MARTINSVILLE, Va. (August 26, 2010) – Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and state and local officials announced today a Tobacco Commission grant and other initiatives that will help provide an enhanced fan experience at Martinsville Speedway.

The Tobacco Commission awarded Martinsville Speedway a grant of $1.5 million dollars, which will be matched by Martinsville Speedway for a $3 million project to upgrade facility infrastructure.

As part of the agreement with the Tobacco Commission, International Speedway Corporation (ISC) has committed to two Sprint Cup races annually at Martinsville Speedway for at least the next five years.

Bolling, the Chief Jobs Creation Officer for the Commonwealth, also announced that the Virginia Department of Transportation had already begun work on the construction of a new on/off ramp on US 58 adjacent to the speedway, which will improve traffic flow on race weekends.

The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) has also committed to help promote Martinsville Speedway’s Sprint Cup events in its nation-wide marketing campaigns. Earlier this summer the VTC announced it would also sponsor Martinsville Speedway’s annual Late Model Stock Car event, which is now The Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300.

“Martinsville Speedway contributes greatly to the economy of the Commonwealth as a whole, and especially to the economy of Southern Virginia. That’s why it was so important for us to make certain that we retained two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville every year,” said Bolling. “I am delighted that we were able to accomplish this goal, and I thank Clay Campbell and our friends at International Speedway Corporation for working with Governor McDonnell and our Commonwealth of Virginia partners to make this possible.  We look forward to their continuing presence in Martinsville for many years to come.”

Commenting on today’s announcement in Martinsville, ISC President John Saunders said, “In consideration of this partnership, we’ve pledged to not petition NASCAR for the realignment of a Martinsville Sprint Cup Series date for at least the next five years.  We realize that NASCAR awards sanctions on a yearly basis and that a race date is never guaranteed.  But, we work hard to ensure our facilities meet NASCAR’s standards for safety, promotion and other factors taken into consideration for awarding sanctions. We are confident in our ability to continue meeting their thresholds for hosting outstanding Sprint Cup Series races for our fans and guests.”

“Martinsville is a tremendously popular track with both fans and drivers and we recognize its importance to the traditions of the sport.  We’re especially proud of the partnership with the Commonwealth of Virginia to help further enhance the fan experience at Martinsville through capital investments both in and outside the facility.

“Today’s announcement is the result of so much hard work by so many people over the past six months. I’ve never seen so many come together and work together so hard, so well, for such a long period,” said Martinsville Speedway President W. Clay Campbell. “The result is that our fans are going to have a much better experience and the economy of this area is going to benefit in a big way.

“The steps we are taking with help from many partners will ensure we keep fans coming back to Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville and Henry County and the Commonwealth of Virginia for many years to come.”

According to Frith Construction Company, general contractor for the improvement project, the equivalent of 50 fulltime jobs will be created for the duration of that project. Also, 94 percent of all subcontractors and vendors will come from the immediate area.

Work will begin on the first phase of the infrastructure upgrades immediately after the TUMS Fast Relief 500 on October 24 and will be finished before Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 on April 3. Campbell said because of time constraints between events, the construction would be done in several phases between events.

Hooray For Martinsville is a post from: Awesome Race Fans

I am a self-professed road course hater. I don’t like them in the slightest. And I don’t hide this fact, either. So you can imagine what was going through my head when, last year, my first NASCAR race was going to be at Watkins Glen International. I was excited and horrified all at the same time. Excited because I was finally going to a race (my husband had already been to a couple). But it was, after all, a road course. And, as I said before, I hate road courses. But in true fan fashion, I enjoyed myself anyway. Right up until they postponed it for rain. I didn’t even get to hear “Gentlemen! Start your engines!” Nope. The skies opened up and it poured. And because I had to work on Monday, I could not go back. So my first actual race, as in watching a live race, was the following weekend at Michigan (which is a fabulous track, btw!).

This year, I came to Watkins Glen with an open mind. No, I don’t like road courses, but I was willing to give the track a chance to change my mind. And it pains me to admit that it did…a little.

I can’t put my finger on what makes a road course “boring” for me. I just can’t. Because I don’t know. I simply find myself less interested in the race and more interested in doing other things…like sleeping, or doing laundry, or anything other than watching the race. Usually I’m sitting on the couch tweeting and playing on Facebook. But watching it in person? A completely different story.

