|
|
|
Entries for September 2011
| Thursday, September 22, 2011 |
|
Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 Test Day At Martinsville Speedway Rained Out
By Chad Hall Thursday, September 22, 2011 5:10 PM :: 12 Views :: News Events
|
|
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (September 21, 2011) – On a day when race teams were supposed to be tweaking their cars for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville Speedway, all they could do was keep an eye on Mother Nature. And as usual, Mother Nature won.
After several attempts at drying the track for a day of testing, a noon downpour finally forced track officials to scrap the day of testing. Teams will return on September 28 for another regularly-scheduled test day for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 Late Model Stock Car race on October 9.
“We had a lot of stuff we were going to try on our car today, but I think it (the weather) set everybody back,” said Lee Pulliam, last year’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 pole winner. The Semora, NC, driver also won the track championship at Motor Mile Speedway this year with a track-record 16 wins.“I think everybody came in with the game plan of a doing a lot of experimenting today, but now we’ll have to come back next week and do the best we can.“I feel pretty good about the race car, though. We’ve got a really good package to work off from last year, so I don’t think it (the rainout) will hurt us as much as it will some of the others.”The rainout will make for a hectic test day next week, according to Frank Deiny Jr., a former winner of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300.“We had a whole list of stuff we wanted to try today. We’re just going to have to have a really solid day when we come back next week,” said Deiny. “We’re going to have to fit two days into one. I think it’s going to be the same for everyone. We’ll all just have to work really hard.”
Open practice is scheduled for Wednesday, September 29, with team sign-in beginning at 7 a.m. All competitor passes purchased for Wednesday’s rainout will be honored on September 28.Tickets for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 are $20 for adults with children 12-and-under free. Tickets for qualifying on October 8 are $5. Tickets for qualifying day are on sale at the ticket office only.Fan gates will open at 9 a.m. on October 8 and 9. Tickets for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 may be ordered by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com.
|
|
|
|
|
| Wednesday, September 14, 2011 |
|
Two Test Dates Scheduled For Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 At Martinsville Speedway
By Chad Hall @ 6:18 PM :: 20 Views :: News Events
|
|
What began as an experiment last year for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 will be standard operating procedure in 2011.
Again this year there will be two test dates heading into the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 NASCAR Late Model Stock Car race at Martinsville Speedway on October 9.
The first test session is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 21, with the second date a week later on Wednesday, Sept. 28.
“We knew teams weren’t getting much track time the way we had been doing it, so we tried the two days last year just to see how it would go,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. “It turned out to be a huge hit last year. The teams weren’t nearly as rushed and got plenty of track time before coming in for the race weekend.”
Teams will be allowed to test on both test dates. The grandstands will be open for fans free of charge both days.
Registration will begin at 7 a.m. on both September 21 and September 28 at the main ticket office. Haulers can begin staging the day before each test session.
Cars will be on-track from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day with an hour break at noon each day.
Pit passes for each test day are $25.
On the second test day, pit passes for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 will be available for purchase. They are $50 for the entire weekend.
Anyone under 18 must have a NASCAR license to enter the pits for either test day. NASCAR licenses will be on sale at the track each test day. A parent must be present to sign a minor’s release form to purchase a NASCAR license during the registration process. No faxed or mailed releases will be accepted.
|
|
|
|
|
| Wednesday, September 14, 2011 |
|
Kevin Harvick Finds Plenty Of NASCAR Fans On Virginia Tech Campus
By Chad Hall @ 6:01 PM :: 20 Views :: News Events
|
|
On a campus where star athletes are the norm, NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Kevin Harvick turned some heads Tuesday.
Harvick, who won the NASCAR Sprint Cup regular-season finale at Richmond International Raceway Saturday night, spent several hours at Virginia Tech Tuesday as part of a media event with Martinsville Speedway. He toured the football facility and visited with the 13th-ranked Hokies’ coaching staff and team members.
And everywhere he went, people were interested. When he dropped in on the weekly coaches’ meeting, head coach Frank Beamer literally welcomed him with open arms. The Tech coaching staff listened intently as Beamer and Harvick talked racing.
“We got back in time Saturday night (after a17-10 road win over East Carolina University) to watch the end of your race,” Beamer said to Harvick as they were shaking hands. “That was exciting stuff. I know NASCAR and I know when Kevin Harvick gets out front, it’s hard to get by him.”
A little later Harvick was introduced to Josh Oglesby, the Tech tailback who scored both of the Hokies’ touchdowns Saturday. Oglesby immediately said: “great win Saturday night, sir.”
Harvick sat with Oglesby, cornerback Chris Hill, linebacker Bruce Taylor, and defensive tackle Derrick Hopkins during lunch. The players peppered him with questions about racing and what it took to be a championship caliber driver.
While players and coaches were taken with Harvick, who has four wins this season, he was equally impressed with what he saw during his first trip to Virginia Tech.
“For me, I’ve learned a lot about Virginia Tech football today and about Virginia Tech,” said Harvick. “For me, not going to college, being able to see these facilities and everything that goes into it … this is a first-class facility and there are a lot of people to make it go round.
“I’ve seen today there are a lot of similarities to making a race team go around and a football team go around. It takes good people. It takes dedication and it takes determination to do what you have to do.”
Before the day was done, Harvick, Beamer and Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell swapped memorabilia. Harvick presented Beamer with an autographed Budweiser racing helmet. Beamer gave Harvick a Virginia Tech football jersey, personalized with Harvick’s name and car number. And Campbell gave Beamer, a regular at Martinsville Speedway races, a pair of lifetime suite passes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|