AVONDALE, Ariz. — It's a big weekend in the West Valley, especially in Avondale where hundreds of thousands of NASCAR fans are kicking it into gear, ready for the big championship weekend.
"Arizona from day one has been the place to come because they welcome race fans here," Cheryl Hyland said.
"There are all kinds of RVs, and this is for a lot of race fans, this is their big vacation," John Lashley said. "They come to Phoenix every year, they park their RV in the RV area and they have a heck of a good time."
Lashley runs the Tucson Speedway. He says this multi-day event in Avondale is one he doesn't miss.
"There's a lot of excitement in the air because this is the culmination of a year of work," he said. "A lot of it is preparation and a lot of it is the twists and turns of racing. You never know, the last two laps everything changes."
Avondale Mayor, Mike Pineda, says the championship race has been here since 2020. Each year is just as big as the last. Not only does it bring a ton of fans but it brings in money as well.
"The City of Avondale is 95,000 plus so to have an additional 125,000 people here it's like having another city," Pineda said. "We're also looking to the tune of $435 million."
That's just for the three race days. The impacts though are felt beyond that.
"We have fans coming in as early as Monday," Pineda said. "So, you have folks setting up, going to the grocery store and getting ice and getting water. Going to the restaurants and maybe seeking out other entertainment."
Pineda says the money goes towards many things like public safety and funding city projects. Big picture, Avondale isn't the only city reaping the rewards.
"If we look at this as a region, sure, we have plenty of other neighboring cities that are so close," he said. "We have Tolleson, Goodyear, Litchfield Park. So, their hotels, their restaurants are going to be also fortunate just as we are here. Everything kind of spills over, so if you look at it from a regional perspective we all win."
"We're staying the whole weekend," Hyland said. "We're going to the restaurants; you guys have built up so much!"
For fans, winning is also top of mind, just maybe in a different sense.
"I think these are memories you cherish," Lashley said.
"We come every year," Hyland said. "We come out here to cheer on and see the championship weekend. You meet people from all over. The weather's great and I think it all shows community."
Fans are ready to put the fun in drive. Meanwhile, the City of Avondale is already looking ahead to next year, ready to welcome fans back for another great weekend.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.