Noah Gragson prepares for return to Phoenix Raceway

PHOENIX (KYMA) - NASCAR driver Noah Gragson is preparing for his second race at Phoenix Raceway this season, a track he considers a second home.

Gragson, 28, spent part of his day in Phoenix talking with students about the science, technology, engineering and math behind racing and what it takes to succeed on the track.

For Gragson, returning to Phoenix carries some personal significance. The Las Vegas native has been coming to the track for years and got some of his earliest experience racing in Arizona.

"It's always fun coming out to Phoenix Raceway," Gragson said. "Personally, it's almost like a secondary home for myself. I'm from Vegas, and Vegas will always be home, but I've been coming out to Phoenix for a long time. I grew up racing out here at Tucson Speedway, just down the road. This was the first big track I ever got to cut my teeth on."

While Gragson is familiar with the track, he said Phoenix Raceway presents a unique challenge because the two ends of the track drive very differently.

"Turns 1 and 2, it's a really long, sweeping, flat turn," Gragson said. "You can go from the bottom, the apron, all the way up. There's really four or five lanes that you can race on, so it makes it really racy."

Turns 3 and 4 offer a different challenge, with more banking and a tighter corner. Gragson said the dogleg near the start-finish line can also create chaos during restarts.

"It's a lot of fun," he said. "With the track being so uniquely shaped, where both sides of the racetrack are completely different from each other, handling becomes an issue."

Gragson said the challenge extends beyond the drivers, with the track's changing conditions and demanding layout also putting pressure on the cars and teams.

"It's such a demanding racetrack, not only on the drivers but on the equipment," Gragson said. "The track really changes a lot, and there's not just one specific way that you can run around here. You have to hit it just right with the setup, with the team and your car."

Gragson also praised the experience Phoenix Raceway provides for fans, particularly the access they have to the sport.

"The pits, the environment, everything is so awesome," Gragson said. "You can go right into the garages as a fan, which is super cool. You can see us doing changes on the car and everything."

He also pointed to the infield experience and Rattlesnake Hill, where fans can camp and watch the race from an elevated area overlooking Turns 1 and 2.

"The coolest part about racing to me is bringing people out to the racetrack for the first time and experiencing NASCAR for the first time," Gragson said. "You can't go onto an NFL field and stand next to the players. You can do that in NASCAR. I think that's what's so cool about it."

Gragson said the opportunity to interact with fans is one of the reasons Phoenix remains a special stop on the NASCAR schedule.

"I'm probably glazing Phoenix Raceway a lot, but it's all the truth," he said. "I'm speaking from the heart. It's a great place. I love coming here. It's near and dear to my heart, and I'm very grateful. It's a privilege to race here."

The next racing weekend at Phoenix Raceway begins Oct. 16, with tickets still available at https://www.phoenixraceway.com.