Portland International Raceway - PIR CW
Portland International Raceway - PIR CW Notes:
The Portland International Raceway (PIR) is a motorsport complex located in the northern part of the City of Roses' metropolitan area, on a terrain lot that used to be a city, Vanport, designed for temporary wartime workers. When the city flooded in 1948, people went away, and the paved streets were left alone, capturing the attention of racers who took the streets immediately. The PIR complex includes an off-road field, a motocross track, and of course, the main raceway of 1.97 mi, almost entirely flat, an average lap time of 1:26.827, and an 82 mph speed average.
Portland's mild climate, with warm summers and high humidity during the rest of the year, makes it an ideal place to have racing competitions from spring to fall, hosting IndyCar, NASCAR, SCCA races, among others. Up to 85K spectators can watch their favorite motorsport in PIR, and with easy access from the city, a full-house is quite a possibility in every event. The circuit consists of 12 turns when using the chicane or nine turns when not. It also has several long straight segments where drivers tend to push their gas pedals to the end, making the final stretch runs very exciting to see.
See our Portland International Track Guide for more info on how to get the most out of this track.
CW Notes:
The clockwise configuration at Portland International Raceway flows through Oregon's premier road racing facility located in Delta Park complex on the former site of Vanport, just south of the Columbia River in Portland. Running clockwise across the almost perfectly flat terrain, PIR offers two main layout options: the 1.967-mile (3.17-kilometer) Festival Curves configuration with a hard chicane at the end of the front straight featuring twelve turns, or the 1.915-mile (3.08-kilometer) layout without the chicane featuring nine turns. The clockwise direction has defined PIR's character since opening, with the 2007-2008 renovations widening Turns 4-7 and sharpening Turn 7 to slow racers before entering the back straight, while moving the inside fence at Turn 6 to improve sightlines through this critical corner.
Operating clockwise at Portland International Raceway showcases the circuit's accessibility for entry-level racers and track day participants seeking to develop skills on a forgiving layout without the intimidation of dramatic elevation changes or blind entries that characterize hillside circuits. The facility's flat profile creates a pure driver-and-chassis challenge where setup precision and racecraft determine results rather than power-to-weight advantages that dominate elevation-heavy tracks. Pacific Northwest maritime climate creates distinct seasonal characteristics—cool wet winters contrast sharply with dry summers where morning fog can delay session starts before afternoon sunshine pushes track temperatures above 45°C on exposed asphalt sections. PIR's location within Portland city limits positions it as one of the most urban-accessible racing facilities in North America, serving the region's motorsport community with club racing, motorcycle events, drift competitions, and driving schools across the clockwise layout that has hosted professional series from IndyCar to Trans-Am. The flat clockwise flow allows spectators easy viewing across the entire circuit from minimal vantage points, contributing to PIR's reputation as a spectator-friendly facility where racing action remains visible throughout lap sequences.
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