Fun facts to impress your friends at the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland

BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland (Provided by Race Portland)

Portland International Raceway (PIR) is the home of the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland.

PIR is a 1.964-mile, 12-turn permanent road course owned by the City of Portland and operated under Portland Parks & Recreation.

Opened in 1960 to host sports car and drag racing, the 268-acre property hosts over 550 events annually including automotive and motorcycle road racing, motocross, cruise-ins and other special events including the Rose Cup Races.

PIR has been the site of many memorable INDYCAR races. Al Unser Jr. won the inaugural one in 1984.

The Father’s Day race of 1986 featured Mario Andretti passing his son Michael on the last lap and winning by 0.070 of a second.

In 2018, Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato taking the checkered flag.

The closest three-way road racing finish in INDYCAR SERIES history took place at PIR in 1997 when the top three were covered by just 0.055 of a second.

In 2021, Alex Palou’s victory in Portland propelled him to win the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship.

Ten total races from five different racing series will be featured on the weekend schedule of the 2023 BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series. It features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including two-time and reigning series champion Will Power, six-time series champion Scott Dixon, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and reigning “500″ winner Marcus Ericsson – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2023 season consists of 17 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDYCAR, INDY NXT by Firestone, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader.

INDY NXT by Firestone is the developmental series of INDYCAR as it advances drivers and team personnel to compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. INDY NXT by Firestone, formerly known as Indy Lights, focuses on the next generation of open-wheel racers and is the premier proving ground for young talent and innovative technologies. The 2023 season consists of 14 races in the United States. Past series champions include INDYCAR SERIES champions Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Paul Tracy and Cristiano da Matta. In 2022, 20 of the 33 starters in the Indianapolis 500 competed in the series now known as INDY NXT by Firestone. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDY NXT by Firestone, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDY NXT by Firestone, please visit www.indynxt.com. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.

The newly rebranded USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires (formerly Indy Pro 2000) has served as a vital step on the career path of many of today’s top drivers. It is the third official step on the USF Pro Championships ladder. The series is sanctioned by USAC and owned and operated by Andersen Promotions. The 2023 USF Pro 2000 champion will receive a scholarship valued at $664,425 to advance to INDY NXT in 2024. Additional prize money and awards include the Cooper Tires Pole Award for each race as well as season-ending awards for Rookie of the Year, Championship Team, Mechanic of the Year, Hard Charger, Move of the Year and Spirit Award. In total, the USF Pro Championships Presented by Cooper Tires will distribute over $1.6M in prize money and awards.

The USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires debuted in 2010 and is a continuation of the highly regarded USF2000 series which ran from 1990 through 2006, launching the careers of many of today’s top drivers. Sanctioned by USAC, the series is the second official step on the USF Pro Championships Presented by Cooper Tires ladder - a clearly defined path to reach the top echelons of the sport. In addition to providing a vital training ground for rising stars, the series champion will earn a scholarship package valued at over $433,000 to advance to USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires, the next step on the ladder system.

The United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC) presented by ATP Electronics is a professional road racing series comprising of late model sport compact sedans such as BMW 3 series, Mazdaspeed 3, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche 911, Audi R8, Ford Mustang, Volkswagen Jetta, Honda Civic and others. The cars use slightly modified engines and highly modified suspensions with aerodynamic ground effects and sticky Hankook slick race tires. There are four classes in USTCC depending on the power of the car. GT is the fastest class with cars in the 500-600 hp level. Super Touring class is the next class with around 350 hp. The next class is Touring Car and the typical Touring Car class car has about 275-300 hp. Finally, Sportsman is the slowest class with cars around 200-250 hp.

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Children 12 and under receive free general admission to the event.