Phoenix International Raceway will host the Classic Racing Times Vintage Desert Classic as part of the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix weekend on April 28-29.
On the Saturday before the Verizon IndyCar Series race on April 29, PIR will feature two on-track sessions of open-wheel racing as part of Phoenix Raceway’s Super Saturday.
“We are thrilled with the impressive roster of historically significant cars that will be participating in this year’s Vintage Desert Classic,” said Bryan R. Sperber, president of Phoenix Raceway. “I think the fans are going to really enjoy seeing these cars up close and on track.”
This will be the first visit to Phoenix for the Vintage Desert Classic, which is currently the second event on the Classic Racing Times schedule after Pocono Raceway.
Some of the most legendary cars in open-wheel racing history will be displayed, both on and off the track, as part of the Vintage Desert Classic. Featured cars include the No. 4 TrueValue/STP March Indy car driven by Roberto Guerra that won at Phoenix in 1987 and turned in a runner-up finish in the Indianapolis 500 that same year. Also on display will be the last Indy car that Jim Clark ever drove in competition, the 1967 Rolla Vollstedt 67B Bryant Heating and Cooling Special Ford.
“We have made excellent strides with our program and we truly feel that we can build on this event at Phoenix Raceway,” said Classic Racing Times CEO Gary Mondschein. “It is certainly our intention to solidify our presence at Phoenix for years to come. The facility is a jewel and a perfect fit for our program with Indycar history dating back to the early 1960s.”
Tom “The Gas-Man” Sneva will be a special guest for the Vintage Desert Classic – as well as Lyn St. James, Arie Luyendyk, Derek Daly and Max Papis. Sneva will also be the guest speaker at the Vintage Desert Classic Bar-B-Que Dinner Awards Banquet on Friday evening.
The Vintage Desert Classic will take place along with both the USAC Silver Crown Series and the Quarter Midget races ahead of the Verizon IndyCar Series Phoenix Grand Prix.