I spent a good portion of today’s race between the esses and turn 4, specifically coming out of the esses and going up the slight hill and over the pedestrian tunnel into turn 4 (east tunnel).   I stood under the spotter stand which had a great view, but also allowed me to stand in the shade periodically if I wanted to. And while I expected to not be at all enthusiastic about watching the race because I feared I wouldn’t see much, I was surprisingly mistaken. I couldn’t see much, no. Just turns 1-4. But there was a jumbo-tron not far from me where I could watch what was going on around the track and I found myself much more interested in person than I am as a fan at home on my couch. It was actually fun!I found that there was much more action and stuff going on than I was able to perceive on tv. And I can’t help but wonder why this is? After all, on tv I can see the whole track. Yesterday I could only see a portion of it. I can only figure it’s because watching a race in person is more fun than watching at home. You can be part of the action and feel the exhilaration.

I don’t know what I’ll think about road courses when I’m sitting on my couch watching Sonoma next year. But I know I’ve learned to appreciate them a little better. And I like watching them in person much better than watching them on tv. I’m hoping that when Sonoma rolls around next year I’ll be a little more attentive and a little less bored. Just a little

A fans perspective: Did you say road course? zzzz….Well, maybe not is a post from: Awesome Race Fans

I first want to thank Awesome Race Fans for allowing me to be a guest blogger here. I am looking forward to sharing my thoughts, as a fan, on NASCAR races, drivers, etc. It is truly an honor and I thank you.

Before I get into the crux of my post, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Trisha (for those on twitter, I’m mom2twinsplus1). As my twitter handle suggests, I’m a mom of twins, identical boys we refer to online as “twin A” and “twin B” and we have a 7 yo boy that we refer to online as “the 7 yo” (Yes, internet names for our kids. We’ve always done it. With my husbands job being in TV, we have to be extra careful about what information we publicize). I’ve been blogging since roughly 2005 over at my own blog. I grew up in Indiana where I followed Indy Car faithfully. I started watching NASCAR in 1999 when one of my favorite (and home-state) IRL drivers made the jump from Indy car – Tony Stewart. After that, I was hooked. I attended my first NASCAR race last year at Watkins Glenn, though I never actually saw the race because it was rained out. My first actual race was the following weekend at Michigan International Speedway. I will be attending both races again this year and hope to share my experiences as a fan with readers of this blog.

As the title of this post suggests, this is a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. Not because I’m all that curious, but because, apparently, I’m not the image of a NASCAR fan that many of my co-workers have in their heads. I’m quite used to surprising people. When I tell people I have twins, they are surprised. When I tell them I have 3 kids, they are a bit more surprised. When I tell them, in response to the last statement, that I’m 30, they are shocked (because they say I don’t look a day over 20. I used to hate looking so young. Now that I’m 30, I don’t mind it so much!). So when I told people I was looking forward to today because, at 6:45 tonight, my week long vacation begins they all of course did the natural thing and asked what we were doing. What they didn’t expect was my answer: We’re going to NASCAR races for the next two weekends.

The responses to my answer were mixed, but most wrinkled up their noses in a look of disgust. One of my co-workers even remarked “Your poor kids!” (To which I told her they are with grandparents and aren’t going with us). The common thread was that they all seemed genuinely shocked that I could be a NASCAR fan. I’m not sure why. The only thing I could figure is that I’m clearly not who they picture when they hear “NASCAR fan.” And that has got me thinking: why? Exactly who are NASCAR fans and what do they look like?

Fortunately, I don’t think there’s a cookie-cutter answer. Because fans, of any sport, aren’t cookie-cutter. I think of the fans I know and the first that come to mind are my aunt and uncle. My aunt is corporate-CEO, but she and my uncle are huge Mark Martin fans and they have been to several races in many different states. She’s clearly not the “typical” race fan people like my co-workers think of. Then there is my step-dad. I love my step-dad like my own father, but he can be described as the “typical fan” that my co-workers envision. Then there are people like my husband and I. I’m a working mother of 3 who is also a full-time grad student and my husband is a tv meteorologist (if you follow twitter, you might know him as NASCAR_WXMAN). We aren’t your typical fans. All 5 of us in the house have drivers we root for on a regular basis (Martin, Gordon, Jr and Kahne).And we aren’t alone. There are thousands of fans just like the ones in my family that I have described all across the country.

I wish I could say to my co-workers that they shouldn’t be so judgmental – you know, the whole you-cant-judge-a-book-by-its-cover mantra. But I know it wouldn’t do any good. I’m hopeful that maybe, just maybe, them knowing that I am a fan might make them think twice next time. Because maybe what they think isn’t a typical NASCAR fan really is.

A fans perspective: What, exactly, do NASCAR fans look like? is a post from: Awesome Race Fans

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (July 28, 2010) – Martinsville Speedway’s all-you-can-eat special was so popular last spring, that not only is it being brought back for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 this fall, it is being expanded.

All-you-can-eat specials will be offered in two grandstands, the Clay Earles Tower and the backstretch seating, for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 on October 24.For $65, fans can get a seat in the Clay Earles Tower, rows 15-52, and an all-you-can-eat wristband that is good from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on race day. The price for a child 12 and under is $20.For just $35, fans can get a backstretch ticket and an all you can eat wristband.

