When the dust finally settled on Sunday, there didn’t appear to be a single car without some damage. Martinsville is known for beating and banging, but what we saw in the Cup race was seriously ramped up. All race long it was every driver for themselves, and it didn’t seem to matter for some who got in the way. If this intensity continues for the remaining races, we could be in for one hell of a finish to the season.
Some drivers have been complaining in recent months that there seems to be a lot less give and a lot more take on the race track. Instead of riding around for the first part of the race and settling things in the last 50 or 100 laps, some drivers are racing hard from the drop of the green flag. For race fans, it’s what we hope for. It creates drama and conflict, and we want to see hard racing from start to finish. But for drivers who are used to that give and take, it can be very frustrating.
Another phenomenon that seems to be waning is the way non-Chase drivers drive around Chase drivers. For a while, it seemed that those on the outside would handle those on the inside with kid gloves. A non-Chase driver didn’t want to be involved in an accident that ended a Chase driver’s chances. That certainly didn’t happen on Sunday (see Brian Vickers vs. Matt Kenseth). Drivers on the outside, while not racing for a championship, still have much to race for, and many are finally starting to learn this.
Over the next day or so, Brian Vickers is going to catch a lot of hell over the way he drove. He certainly did a nice job of hitting everything but the pace car. But he wasn’t the only offender on Sunday. Plenty of drivers used the chrome horn to move a competitor out of the way, and many of the moved ended up wadded up. This week, the high speeds of Texas will probably keep the contact and retaliation at bay. But don’t forget Phoenix is right around the corner…
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As is usually the case with Martinsville races, there was definitely no shortage of story lines after Sunday’s race. There was the usual Martinsville bumping and grinding, a ton of lead changes, some hard hits, and a near miss for Dale Jr. In the end though, Kevin Harvick made another late race move and won his second straight race.
Truex Not Happy With Team Over Hung Throttle A hung throttle was the culprit behind the scariest wreck of the day at Martinsville that involved Martin Truex Jr. and Kasey Kahne. Truex got under Kahne into turn three part way through Sunday’s race but, unable to slow his car down, Truex got into Kahne sending them both hard into the turn three safer barrier. Following the incident, we heard that Truex was none to pleased with his team over the problem and he made sure crew chief Pat Tryson was aware of his displeasure. Why? Because this isn’t the first time Truex has been affected by this issue with MWR. If you’ll remember back to qualifying last fall at Richmond, Truex was the victim of a hung throttle during qualifying that forced the team to a backup car for the race. And while sometimes caused by mechanical failures, hung throttles can also be caused by issues with the preparation of the car back at the shop. Hopefully the #56 team is able to rectify any issues they may have.
NASCAR Maybe Looking At Fueling Heads There was some talk in the garage this weekend that NASCAR may begin taking a closer look into the fueling systems used by the Cup Series teams. As you’ve heard repeatedly all season, the teams are using a new style self-vented fueling system this season with the elimination of the catch can man. NASCAR’s rules for the new system, which was developed by Schultz Products, allow for some modifications to the components. And besides making changes to pit stop choreography, many teams have spent a lot of time trying to find ways to make fuel flow faster with the new equipment. It sounds now as if NASCAR wants to see what they’ve been able to accomplish.
I’ll now turn this post over to you. What were your thoughts on the Martinsville race? Have you enjoyed the season up to this point? Could Harvick be showing he’s the guy to beat for the championship? Is Dale Jr. finally turning a corner?
Dale Jr Press Confrence From Martinsville
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 AMP ENERGY/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Martinsville Speedway and discussed racing at Martinsville, the tire situation for Sunday’s race, Texas Motor Speedway, Kimi Raikkonen and other topics.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE TIRE SITUATION HERE THIS WEEKEND? “It is pretty disappointing. Just hopefully we can figure out what is wrong; why the tires aren’t as good as they should be and get it fixed.”
WHAT IS IT DOING FOR YOU? “Same thing it does for everybody else.”
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT TEXAS? “The car needs to move around. The track is pretty wide. It needs to work in several different groves; roll the center of one and two real good and get out of that corner real good. It is real loose off of two if you ain’t careful and tight in the center of one and two.”
YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NIGHT RACE AT TEXAS? “Either way is fine. It will be good.”
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS WEEKEND’S SCHEDULE? “It’s all right. It doesn’t matter one way or another. It is fine like this, it’s good.”
AT TEXAS IT WILL BE 100 RACES SINCE YOUR LAST WIN IF YOU DON’T WIN HERE ON SUNDAY, DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? “You come to the race track every week to try and win the race. I don’t really keep count, but it has been a long time. I feel closer to victory lane than I have I have in the most past. It is going to take some luck to make it happen this weekend because of the tire deal. We’ll just have to see how it goes. Texas is a good track for me.”
WITH THE SUCCESS JIMMIE (JOHNSON) HAS HAD HERE, BEING IN THE SAME SHOP NOW, DO YOU THINK THAT HAS HELPED YOU AT ALL? “He helped me just as much in the last several years. We knew what their setup was and we’ve run pretty good here. He was a big help over the last several years just being in the same camp as him as they were doing really well here and trying to see what they were doing. But, everybody has a little bit different setup here. When you come to this track, you like a little bit different feel. Jimmie’s probably going to have a great race. Hopefully this package we have in our car is good. I’ve always really liked running here and liked this place. The tire is really crappy, but, that is just the way it is, there ain’t much they can do about it.”
LIKING THE TRACK HAS A LOT TO DO WITH YOUR SUCCESS HERE DOESN’T IT? “Yeah. I guess. I like the track because I run good here. It is hard to tell which one came first.”
HOW ARE THE TIRES GOING TO IMPACT THE RACING TOMORROW? “I don’t know. After 12 laps, everybody was kind of falling off pretty fast. There was no rubber built up and there was a lot of marbles. You couldn’t get out of the bottom groove. You had to run right next to the curb. If you got in the marbles, it would ruin you. Once you got in the marbles, you ruined that set. I mean, there is no way to get them off. We don’t go fast enough here to really grind them off. It was messy. It was just real messy all day.”
IS IT GOING TO CHANGE THE FAVORITES HERE? “I really don’t know. I mean, I think that is secondary to what the real problem is and what our concerns should be.”
THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE PROBLEM IN THREE WEEKS, IS THAT JUST COINCIDENCE? “No, it is not coincidence. I think there’s a good explanation for it. I talked to some people at NASCAR and got a good explanation and you guys can probably go get the response that I got and it made a little bit of sense. We’ve had some good events here and hopefully we’ll get lucky and the track will rubber up. But it’s not looking so good right now.”
SHOULD THEY BE TESTING WHENEVER THEY CHANGE THE TIRE? “I think that would be the best thing to do. But, It is hard….of course, if you are going to make a change…obviously. They needed to make a change. There was a reason they made a change. They had to make a change. A lot of people assume ‘Ah, what are they doing messing with the tire. They didn’t need to mess with it’. But there was a reason they had to make a change. But if they are not sure about what is going to happen, then we probably should have some reliable data from testing to make sure it is going to be ok.”
IS TESTING THE SOLUTION? “I don’t know what else you can do. How else do you put a tire on the track and make sure it works?”
WHY DID THEY HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE? “I’m not real sure. I can’t even recall really what all the wordage was for the reason I got but it sounded legitimate. So, just go ask somebody at the big trailer and maybe they will tell you.”
WHY ARE YOU GOOD AT MARTINSVILLE? “I don’t know, I just like racing here. It is a good short track and I have fun racing here. I like different tracks for different reasons. The place is close to home and just fun.”
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY THE MILE-AND-A-HALF TRACKS ARE JUST COOKIE-CUTTER TRACKS, WHAT MAKES TEXAS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER MILE-AND-A-HALF TRACKS? “It’s not. It’s the same…it is in that group. It has some really, really, really weird transitions like the exit to turn two is just strange as heck. But it is what it is so….”
KYLE BUSCH IS GOING TO RUN KIMI RAIKKONEN IN A TRUCK AT CHARLOTTE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT A GUY MAKING HIS DEBUT AT THAT TRACK? “I think Kimi Raikkonen has got enough experience to debut at a place like that. I’m sure they will go and get him a good amount of seat time and Kyle’s trucks are amazing. It is great equipment. You couldn’t ask to be in better equipment there. I think it will be fine. Should work out great.”
HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN IN A TRUCK FOR KICKS? “No. I mean, I am curious as to what racing them would be like and I hear they are good fun and I will probably do it before I hang it up. But no hurry right now.”
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PASS TOMORROW IF THE UPPER GROVE IS ALL GUMMED UP? “You just won’t want to be in the second groove. If you go into the second groove, if there is marbles there, you don’t want to get them on your tires, they won’t come off. So, you wouldn’t want to be up there at all.”
WHAT WAS YOUR TEAM DE-BRIEF LIKE YESTERDAY AND HOW CHALLENGING IS THIS NOW? “It is real challenging. If the track rubbers up, it will get real, real tight. It has not even made one little step toward that direction. But I think as a crew chief, you’ve never been to a race track that hasn’t, you know? There have been some rare occasions we’ve seen like at Indy and those weird deals like that. But you just have to assume that the law of averages says it is going to rubber-up. So we don’t really want to tighten our cars up too much. We’re going to kind….they don’t drive really good after 12 laps. They get real, real loose, but we are just hoping that the track is going to do what it normally does and that will mean that the track will come to our setup. Hopefully that happens. You just have got to take that gamble; that is the problem. As the driver, you want to make the car comfortable for how the track is right now but as a crew chief, I think you want to assume that the track is going to rubber up and know how to the target the car for that kind of build-up and that kind of track condition.”
HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE IN THE CAR?
“Normally, if it’s a green race track, say if it rains on Saturday, it takes about 40 to 50 laps. But it may take the whole race. This tire just comes apart and just marbles-up the race track and doesn’t really build rubber into the race track. But hopefully the trucks today will rubber-up the track a little bit and start that process. You’re wishing for the best. Goodyear is trying to make some changes to their tires and changes to the way the tires are make or whatever. I don’t know. There’s obviously got to be a reason for why they’re making changes. You just don’t make changes just to be making changes. So, hopefully they get it figured out. This is not as serious as the situation we had at Indy, it’s just going to be a slick race track and the drivers are just going to be asked to buckle down and do a little bit more after 12 or 15 laps when the tires fall off like they do. And that’s just what we’ll have to do tomorrow.”
WHEN OTHER GUYS FROM OTHER SERIES COME OVER, HOW MUCH MORE DIFFICULT DOES IT MAKE IT FOR THAT GRASSROOTS STOCK CAR GUY THAT CAME UP THE WAY YOU DID?
“I don’t think it makes it any more difficult than it already is. It’s super, super challenging for those guys and nothing really can make it more difficult, I don’t believe. And I don’t think it matters what direction, really, you came in or how you got here. I think it’s all good and fair here however you want to call it. I don’t really think that Kimi (Raikkonen) comes in here and steals anybody’s opportunity. I think it’s a neat situation. I’m excited to see how he takes to the sport. It would be kind of neat it Mr. Schumacher would come over here and give it a try. We’d all really be thrilled to see it. Whether you thought it was great or right or wrong, we’d all be watching. So, it’s kind of neat to see some of those guys have an interest in our sport because there is definitely such a big difference between the two. What we do here in America and what happens over in Europe, there’s a big difference. They have such an appreciation for what they’re doing and we’re very proud of what we do and it’s kind of cool when the two kind of get to check each other’s sport out and they come over here. It’s kind of nice to see their impression of our sport and it’s often a lot more intricate and impressive to them than they first assume coming in.
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA SAID YESTERDAY THAT HE STILL GETS EMAILS FROM F-1 TYPES. DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU THAT THERE’S THAT LEVEL OF INTEREST FROM THEM IN OVAL TRACK RACING?
“I’m not really that surprised. I think that we have great popularity and there’s tons of intrigue and it’s natural for any kind of race car driver to know what the other half lives like, you know?”
WHAT IS IT ABOUT OLDER DRIVERS WHO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH IN OTHER RACING VENUES TO COME OVER TO NASCAR?
“I think number one is the popularity of the sport. That has pretty much everything to do with it.”
