Martinsville Speedway Hosts NASCAR Races
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The most unusual track on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit continues to be one of the favorites for both fans and drivers alike.
Martinsville Speedway’s 2002 season is the track’s 55th year of operation and its 54th year as a NASCAR-sanctioned facility. The nation’s top stock-car drivers began racing at the .526-mile‚ paper clip-shaped Virginia short track in 1948.
“The track has meant a great deal to this community‚” says Mike Smith‚ Martinsville Speedway director of public relations. “Our two annual Winston Cup races have a $60 million economic impact on this area. The speedway has also meant a lot to the community in terms of name recognition. Go anywhere in this country and mention that we’re from Martinsville‚ and people will ask about the racetrack.”
Smith says the speedway has been slowly transformed into a year-round facility.
“Besides racing and testing‚ the track hosts events such as a multiple sclerosis walk‚ high school proms and a Fourth of July fireworks display‚” Smith says. “This has become a gathering place for the entire Henry County community.”
As for racing‚ Martinsville features an unusual track configuration‚ with two dragster-like long stretches with tight turns that test a car’s brakes and a driver’s patience. An unusual pit row area begins in turn three‚ wraps around the front stretch and exits in turn two.
The Martinsville oval is the shortest track on the Winston Cup tour‚ and along with Bristol and Richmond is one of the few remaining short tracks on the Winston Cup circuit.
“Martinsville has been modernizing since the first shovel of dirt was turned here in 1947‚” Smith says. “We have expanded and grown with the sport of NASCAR‚ and we now seat 86‚000 people on a race weekend. We also have 25 corporate suites that are always sold out.”
Management under current track president W. Clay Campbell has been able to hold prices down at Martinsville.
“We have relatively low ticket prices – you can still buy $40 tickets here‚” Smith says. “We have a family section where if a parent buys a $40 ticket on race morning‚ the child gets in for $5. We don’t have many of those seats‚ about 3‚000 or so. The most expensive seat here is $70‚ but you can still get two hot dogs and a Pepsi for $5.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
