Page 1 of 2 In 1995, the CART race at Phoenix International Raceway was overflowing with paying customers and enthusiasm. Race personnel had to leave their hotel rooms by 7 a.m. just to get into the infield and avoid the traffic. Steve des George, the likeable and efficient PR man back then, said a record crowd of 60,000-plus was expected. Fast forward to the IRL race in 2005. PIR was a ghost town as maybe 6,000 people ventured into the legendary oval that had been purposely built for USAC Indy cars in 1964. And half of them came to listen to Slash of Guns 'N Roses after the race. That was the death knell for open-wheel racing on the one-mile oval that hosted Foyt, Mario, Parnelli, Ruby,...
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