NASCAR championship race coming to ISM Raceway in Avondale in 2020

AVONDALE, Arizona — The newly renovated ISM Raceway will host the 2020 NASCAR Championship Weekend.

“Fans have flocked to this raceway for some of the most exciting action on the NASCAR circuit,” Gov. Doug Ducey said during a press conference Tuesday from the West Valley track’s Gatorade victory lane. “Now, they’ll be treated to the ultimate championship in 2020 and beyond.”

#BREAKING: Phoenix @ISMRaceway will host the 2020 #NASCAR championship weekend. ⁦@KTAR923⁩ pic.twitter.com/YhkwVYWuJk

— Griselda Zetino (@GriseldaZetino) March 26, 2019

The championship will be held November 6-8, 2020. It comes after the recent completion of a $178 million project to renovate the facility.

Julie Giese, president of ISM Raceway, referred to the arrival of the NASCAR Championship Weekend as “an incredible opportunity.”

“Today’s announcement is truly a culmination of the vision and hard work of everyone involved in making the ISM Raceway one of the premier venues and, more importantly, the premier experiences in all of sports,” Giese said during Tuesday’s press conference.

This will be the first time the ISM Raceway hosts the NASCAR championship. It’s also the first time it’s held outside of Florida, which has been the host state since 2002.

NASCAR Vice President Mike Helton told KTAR News 92.3 FM there were several reasons for the move, including Arizona’s experience hosting major sporting events. He said the recent modernization of the ISM Raceway was another motivating factor.

As for whether or not the ISM Raceway will host future championships, he said, “We’ll see.”

“Right now, we’re talking about 2020,” Helton said. “But it won’t be long before we start sitting down talking about 2021 and out years.”

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