The Clay Earles Tower overlooks the second turn at Martinsville Speedway, with a panoramic view of the track. The seats are also right above the top dozen or so pit stalls, so fans will have a great view of the top teams’ pit stops. Items included on the all-you-can eat menu are: The Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog®, hamburgers, potato chips and canned Pepsi products.

The all-you-can-eat items will be served from a concession tent close to the Clay Earles Tower and the backstretch, just above the second turn. Both all-you-can-eat specials can be ordered by calling 877.RACE.TIX.

Tickets for the entire TUMS Relief 500 weekend are now on sale. Tickets for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 begin at $25 and range to $77. Tickets to the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on October 23 are $30 in advance, with children 12 and under admitted free. Tickets for Farm Bureau Pole Day, which features practice and qualifying for both the Kroger 200 and the TUMS Fast Relief 500, are $15, children 12 and under admitted free.

Tickets for all events may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com online.

Martinsville Speedway All-You-Can-Eat Program For TUMS Fast Relief 500 is a post from: Awesome Race Fans

It seems that when there is a big race on the line the go to driver is Jamie McMurray. He won the Daytona 500 and now the Brickyard 400, both in the same year. It is a very hard thing to do. With this win it gives car owner Chip Ganassi a trifecta of sorts winning the Daytona 500, the Indy 500 and the Brickyard 400.

Jamie held off Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle for the win. I was surprised that Greg Biffle didn’t catch him as he has 4 fresher tires, I guess only taking two was the way to go today. The race was lead by a strong car in Juan Pablo Montoya but he blew a tire late and took out Dale Earnhardt Jr in the process. The race started off strange with team making early pit stops due to debris getting caught in the radiators and over heating.

Jimmie Johnson had a bad car most of the day, Jimmie and his teammate Jeff Gordon finished in the back of the lead lap.

Jamie Mac Wins at Indy is a post from: Awesome Race Fans

Martinsville Speedway Truck Series Winners Will Now Take Home Grandfather Clock Trophy

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (July 23, 2010) – What do 18 different NASCAR Camping World Truck Series winners at Martinsville Speedway have in common?

They don’t have a grandfather clock to show for their victories. For almost 50 years the signature Martinsville Speedway winner’s trophy has gone exclusively to winners of Sunday races. Saturday winners, truck series winners, well they’ve all gotten nice, normal trophies.

That will all change with the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on October 23. Whoever rolls into victory lane that afternoon will roll out with a grandfather clock.

“When we started giving clocks back in the early sixties, we gave them to Cup winners only because that was the premier event, but the truck series races here are always so good, so exciting, we decided those guys deserved a shot at the most unique trophy in racing,” said Martinsville Speedway President W. Clay Campbell.

“A win at Martinsville Speedway has always been big to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers. They appreciate the history here and they appreciate how difficult it is to win here, but now they have even more reason to want a Martinsville win.”

“This is a huge deal. I wish it had started last fall,” said Timothy Peters, who captured the Kroger 200 at Martinsville last fall. “I would have it sitting in my trophy room right now.”

Four- time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday has amazingly never won on Martinsville’s difficult half-mile oval. Now would be the perfect time to get that first win and the first clock given to a truck series winner.

“I think it’s so cool that Martinsville has decided to give the truck series winners a grandfather clock,” said Hornaday. “I’ve been trying to win at Martinsville for quite some time now. It is definitely one of those race tracks that I would like to mark off my list and I could find a special place in my trophy room for one of those clocks.”

Peters has actually won a Martinsville clock. He captured the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 Late Model Stock car race a few years ago and was awarded a clock … which he immediately gave to his mother.

“When I was fortunate enough to win the Late Model race at Martinsville, the money ($25,000) was important, but the clock was the big deal,” said Peters. “You would have to be kinda foolish not to know all the history behind the clock and what it means to the sport. I’m excited about this. It should give everybody a little more incentive. I know I want that clock.”

Tickets for the entire TUMS Relief 500 weekend are now on sale. Tickets for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 begin at $25 and range to $77.

Tickets to the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on October 23 are $30 in advance, with children 12 and under admitted free.

Tickets for Farm Bureau Pole Day, which features practice and qualifying for both the Kroger 200 and the TUMS Fast Relief 500, are $15, children 12 and under admitted free.

Tickets for all events may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com online.

Truck Series Winners Get a Grandfather Clock is a post from: Awesome Race Fans

For the past few weeks I have been doing some guest blogging over on the Racing in America blog. It is a lot of fun to write articles on NASCAR and sharing them with a new audience. I have done three articles so far and I want to share them over here for you fans to see them.

