I was interviewed "live" in-studio on KPNX TV (Phoenix NBC affiliate) on the Sunday morning news program. Anchor Brahm Resnik questioned me about the proposed 2007 Champ Car street race in downtown Phoenix.
Question: (paraphrase) Why is Phoenix International Raceway opposed to the Champ Car race?
Answer: "The first reason is the date. The second NASCAR Nextel Cup race at PIR would be one week before the proposed Champ Car race in mid-November. Scheduling two races of that nature so close together in the same market would be difficult. A lot of the NASCAR fans who come here stay and go to restaurants in downtown. Obviously, there would be construction going on. But the main thing is, just like any other business, it would increase PIR's advertising and marketing and promotional costs. It could cost them some corporate hospitality business and local sponsorships."
Question: Is there a chance NASCAR might pull that second race if Champ Car went ahead?
Answer: "A lot of people who are involved in this process would tell you NASCAR is so phenomenally successful that would never happen. I would suggest those people don't understand the business of racing. I think the worst-case scenario would be that, if the Champ Car race would become a lot more successful than perhaps people anticipate it would be, that the (extra) cost of putting the second NASCAR race on for the parent company, International Speedway Corp., is they could take that event and move it to one of the other tracks they own, such as Kansas City."
