Virginia is for Racing Lovers … including Me!
by Guest | Posted on August 23rd, 2011
Did you know that Virginia is for Racing Lovers? Have you ever been to a NASCAR race? It’s thrilling and one of the best experiences that I have had! I went to the night race this past April at Richmond International Raceway. A pit pass allowed me to be in the middle of it all while watching the preparations by the different crews. It was relatively quiet in the pits. Two hours later, I was covering my ears as the cars passed at more than 100 miles per hour. My friends told me about the pace, the noise, the fans, the experience … but it’s one that you can’t describe until you’re there!
Richmond International Raceway
These drivers are athletes. They race at crazy speeds with all these other factors surrounding them. They sit in the same position for more than four to six hours at a time while risking their lives for our entertainment. My favorite athlete, I mean, driver, is Denny Hamlin. He stands for something both on the track and off, and was born right here in Virginia!
The state itself has many contributors to NASCAR history. Virginia is the only state that hosts 4 NASCAR races each year. Virginia is home to Martinsville Speedway, which was actually founded in 1947, one year before NASCAR. Remember Trevor Bayne, the youngest winner ever, from this year’s Daytona 500? He drives for Wood Brothers Racing, a sixty year-old family organization founded and based in Virginia for fifty-three years, the oldest continuously operating NASCAR Cup Series team.
Virginia is currently offering three chances to win tickets to NASCAR races:
- Hermie Sadler will be signing autographs and offering the chance to win IRWIN Night Race tickets at the Bristol Welcome Center (in Virginia) from 9-10am on Saturday, August 27;
- Enter to win two suite tickets for the Martinsville Speedway race in October here: http://www.virginia.org/racesweeps/;
- Virginia residents may also enter to win 2 VIP NASCAR experiences with Elliott Sadler and the Virginia Lottery for the Martinsvillle Speedway race in October: http://valottery.com/promotion/facebook/martinsville.asp
So at the end of the day, Virginia is for Racing Lovers. Seriously. No kidding. Between Richmond, Martinsville, and the NASCAR history that abounds, the experiences are unequaled. This weekend I will be cheering for Denny Hamlin at Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s the IRWIN Tools Night Race but I hope that my experience isn’t a race at all.
Jane Govoruhk is the Assistant International Marketing Manager at Virginia Tourism Corporation, avid Hokie and Steelers fan, NASCAR enthusiast, music junkie, and author of this post.
