Editing Phoenix Raceway (section)

==== Nancy Hogue era ====
Sometime between 1965 and 1967, Richard Hogue and his wife, Nancy, divorced.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Triplett |first=Kevin |date=October 11, 2016 |title=Early racing at Phoenix International Raceway |url=http://triplettracehistory.blogspot.com/2016/10/early-racing-at-phoenix-international.html |access-date=November 3, 2024 |website=Kevin Triplett's Racing History |language=en}}</ref> By February 3, 1967, Nancy was described in ''The Arizona Republic'' as the sole owner of PIR.<ref name=":1324434">{{Cite news |date=February 3, 1967 |title=Agajanian Joins PIR |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-agajanian-joins-pir/158374090/ |access-date=November 3, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=35 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> On the 15th, racing promoter [[J. C. Agajanian]] took over Redkey and Huff as the promotional director of PIR.<ref name=":1324435">{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Dennis |date=February 16, 1967 |title=J. C. Agajanian Takes Over As PIR Promotion Manager |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-j-c-agajanian-tak/158312422/ |access-date=November 3, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=55 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> Two days later, Nancy filed an [[Injunction|injunction order]] against Redkey and Huff for "fail[ing] to return... the corporate's properties, papers and records." She also revealed that she fired the duo as they spent "extravagant amounts of money for travel, hotels, entertainment, telephone calls, salaries, etc."<ref name=":1324436">{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Dennis |date=February 18, 1967 |title=Injunction Order Filed in PIR Case |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-injunction-order-fi/158312555/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=53 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> In response, the duo sued Hogue for US$200,000 (adjusted for inflation, ${{Inflation|index=USD|value=200000|start_year=1967|r=0|fmt=c}}) on March 2 for multiple claims, including a breach of contract, claims of Nancy deceiving the duo, and Nancy refusing to give any stock to the duo despite an agreement.<ref name=":1324437">{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Dennis |date=March 3, 1967 |title=PIR Owner Is Sued |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-pir-owner-is-sued/158312611/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=75 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref>

By October 1967, the ''[[Arizona Daily Star]]'' claimed that grandstand seating had expanded to 25,000.<ref name=":1324438">{{Cite news |date=October 27, 1967 |title=J. C. Agajanian Brings USAC Race To Phoenix |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-j-c-agajanian-bring/158318616/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=[[Arizona Daily Star]] |pages=2D |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> On January 23, 1968, PIR held its first major [[Stock car racing|stock car]] events, with [[Don White (racing driver)|Don White]] winning a USAC event.<ref name=":1324439">{{Cite news |date=November 20, 1967 |title=USAC Sanctions Stock Car Race at PIR in Winter |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-usac-sanctions-stock-ca/158432886/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=49 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref name=":1324440">{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Dennis |date=January 29, 1968 |title=Don White Stock Car Victor at PIR |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-don-white-stock-car-vic/158432221/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=26 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> In March, Agajanian confirmed discussions about removing PIR's backstretch dogleg from its oval track, stating that the corner was "dangerous as hell".<ref name=":1324442">{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Dennis |date=March 24, 1968 |title=Phoenix Raceway Due Facelifting |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-phoenix-raceway-due/158345098/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=1E, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-phoenix-raceway-due/158345113/ 11E] |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> Three months later, the decision was confirmed by Jerry Raskin, PIR's public relations official, with the backstretch becoming a straight line.<ref name=":1324441">{{Cite news |date=June 22, 1968 |title='Foyt's Corner' Demise Near |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-foyts-corner-dem/158371377/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=59 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> Reportedly, the reconfiguration was complete by September;<ref name=":1324443">{{Cite news |date=September 19, 1968 |title=PIR Dogleg Is Removed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-pir-dogleg-is-remov/158372155/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=1D |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> however, the claim that the dogleg was ever removed has been disputed by racing historian Kevin Triplett, who did not find any evidence that the reconfiguration ever happened.<ref name=":0" /> In October 1969, construction of a two-year, US$100,000 renovation project focusing on additional seating and track adjustments was completed.<ref name=":1324444">{{Cite news |date=October 19, 1969 |title=Improvements made at PIR; Bobby Ball tickets on sale |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-improvements-made-at-pi/158664626/ |access-date=November 9, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=D15 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> A year later, Phoenix hotel businessman Charlie Alexander signed a three-year lease from Nancy to become the racing director of PIR.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Triplett |first=Kevin |date=October 17, 2016 |title=The history of Phoenix International Raceway continues |url=http://triplettracehistory.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-history-of-phoenix-international.html |access-date=12 December 2024 |website=Kevin Triplett's Racing History |language=en}}</ref> In 1972, in response to criticism from the previous year of a dangerous and slippery track surface, track officials started putting down a traction compound to combat the issue; the fix was received well from driver [[Bobby Unser]].<ref name=":1324447">{{Cite news |last=Erickson |first=P. J. |date=October 26, 1971 |title=A. J., The Long-Hair |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tucson-citizen-a-j-the-long-hair/160818413/ |access-date=December 12, 2024 |work=[[Tucson Citizen]] |pages=31 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref name=":1324446">{{Cite news |last=Garrett |first=Mike |date=March 12, 1972 |title=Bobby Unser getting top speed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-bobby-unser-getting/160818679/ |access-date=December 12, 2024 |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |pages=8E |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref>