Tucson Raceway Park
Encyclopedia
Tucson Raceway Park is a 3/8-mile paved oval racetrack located at the Pima County Fairgrounds, off Interstate 10
just south of Tucson, Arizona
. It is one of only three paved ovals in the state of Arizona (the others are Phoenix International Raceway
and Havasu 95 Speedway
). The track is currently closed. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tucson-Raceway-Park/120953051042?v=info#info_edit_sections
In 1982, International Speedway Corporation
bought the facility and paved the racing surface in 1993.
In 2002, ISC sold the track to Deery Sports West, Inc. http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/130720 and it was sold again in 2006 to Dan and Joyce Ruth.
In 2008 the track was sold to Mark Ebert who has made new changes to the track. It is now an ASA Racing track.
Races are almost always held on Saturday night, with practice sessions held on Friday. Thanks to the warm climate in Tucson, the track is able to remain open from February to November, only closing on weekends when there is a Sprint Cup race at Phoenix.
race, the Racing Champions 200. This race returned in 1996 and 1997 as the NAPA 200.
TRP was also the home of the TV program Winter Heat Series
, which ran during NASCAR's offseason from 1994-95 to 1998-99. This program was the launching pad for the careers of drivers such as Greg Biffle
, Kurt Busch
, Matt Crafton
and others.
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
just south of Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. It is one of only three paved ovals in the state of Arizona (the others are Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
and Havasu 95 Speedway
Havasu 95 Speedway
Havasu 95 Speedway is an ASA sanctioned paved oval that runs stock car races in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Classes ran include late models, modifieds, trucks, street stocks, legends, bandoleros, and factory stocks. It is one of 3 paved ovals in the state of Arizona, and the only one in western...
). The track is currently closed. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tucson-Raceway-Park/120953051042?v=info#info_edit_sections
History
The track was built in 1968, originally as a clay oval. http://www.pimacountyattractions.com/press.htmlIn 1982, International Speedway Corporation
International Speedway Corporation
International Speedway Corporation is a corporation whose primary business is the ownership and management of NASCAR race tracks. ISC was founded by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. in 1953 for the construction of Daytona International Speedway and in 1999 they merged with Penske Motorsports to...
bought the facility and paved the racing surface in 1993.
In 2002, ISC sold the track to Deery Sports West, Inc. http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/130720 and it was sold again in 2006 to Dan and Joyce Ruth.
In 2008 the track was sold to Mark Ebert who has made new changes to the track. It is now an ASA Racing track.
Racing at TRP
TRP currently hosts races in the ASA racing series: Super Late Models, DriveTech Late Models, Street Stocks, Factory Stocks and Pro-4's as well as Hornets and Legends.Races are almost always held on Saturday night, with practice sessions held on Friday. Thanks to the warm climate in Tucson, the track is able to remain open from February to November, only closing on weekends when there is a Sprint Cup race at Phoenix.
Former events
In 1995, TRP hosted the second-ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck SeriesCraftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
race, the Racing Champions 200. This race returned in 1996 and 1997 as the NAPA 200.
TRP was also the home of the TV program Winter Heat Series
Winter Heat Series
Winter Heat Series was a television program on TNN and later ESPN2 that featured stock car racing.-History:The program aired during the winter months between November and January . The program began during the 1994-1995 winter and ran through the 1998-1999 winter...
, which ran during NASCAR's offseason from 1994-95 to 1998-99. This program was the launching pad for the careers of drivers such as Greg Biffle
Greg Biffle
Gregory Jack "Greg" Biffle is a NASCAR driver who drives the #16 3M Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. After racing in the NASCAR Winter Heat Series in the mid-90s, he was recommended to Jack Roush by former announcer Benny Parsons...
, Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch is an American NASCAR and NHRA driver. He drives the No. 22 Shell Oil Company/Pennzoil Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and will race on an "opportunity permitting" basis in the Pro Stock division of NHRA...
, Matt Crafton
Matt Crafton
Matthew Crafton is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He currently drives the #88 Menards Toyota Tundra for ThorSport Racing.-Early career:...
and others.