page_title: 2017 Can-Am 500
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: 2017 Can-Am 500 / Report / Background
caption_attribution_description: English: The Phoenix International Raceway on November 10, 2011. The initial point of the Gila and Salt River Meridian is located atop Monument Hill in the background of this picture.
context_page_description: The 2017 Can-Am 500 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on November 12, 2017, at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. Contested over 312 laps on the one mile oval, it was the 35th race of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, ninth race of the Playoffs, and final race of the Round of 8. Matt Kenseth recorded his 39th Series and final win in his Circle K Toyota Camry.
context_section_description: Phoenix International Raceway – also known as PIR – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
  The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current 1.51 mi (2.43 km) interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.
  Phoenix International Raceway is home to two annual NASCAR race weekends, one of 13 facilities on the NASCAR schedule to host more than one race weekend a year. The track is both the first and last stop in the western United States, as well as the fourth and penultimate track on the schedule.
caption: Phoenix International Raceway, the track where the race was held.
exif: {}