Several lawmakers are concerned the city of Phoenix may jeopardize one of the Valley’s two NASCAR races if it allows a competing race circuit to hold an event in the fall.
One legislator has written a letter to the mayor asking him to not consider hosting the race.
In a May 22 letter to Mayor Phil Gordon, House Speaker Pro Tem Bob Robson, R-20, said he was concerned a Champ Car World Series race on the streets of downtown Phoenix may cause NASCAR to rethink having two races at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale.
“I have been a big supporter of downtown Phoenix,” Mr. Robson wrote, “but this just does not make sense.”
Lawmakers lobbied for 2nd NASCAR race
Lawmakers, he told Arizona Capitol Times, worked very hard to secure a second NASCAR race and its economic impact, providing money for roads and infrastructure around the racetrack.
“We lobbied, we sent letters, we called, we did whatever was necessary,” he said. “It’s $100 million to the state — that we know of.”
In a May 24 meeting, the Phoenix City Council’s Downtown, Economy, Sports & International Subcommittee agreed to gather more information on hosting a series of races for the Champ Car World Series, beginning in mid-November next year.
The proposed race would be held the weekend after the NASCAR race. The proximity has some lawmakers questioning whether the Valley can support two large races on back-to-back weekends.
“You’ve got to look at how much money people have to spend on auto racing,” Rep. Gary Pierce, R-19, said.
Some lawmakers, though, don’t think another race will have any negative effects. Besides two completely different racing styles — NASCAR races feature stock cars, while Grand Prix racers compete with Indy-style open-wheeled cars — the region has more than enough people to support multiple events.
“What do we have? Three million people? Give me a break,” Rep. Jerry Weiers, R-12, said.
The market, Sen. Robert Blendu, R-12, can sustain multiple races, but he is not sure there is even any interest from the public in bringing another racing circuit here. The Champ Car World Series, he said, draws lower attendance for its entire season than NASCAR does at one event.
“I don’t think the market has ever supported racing in downtown Phoenix,” he said. “It was a monumental failure the first time.
“Maybe Phoenix doesn’t care about NASCAR. I do.”
A failed idea?
Rep. John Nelson, R-12, was also worried about resurrecting a failed idea. He was on the Phoenix City Council when the city hosted similar races in the early 1990s that were sparsely attended.
“There are other things the city should be spending their revenue on,” he said, “especially if they’re going to come here and complain about [the Legislature] lowering taxes and state-shared revenue.”
He said he was not ready to pass judgment on the Champ Car race just yet, as not even city officials knew exactly what it would cost or what the expected economic impact would be.
Mr. Robson, though, says that is beside the point.
“Phoenix keeps saying, ‘We need to be regional.’ This is extremely parochial,” he said. “As Yogi Berra would say, ‘This is d