Since their blog is only a few months old they could really use some comment love and get them rolling. The first post I did was on the Legends of Stock car racing. It was all about a cool event put on at Martinsville Speedway.

The second article was all about you guys the Dedicated race fans that go to all lengths to watch a race.

The latest one I wrote is all about the Unsung heroes of racing and how hard the teams work behind the scenes to make sure we watch a race.

I hope you enjoy the articles and be sure to save the blog as a favorite for there is some really good writers giving up some great content.

Guest Blogging NASCAR is a post from: Awesome Race Fans

Tony Stewart and Office Depot have teamed up for a cool paint scheme this week. With kids going back to school before you know it Office Depot came out with this cool design.

Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™ champion Tony Stewart will sport a colorful “Back-To-School” paint scheme on his No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy Impala during Saturday night’s LifeLock.com 400 race at Chicagoland Speedway (Saturday, July 10, 7:30 p.m. EDT, TNT). The paint scheme features a fun rendition of every parent’s back-to-school shopping list, complete with pens, pencils, crayons, a laptop and even a backpack on the hood.

“It’s always fun to switch up the look on our No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy,” Stewart said. “The back-to-school paint scheme is a fun way to remind parents that they can pick up all of their children’s school supplies at any Office Depot store.”

Stewart, who is currently ranked 9th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings, is a two-time Cup Series race winner at Chicagoland Speedway and has recorded seven top-5 finishes in nine career Cup Series starts at the 1.5-mile track near Joliet, Illinois.

Tony Stewarts Car For Chicago Race is a post from: Awesome Race Fans

You guys and gals know I love bringing you contest where you can win something. Here is a cool contest that should be a lot of fun.

BC and Goody’s Online “Pick A Powder” Contest Kicks Off Starring Trace Adkins and Richard Petty
Humorous Collection Of Short Videos Showing Them In Each Other’s World Is At The Heart Of The Campaign Along With A Charity Tie

Parsippany, NJ (June 30, 2010) – Known just as much for their talents as they are for wearing their signature cowboy hats, country music superstar Trace Adkins, and racing legend and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, have begun a humorous “rivalry” of one-upsmanship about who experiences the toughest pain.

BC Powder and Goody’s Headache Powders, the brands Adkins and Petty represent, are going head-to-head in an online contest with their respective spokespeople leading the charge. The BC and Goody’s “Pick A Powder” campaign plays off the fierce and generational loyalty users have to either Goody’s or BC. Both Adkins and Petty will try to get their fans around the country to pick their team to support: Team Richard for Goody’s and Team Trace for BC on www.pickapowder.com. The man who gets the most fans to join his team will get to see the other “perform” LIVE at the Goody’s 500 in Martinsville, Va. next spring. The campaign also features a charity component with a donation being made to the Wounded Warrior Project on behalf of Adkins and BC, and Victory Junction Camp for seriously ill children on behalf of Petty and Goody’s.

Through the series of spoofs, jabs, challenges and contests, Adkins and Petty boldly take on new experiences in each other’s profession that sometimes work and sometimes don’t. The funny moments have been captured on film and will be posted to www.pickapowder.com. For example, you’ll be able to watch 6-foot-6 Trace get in and try to get out of Richard’s Petty’s car, and you’ll be able to hear Richard sing Karaoke. Fans of either or both men will be brought into the fold to help decide which brand is the favorite among powders users and which one of the two men truly suffers from the toughest pain.

Starting June 30, fans will be able to go to www.pickapowder.com and choose Team Richard or Team Trace. After fans register with a team they can vote daily. Fans and supporters will be able to participate in various contests and win prizes, including an all expense paid VIP trip for four to The Goody’s 500 at Martinsville Speedway (race tickets, air and hotel) for the Team Richard winner, and an all-expense paid VIP trip for four to a Trace Adkins concert stop (concert tickets, air and hotel) in early 2011 (location TBD) for the Team Trace winner. Winners will be announced in early October.

Richard Petty Trace Adkins Contest is a post from: Awesome Race Fans

Four time champion Jimmie Johnson won at New Hampshire holding off Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch. Johnson and Busch traded the lead at the end of the race after a few bumps between gentleman.

There was a green lap love fest as the caution only flew a few times. The only major incidents were Juan Pablo Montoya wrecking after he and Reed Sorenson traded paint for a few laps and Reed got loose and bumped Juan Pablo into the fence ending his day.

The second was caused by Jeff Burton getting loose and causing Kyle Busch to spin with only a few laps left. As usual Jeff Burton owned up for making a mistake. I love it when drivers do that. The win helped Jimmie close the gap a little on points leader Kevin Harvick.

Jimmie Johnson Wins at New Hampshire is a post from: Awesome Race Fans