NOTHING ABOUT THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS WHERE THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ENDURE MORE HERE? DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH THE MONETARY OPPORTUNITIES?
“Yeah, popularity; that kind of all runs into the same.”
THIS IS THE TOP LEVEL OF RACING IN THE AMERICA. DID YOU HAVE TO WISH FOR A GOOD RACE? YOU USED THE WORD ‘WISH’ ABOUT THE TIRES. SHOULDN’T YOU KNOW?
“Yeah, you should know, but we don’t. We didn’t do any testing. We don’t really know what the tire is going to do. It should not be a debacle by any means. There may be some grumblings by the end of the race about it still, but we’ll get through it.”
ON RUNNING QUALIFYING TODAY, JUST TWO LAPS, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
“It doesn’t matter to me. Whatever they want to do, whatever they say the rules are and whatever they say the schedule is, is fine by me. I really don’t have an opinion either way. This is kind of unique but it’s the same for everybody. It’s an even playing field.”
YOU WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPEED CHART AFTER PRACTICE. IS THAT WHERE YOU FEEL YOU’RE AT OR DO YOU FEEL ANY BETTER OR WORSE?
“For qualifying, that’s where I feel like I was. We were having good speed in qualifying, but I felt pretty decent about my car in race trim. It drives, I feel, as competitive as I’ve been here in the past. But we didn’t find the kind of speed we were looking for in qualifying.”
YOU HAVE A GOOD RECORD AT MARTINSVILLE. HAVE YOU DEVELOPED A COMFORT LEVEL WHEN YOU COME HERE? ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT COMING TO MARTINSVILLE?
“Yeah, I look forward to coming here. I really enjoy the racing here and the race track itself and the fact that it’s close to home. So I do look forward to coming here. It’s a fun place to race, it really is. And the races are always good. They always come down to exciting finishes and they’re fun to be a part of.”
Dale Jr Press Confrence From Martinsville is a post from: Awesome Race Fans
Awesome Race Fans - By Awesome Race Fans for Awesome Race Fans
Timothy Peters Coming Home To Martinsville
Timothy Peters has always had a good feeling headed into a race at Martinsville Speedway. He’s never felt as good, though, as he is headed into the Kroger 250 Craftsman Truck Series race in two weeks.
The historic Virginia oval is Peters’ home track, so of course he should feel a bit of confidence. And there are the two wins he has at Martinsville, one in the Kroger 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in 2009 and the other in the big season-ending Late Model Stock race in 2005.
“It’s no secret how much I love Martinsville,” said Peters during an off week before the Kroger 250 on April 2 and the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 on April 3.
There could be even more love going around this time, thanks to the addition of veteran crew chief Butch Hylton to Peters’ Red Horse Racing Team in the off season. The two have had pretty fair success at Martinsville the past couple of seasons. Peters won the Kroger 200 in the fall of 2009. Hylton was on the pit box for both Martinsville truck series winners in 2010, Kevin Harvick in the spring and Ron Hornaday in the fall.
“With Butch working with me after being at Harvick (Kevin Harvick Incorporated) the past two seasons, it’s helped me a lot. He’s done so much to improve our equipment,” Peters. “Butch and I spent one whole day this week going over his notes and my notes from Martinsville back to 2009. Hopefully that will all help some.”
Peters had mixed results at Martinsville a year ago on his way to a sixth-place finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points standings. He finished fourth in the Kroger 250 and wound up wrecking out in the fall.
“There’s always a lot of pressure at Martinsville because it’s home and because we run well there. But after last year, I’ve tried to relax that pressure a little bit coming in there,” said Peters.
Peters is off to a consistent if not flashy start to the 2011 season. He was 11th in the season-opener at Daytona, 12th the following week at Phoenix and sixth at Darlington last Saturday night. He’s third in the points headed to Martinsville on April 2 in what is an amazingly tight points race. Just nine points separate leader Matt Crafton and fifth place Johnny Sauter. Peters is seven points back.
“We’ve been consistent. Phoenix should have been better, but I tried to put the truck somewhere I shouldn’t have and wound up spinning through the grass,” said Peters. “But we’re still in pretty good shape in the points.
“The points are tight and are going to get tighter as the season goes on. With the new points system it keeps the window of error really small. You really can’t afford to have that bad day.” And a bad day is something Peters doesn’t expect at Martinsville.
Tickets for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 on Sunday, April 3, the Kroger 250 on Saturday, April 2 and the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Truck Series Practice Day on Friday, April 1 are on sale and can be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com. Tickets for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 start at just $25.
Timothy Peters Coming Home To Martinsville is a post from: Awesome Race Fans
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (March 24, 2011) – Multi-platinum and multi-talented recording artist Trace Adkins will perform the national anthem prior to the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway on April 3.
Adkins is a fervent race fan, who not only is a regular at tracks, but has sponsored cars and actually sponsored a 300-lap Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway in 2003.
“To have Trace sing the national anthem here is huge for us and for the fans. We have always believed the anthem should be performed in a traditional manner and we know we’ll get that from Trace,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. “Everybody knows Trace from his music and race fans are even more familiar with him because of his funny radio ads and online videos with Richard Petty for Goody’s and BC Powders.”
Last year, BC and Goody’s launched their Pick A Powder campaign (www.pickapowder.com) that is highlighted by a friendly rivalry between Petty and Adkins to see which powder is the fastest at getting rid of pain. It began as a way to play off the fierce and generational loyalty users have for either Goody’s or BC. Through a series of spoofs, jabs, challenges and contests featured in radio ads, on a dedicated website and Facebook, Adkins and Petty have had fun taking on new experiences in each other’s professions. The funny moments, such as watching 6-foot-6 Adkins get in a Richard Petty Motorsport’s race car and hearing Petty sing karaoke, were captured and posted online for fans to enjoy and help determine which of the two men truly suffers from the most pain.
Adkins is one of country music’s most versatile and accomplished entertainers. His instantly recognizable baritone has earned 30 charted singles and 15 top ten hits, gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums with total sales surpassing 10 million. He is a sought-after television personality, an accomplished actor, a world-class voiceover narrator and commercial spokesman, and a successful author.
Literally an entertainment mega-star, Adkins’ stint on NBC’s The Apprentice earned him recognition well beyond country music, and his recent supporting role in The Lincoln Lawyer (Lionsgate) has taken that even further.
Tickets for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 weekend are on sale and may be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com.
Ticket prices for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 range from $35 to $77.
Trace Adkins To Sing National Anthem at Martinsville is a post from: Awesome Race Fans
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (November 23, 2010) – Martinsville Speedway and the Grace Network will try to fill a void with this year’s Martinsville Speedway Toy Drive, scheduled for Saturday, December 11 at the Speedway.
The goal, according to Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell and Grace Network Executive Director Jennifer Jamison, is to make sure those families that may have been missed by other agencies are helped.
“We all know how bad things have been in our area for so long,” said Campbell, noting the unemployment rate in the City of Martinsville remains above 18 percent and is at 13 percent in Henry County. “We know there are some families who are missed by the normal agencies that help families in crisis. The Grace Network, with almost 100 churches involved, has the ability to find these people so we can lend a hand and help them have an enjoyable Christmas.”
Jamison concurred.
“The goal of the partnership between the Speedway and the Grace Network is to reach the families who would not qualify for assistance with other agencies,” said Jamison. “These are the folks that fall through the cracks of other assistance. Either they missed the deadline to be helped or they have children between the ages of 11-15 that cannot be helped by other agencies.”
Jamison also said the Grace Network is working with those other agencies to make sure there are no duplication of efforts.
The Martinsville Speedway Toy Drive will be December 11 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Martinsville Speedway infield.
Anyone donating a new, unwrapped toy or making a $10 donation will get to drive their personal car around the historic half-mile oval. For a $25 donation, Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell will give five hot laps around the track in one of Martinsville Speedway’s pace cars. Participants will receive a certificate of completion from Campbell.
As has become a tradition, the Martinsville Speedway staff will be manning the infield concession stand on Saturday, making and serving the Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog™. Hot dogs and Pepsi products are $1 each, with proceeds going toward purchasing toys.
Santa Claus will be making his annual appearance at the track at noon and will listen to the wishes of boys and girls.
A day earlier, December 10, Campbell will climb atop the Martinsville Speedway entrance sign at 8 a.m. and remain there until $20,000 in donations for the Toy Drive are received.
The Grace Network is in charge of identifying those in need, purchasing toys with funds raised and then distributing them.
“This partnership allows the churches in the community to refer families and then add a personal touch to the distribution of toys to families,” explained Jamison. “They might add food or fellowship, they might wrap the gifts before presenting. This is a way we can reach out personally to these families.”
Anyone who would like to donate a toy, but cannot make it to the Toy Drive, can drop them off at the Martinsville Speedway ticket office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Martinsville Speedway Toy Drive is a post from: Awesome Race Fans
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
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
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
I was amazed tonight to look up and realize this is our 70th edition of “Ask The Insiders Wednesday.” It’s crazy to think we’ve done this many all ready! If you don’t know what this post is, we answer any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here. So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us. On to the questions…
1. From Ric:
We received some lug nuts (from BMS Fire/Rescue) that were painted yellow, but the tips had different colors on them, was told they came from different drivers. We later were discussing why the lug nuts are painted yellow. The reasons that were thrown out (Starting with darn sure): Easy to spot for the tire changer, the yellow sticks out on pit floor to make sure you cleaned them all after a pit stop, there is a special coating on/in the paint to help with putting on / taking off the lugs.
The paint is strictly to make the lugnuts easier to see for the tire changers. Lugs from the manufacturers are usually yellow, but you will often see them painted pink, white, or other bright colors. Each tire changer has his own preferences. – T.C.
2. From djones:
I am totally fascinated how the haulers are parked in the infield, most recently at Martinsville. Is there a certain order in which they are parked? Is it first come first serve? And the big question is, how do they park them in there so perfectly? Thank you TC & Journo.
The haulers are parked based off owners points. As far as them being parked perfectly it’s a combination of skill and help. These guys are all, for the most part, very skilled and experienced truck drivers so parking in tight quarters is not a problem. They also help each other out when things are particularly tight. – Journo
3. From Dale:
When do the Mustangs debut?
They’ll make their debut with all the other Nationwide COT’s at Daytona in July. – Journo
4. From Walt:
Who pays for Sunoco gas? Also what do the teams do after practice back at the hotels without getting anybody in trouble.
As part of Sunoco’s deal with NASCAR, the fuel is provided at no charge to the teams for race weekends. As for the crew’s activities away from the track, there really is no end to what teams do. Some guys get the chance to get out and attend other sporting events, while some just hang out at the hotels. And knowing that NASCAR has a strict substance abuse policy, along with the fear of losing one’s job goes a long way in making sure guys don’t get too crazy on the road. We aren’t on vacation on the weekends, we go to the track to work. – T.C.
5. From Sue:
The 14 car went backwards yet again at Phoenix. What’s going on?
At Phoenix a lot of teams struggled with the changing conditions throughout the day – Tony was among them. He led 15 laps early on, but they just couldn’t find the magic late in the race. Sometimes this happens and you have to deal with it . Fortunately the team is having a pretty good season and Tony is ninth in the points right now. I would expect him to continue to be competitive as the season progresses – wins will come if that’s what you’re wondering. – Journo
6. From Pat:
When Denny Hamlin got out of the car this weekend he talked about how there is more braking at Phoenix than most tracks due to running a gear that doesn’t slow the car down as much. Are they running a high gear or a low gear? What other tracks gear like Phoenix? Which tracks are the cars geared to slow without as much brake?
They are running a higher gear then some other tracks. Gearing is all about getting the maximum amount of power and torque out of the engine for the conditions. At short tracks, you use a lower gear gear for better acceleration off the corners. Lower gears allow for better torque, but mean lower top speeds. Lower top speeds don’t matter at a track like Martinsville, because the track isn’t big enough to run really fast. At big tracks, like Daytona, teams use a very high gear. The cars have less acceleration, but much higher top speeds. Since the drivers don’t get off the throttle and brake in the corners, acceleration isn’t as important. That’s why it takes almost two laps to get the cars to full speed. – T.C.
And that brings yet another “Ask The Insiders Wednesday” to a close. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions. And remember, if you’d like to be a part of next week, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send your question in!