NASCAR Fans Can Raise Money for Charity at Phoenix

Phoenix Raceway

Getty NASCAR Cup Series drivers race at Phoenix.

Racing fans will soon have the opportunity to take on a track while raising money for those in need. Phoenix Raceway will open on Saturday, Oct. 16, for Track Laps for Charity. The NASCAR fans will be able to drive their own vehicles around the one-mile track.

According to a press release from the track, the event will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Oct. 16. Drivers above the age of 18 with a valid license can make a $25 donation and then head out onto the track while raising money for Arizona Accelerator Charities, a 501(c)(3) donor advised fund under The NASCAR Foundation.

“This is an amazing opportunity for race fans and car enthusiasts to drive their family and friends around the same track that will host NASCAR Championship Weekend in November,” said Phoenix Raceway President Julie Giese in a statement. “More importantly, this a one-of-a-kind thrill will make a difference throughout The Valley by supporting Arizona Accelerator Charities.”

There are multiple rules that the drivers must follow during the charity event. They have to follow the Toyota Camry pace car while maintaining a speed of 55 mph. Additionally, the fans can only take to the track in passenger vehicles. Officials will not allow motorcycles.


NASCAR Fans Have Raised Money at Multiple Tracks

The upcoming laps around Phoenix Raceway will not be the first that racing fans take while raising money for charity. There are multiple tracks that have hosted similar events during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

For example, fans headed to Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, June 13, prior to the All-Star Race. They made a minimum $50 donation to the Speedway Children’s Charities – Texas Chapter and then made three trips around the 1.5-mile oval.

Similarly, Michigan International Speedway hosted an event in December 2020 to raise money for charity. Fans could show up with donations and toys in hand before taking laps around the track. Darlington Raceway also held its own event in March and gave fans the opportunity to race around the Lady in Black.


NASCAR Will Continue Hosting Championship Races at Phoenix

The one-mile track in Arizona currently plays an important role in the Cup Series season, and it will continue to do so in the future. NASCAR announced on June 1 that the championship race will return to Phoenix in 2022, marking the third consecutive season.

“We’re so proud of the fact that we get to host NASCAR’s biggest weekend, crowning those four champions and celebrating the series, our drivers, our teams,” track president Julie Giese said in a statement, per NASCAR.com. “It’s going to be a great event. We’re really looking forward to it and honored that we have the opportunity to host this once again.”

The highly-anticipated weekend will take place Nov. 4-6, 2022. There will be four championship races on the schedule, including the top three series in NASCAR. The ARCA Menards Series West will also hold its championship race in Phoenix.

NASCAR moved the final races of the season to Arizona in 2020 after a streak at Homestead-Miami that began in 2020. The move coincided with $178 million in upgrades to the facility, providing an opportunity for NASCAR to highlight the track. The sanctioning body decided to return to Phoenix in 2021, as well as 2022.

READ NEXT: NASCAR Drivers Take On Other Series During Olympic Break

Read More