed between the original wall and the new wall.

"We have spent the past year making PIR a safer place to race," Sperber said. "Last fall, we moved the Turn 2 wall out 12 feet in order to make it safer for the drivers and promote better racing action on the track. In my eyes, the installation of SAFER walls just finishes the overall project. We want the drivers and teams to understand that we are doing everything we can to make their experience at PIR a positive one."

Opened in 1964, PIR was once known as the "World's Fastest One-Mile Oval". While it may not hold the title any longer, the track is still one of the most challenging with different banking on either end of the track, as well as, an additional left-hand turn (dogleg) in the middle of the backstretch.

PIR takes the green flag on its 2004 season on Jan. 24 with the annual NASCAR Winter Heat, featuring the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series and the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series. The NASCAR Winter Heat is the first of seven race weekends on the PIR season schedule.