Posts Tagged ‘race car school’

PIR is the Best Raceway on the West Coast

PIR in Portland, OR

The best raceway on the west coast is in Portland, Oregon. It’s family entertainment with scheduled events that have something for everyone. There’s a lot to be learned just by watching while there, and you can sign up for a class or race driving school.

PIR, as it’s known to locals, is Portland International Raceway. It’s a regular hub of activity as lots of different things take place around the calendar. It’s home to three of the Pacific Northwest’s premier driving schools and PIR’s goal is to become a World Class Racetrack since it holds over 650 events
annually, attracting over 400,000 visitors.

See the Bridge Cam

Known as the Bridge Cam, it’s centered directly over the track for the ultimate view and can be seen from any computer in the world. See it here: http://www.PIRlive.com .

Currently, there’s a half-hour video pilot being taped at PIR for a weekly talk show on PIRlive.com.

Portland International Raceway is the first in two areas: being the first racetrack to broadcast live daily on Internet stream and being the first to broadcast the NHRA E.T. Drags weekly live on Internet stream. The goal is to be THE place to watch.

Wireless access service is provided via WiFi on a secure server, so updates can be nearly real-time and frequent, being posted the minute things happen. Anyone who wants can hop on the connection.

Late Night Drags are held at PIR every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday nights from 4pm to 10pm in an effort to give interested youth a chance to try while being kept off the streets to find entertainment. Known as their Race and Be Safe Program, it’s become very popular and runs April through October. Wednesday nights are usually classic and antique cars, and weekend nights are for everyone else.

PIR Offers 3 Accredited Driving Schools

Based at PIR are three driving schools; Pro Drive School, Performance Driving School by Team Continental, and HPDE (high performance driving event) courses.

The official driving school of PIR is Pro Drive; a fully fledged school for racing on high performance courses, SkidCar courses and other corporate happenings. It’s considered to be the Premier driver training in the PNW. Check it out at ProDrive.net.

Team Continental teaches car control and dynamics during a three hour class, aptly named “Ground Control.” A professional licensed race driver will assist the student in implementing the lessons behind the wheel. Find out more at www.teamcontinental.com.

Cascade Sports Car Club has a driving school that offers HPDE courses and activities in a four hour evening class with another whole day of on-track guidance. PIR’s “Experience of a Lifetime” courses offer both novices and experienced drivers plenty of time and space to hone driving skills.

PIR Has Important Friends to Support It

The Friends of PIR is a not for profit group that formed to connect all the groups of individuals that work hard to promote PIR. Preserving it while enhancing it ensures PIR to stay around for decades to come. See their website at www.friendsofpir.com.

PIR is inviting all non profit groups and individuals to submit interest in creating new interests, such as garage suites for weekend enthusiasts, commercial space for racing oriented businesses and/or an indoor Kart center, among other suggestions. Ideas are welcomed.

PIRlive.com asks that you register before watching the Bridge Cam, but that’s easy and takes only seconds. Watch the NHRA E.T. drags every Wednesday night from 4pm to 10pm PST. It’s free, until it isn’t anymore.

In Winter PIR Rocks a Christmas Light Display

PIR allows Jubitz to turn the track into a slow winding ride through display after display of Christmas lights every December. It lasts most of the month and in 2009 it showcased Christmas art from school children around the area. It’s great during bad weather because you stay in the car and slowly go through the displays. It can accommodate up to 700 cars at any one time, which is impressive. At only $16 per car load, you can’t afford not to take the whole family.

Tailgating is popular all over the US, and it’s obvious from the looks of the PIR parking lots that it’s popular in Portland, too. In fact, some people actually come for the tailgating while their friends go watch the race events. Good smells and happy sounds exude from every direction at PIR.

It’s close to Vancouver, Washington and just a stone’s throw from the scenic Columbia River. Hotels are abundant for the nearly half a million visitors PIR receives every year, and the prices and styles will fit anyone’s idea of comfort.

If you come to the Pacific Northwest and you like racing, be sure to stop by PIR, Portland’s International Raceway. Bring the whole family and you won’t regret it.