It appears "all-but certain" that NASCAR's Championship Weekend "will return to Phoenix Raceway" next year, according to Michael Knight of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. NASCAR President Steve Phelps yesterday said, "Clearly Phoenix would be the leader in the clubhouse." Knight notes this year, Phoenix Raceway for the first time will "host the title-deciding races for all three NASCAR national series Nov. 6-8, getting the prized date after 18 years at Homestead-Miami Speedway." The only "potential obstacle" for Phoenix Raceway hosting again next year was "obliterated by Sunday’s much-improved racing" in the Cup Series FanShield 500. The racing "upped the entertainment quotient" for the estimated crowd of 34,000. Phelps had "previously set April 1 as a self-imposed deadline to reveal" the '21 Cup schedule. His two criteria for the championship venue, a "facility with contemporary amenities and local community support, are not in doubt" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/9). Team Owner Roger Penske said of Phoenix hosting Championship Weekend, "It's going to be terrific. It's a great market that continues to grow" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/8).
