Length: .75-Mile

                Banking in Turns: 14 degrees

                Banking on Frontstretch: 8 degrees

                Banking on Backstretch: 2 degrees

                Length of Frontstretch: 1,290 feet

                Length of Backstretch: 860 feet

                Seating Capacity: 97,912

 

 

                Qualifying: Brian Vickers, May 14, 2004 – 129.983 mph

                Race: Dale Jarrett, September 6, 1999 – 109.047 mph

 

 

 

     Racing on the site that currently is Richmond International Raceway, pre-dates NASCAR’s 1949 arrival. On October 12, 1946, Ted Horn – driving in an open-wheeled car – won a race at the half-mile dirt track formally known as the Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds. Informally, the track was knows as Strawberry Hill Speedway, because the facility hosted the Strawberry Hill races – a series of steeplechase horse races.

 

     In 1953, NASCAR arrived at the dirt track with the running of a 200-lap race on April 19. Lee Petty scored the $1,000 win over Dick Rathman and Buck Baker. A field of 27 cars competed that day and Petty’s average winning speed was 45.535 miles per hour.

 

     Since that first NASCAR race at the track it has undergone three name changes, four changes in configuration and has changed from dirt to asphalt.

 

     In 1955 Paul Sawyer and racer Joe Weatherly purchased the track and shortened the name to Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds. The track hosted lone NASCAR Grand National (Sprint Cup Series) races annually through 1960 when a second date was added.

 

     In 1964 the track changed names to the Virginia State Fairgrounds and on March 10 of that year David Pearson won the Grand National race that was contested under temporary lights. The original plan was not for night racing, but rain forced the event “under the lights”. Four years later (1968) the dirt track was paved.

 

      In 1969 the track was stretched just a bit to .542-miles and remained that way, complete with highway guard rails around the outside until major renovations in 1988. It was also renamed the Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in 1969.

 

     Neil Bonnett won the spring race at the track in 1988 and immediately following the event the track was re-built into its current .750-mile configuration. With the changes came another name change – this time it became Richmond International Raceway.   A couple of years later (1991) permanent lighting was added.

 

     On December 1, 1999, International Speedway Corporation purchased the track from Sawyer and continues as owner of the popular speedway.  Over the years the following series have raced at the track: NASCAR Convertible Series (1957-1959), NASCAR Grand National East Series (1988-1992), NASCAR Whelen Modifieds (1990-2002), Indy Racing League (2001-2009), USAC Sprint Cars and Silver Crown Series (2001-2009) and International Race of Champions (2004-2005).

 

     Currently the track hosts two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races and two NASCAR Nationwide Series events.

 

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: (There have been 108 races at Richmond with 47 different winners)

Bold – Active Drivers

o   13 – Richard Petty

o   7 – Bobby Allison

o   6 – David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace

o   5 – Dale Earnhardt

o   3 – Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Terry Labonte, Joe Weatherly, Cale Yarborough

o   2 – Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett, Neil Bonnett, Dave Marcis, Speedy Thompson, Ernie Irvan, Cotton Owens, Lee Petty, Ricky Rudd, Davey Allison, Benny Parsons

o   1 – Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer, Joe Nemechek, James Hylton, Tim Richmond, Tom Pistone, Tim Flock, Jeremy Mayfield, Harry Gant, Bill Elliott, Paul Goldsmith, Kyle Petty, Rex White, Buck Baker, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson

 

NASCAR Nationwide Series: (There have been 53 races at Richmond with 30 different winners)

Bold – Entered in Friday’s Race

o   5 – Mark Martin

o   4 – Kevin Harvick, Harry Gant

o   3 – Kyle Busch, Kenny Wallace, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

o   2 – Butch Lindley, Jimmy Spencer, Jeff Burton, Tommy Ellis, Sam Ard

o   1 – Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer, Jason Keller, Joe Nemechek, Morgan Shepherd, Denny Hamlin, Robert Pressley, Steve Park, Robby Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Rick Mast, Jeff Green, Jeff Purvis, Johnny Sauter, Bobby Hamilton, Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip,

 

 

·         The entire speedway property is 1,000 acres

 

·         Pit road at the track is 64-feet wide, with 43 pit boxes each 28’ X 19’

 

·         The buildings on the speedway property host the following shows: Intergalactic Bead Show, Virginia Gold Show, Bassarama, Richmond Home and Garden Show, RV and Camping Expo, Richmond Boat Show, Richmond Classic Sports Card Show, East Coast Sawmill and Logging Equipment Expo, Craftsmen Classic Sprint and Christmas Shows, Bizarre Bazaar and other events.

 

·         Outdoor festivals on the property include a chili cook-off, the ACCA Temple Pork Festival, Virginia State Fair, Richmond Highland Games and Celtic Festival, March of Dimes, Bikers for Babies, K95 Country Music Festival, Virginia Food Festival and others.

 

·         The Strawberry Hill races were held on the speedway property until 2001 when it moved to Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia’s first thoroughbred track.

 

·         On September 8, 1968 Richard Petty won the first paved race at Richmond.

 

·         In 1986 one of the most famous battles in NASCAR happened when Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip crashed going for the win, giving the victory to Kyle Petty. This is the only track where three generations of Petty’s (Lee, Richard and Kyle) have won races.

 

·         First time winners at the track include Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart