Race History
As part of the 2005 NASCAR Realignment, a second date was awarded to Phoenix with Subway sponsorship. As there was already a race sponsored by Subway on the schedule (the now Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville), the name "Subway Fresh 500" was devised to reduce confusion. Subway later added the word "Fit" to the sponsorship to promote its Fresh Fit combo choices.
With the new 2010 NASCAR start time rule change that starts races only at 1 pm, 3 pm, and 7:30 pm Eastern Time, track officials were concerned that the new start time (45 minutes earlier than in the past) would put the majority of the race in the day instead of the planned night. At that time of year in Phoenix, sunset takes place at roughly 7 pm MST (because Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, this is the same as Pacific Daylight Time). As a result, the race was stretched to 600 kilometers so that the extra 100 kilometers would take place during the day, and most of the race would still take place at night as planned. However, in 2011, the race will move one week after the Daytona 500 in February. The race returned to 500 km/ 312 laps and will run on Sunday in the daytime for the first time.
Read more about this topic: Subway Fresh Fit 500
Famous quotes containing the words race and/or history:
“For it is the nature and end of this relation, that they should represent the human race to each other. All that is in the world, which is or ought to be known, is cunningly wrought into the texture of man, of woman.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“It is remarkable how closely the history of the apple tree is connected with that of man.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)