NASCAR track gets yet another name change
By Asher Fair
What was Phoenix International Raceway, Jeff Gordon Raceway and ISM Raceway is now Phoenix Raceway ahead of its first season as the host of the NASCAR championship finale.
The NASCAR track in Avondale, Arizona has changed its name once again.
After a two-year stint as ISM Raceway, this four-turn, 1.022-mile (1.645-kilometer) oval, which is slated to host the championship races in the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series for the first time in the 2020 season, has been renamed Phoenix Raceway.
ISM came on board when the track formed a partnership with Ingenuity Sun Media (ISM Connect) in September of 2017, with the name ISM Raceway set to go into effect in 2018.
That name will no longer be used in 2020.
Phoenix Raceway confirmed this news in a statement released on Friday.
"“Phoenix Raceway and ISM Connect have mutually agreed to restructure their relationship and will discontinue its naming rights partnership. We look forward to transitioning back to Phoenix Raceway, a brand that has built a strong affinity across the racing community since our opening in 1964. The repositioning of Phoenix Raceway aligns with NASCAR’s integrated sponsorship strategy and supports ISM Connect’s efforts to shift their focus from brand awareness to delivering their next generation technology at NASCAR facilities. We thank ISM Connect for their partnership as we look forward to a historic season for our track, culminating with the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.”"
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The Phoenix Raceway name is most similar to the name of the track from its opening in 1964 up until a few years ago when it was called Phoenix International Raceway.
To honor the final season of four-time champion Jeff Gordon, it was renamed Jeff Gordon Raceway back in November of 2015 before reverting to Phoenix International Raceway after the Cup Series race at the track that month.
In the Cup Series and Xfinity Series, Phoenix Raceway is scheduled to host two races in the 2020 season, while it is only scheduled to host the season finale in the 2020 Truck Series season.
The Cup Series and Xfinity Series are both scheduled to visit the track in early March, with the Xfinity Series race scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 7 and the Cup Series race scheduled to take place the following afternoon.
The Xfinity Series race is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET while the Cup Series race is set to be broadcast live on Fox beginning at 3:30 p.m.
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The 2020 NASCAR Truck Series season finale is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 6 while the Xfinity Series season finale is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 7 and the Cup Series season finale is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 8.
All three races are set to be broadcast live from Phoenix Raceway, with the Truck Series race set to air on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET, the Xfinity Series race set to air on NBC Sports Network beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET and the Cup Series race set to air on NBC beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET.