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Portland International Raceway
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Portland International Raceway
Portland International Raceway (PIR) is a motorsport facility located in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is part of the Delta Park complex on the former site of Vanport, just south of the Columbia River. It lies west of the Delta Park/Vanport light rail station and less than a mile west of Interstate 5.
The track hosts the IndyCar Series, ICSCC and SCCA and OMRRA road racing, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series West, and SCCA autocross events. Additionally, the PIR grounds are host to OBRA (Oregon Bicycle Racing Association) bicycling races on the track and the surrounding grounds. The facility includes a dragstrip and a motocross track.
The road course is almost perfectly flat and runs clockwise. Two track configurations are possible. The modern Grand Prix circuit includes a hard chicane at the end of the front straight, referred to as the "Shelton Chicane" in honor of Vanport racing legend Monte Shelton, and involves 12 turns at a length of 1.967 mi (3.166 km). Without the chicane, the track has nine turns and a lap length of 1.915 mi (3.082 km). Portland is classified as an FIA Grade Two circuit.
PIR boasts a Winners' List starring some of the most accomplished open-wheel drivers of all time including Mario Andretti (1985–1986), Emerson Fittipaldi (1989), Michael Andretti (1990–1992), Bobby Rahal (1987), Sébastien Bourdais (2004, 2007), Will Power (2019, 2024), and Álex Palou (2021, 2023).
The City of Portland is working to establish the track as carbon neutral. In 2023, an investigation revealed the use of leaded gasoline at the track, which may pose significant health risks for spectators and residents near the track. This occurs primarily during drag races, as unleaded fuel (often alcohol based) is used in major weekends.
PIR is built on the former location of Vanport, Oregon, which was destroyed on Memorial Day, May 30, 1948, when a railroad berm broke and water from the Columbia River flooded the city. After the flood, all that remained were the paved streets and concrete foundations of destroyed buildings.
The first races took place on these old city streets in 1961 during the Portland Rose Festival. Since then, the Rose Cup has become an annual event. Racing at "West Delta Park", as PIR was known back then, was quite dangerous. Racers leaving the track unexpectedly could collide with leftover concrete foundations or fall into ponds.
Under the threat of losing the Rose Cup races, since many of the sanctioning racing bodies would no longer sanction races due to the deteriorating roads and dangerous obstacles, the track was finally paved in the 1970s.
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Portland International Raceway
Portland International Raceway (PIR) is a motorsport facility located in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is part of the Delta Park complex on the former site of Vanport, just south of the Columbia River. It lies west of the Delta Park/Vanport light rail station and less than a mile west of Interstate 5.
The track hosts the IndyCar Series, ICSCC and SCCA and OMRRA road racing, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series West, and SCCA autocross events. Additionally, the PIR grounds are host to OBRA (Oregon Bicycle Racing Association) bicycling races on the track and the surrounding grounds. The facility includes a dragstrip and a motocross track.
The road course is almost perfectly flat and runs clockwise. Two track configurations are possible. The modern Grand Prix circuit includes a hard chicane at the end of the front straight, referred to as the "Shelton Chicane" in honor of Vanport racing legend Monte Shelton, and involves 12 turns at a length of 1.967 mi (3.166 km). Without the chicane, the track has nine turns and a lap length of 1.915 mi (3.082 km). Portland is classified as an FIA Grade Two circuit.
PIR boasts a Winners' List starring some of the most accomplished open-wheel drivers of all time including Mario Andretti (1985–1986), Emerson Fittipaldi (1989), Michael Andretti (1990–1992), Bobby Rahal (1987), Sébastien Bourdais (2004, 2007), Will Power (2019, 2024), and Álex Palou (2021, 2023).
The City of Portland is working to establish the track as carbon neutral. In 2023, an investigation revealed the use of leaded gasoline at the track, which may pose significant health risks for spectators and residents near the track. This occurs primarily during drag races, as unleaded fuel (often alcohol based) is used in major weekends.
PIR is built on the former location of Vanport, Oregon, which was destroyed on Memorial Day, May 30, 1948, when a railroad berm broke and water from the Columbia River flooded the city. After the flood, all that remained were the paved streets and concrete foundations of destroyed buildings.
The first races took place on these old city streets in 1961 during the Portland Rose Festival. Since then, the Rose Cup has become an annual event. Racing at "West Delta Park", as PIR was known back then, was quite dangerous. Racers leaving the track unexpectedly could collide with leftover concrete foundations or fall into ponds.
Under the threat of losing the Rose Cup races, since many of the sanctioning racing bodies would no longer sanction races due to the deteriorating roads and dangerous obstacles, the track was finally paved in the 1970s.
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