Martinsville Speedway

Martinsville Speedway's 2007 season is the track's 60th year of operation and is its 59rd year as a NASCAR-sanctioned facility.
 

NASCAR was formed in 1948 and Martinsville Speedway ran its first NASCAR race on July 4th of that year. In 1949, Martinsville ran the sixth race in the series that eventually became the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Circuit.
 

At slightly more than half a mile, Martinsville Speedway is the shortest track on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Circuit, but it's one of the biggest when it comes to action. It has 800-foot straights, turns banked at only 12 degrees and has been called "two drag strips with a turnaround on each end." The demanding layout consistently produces some of the wildest fender scrubbing, push and shove racing on the tour.
 

Martinsville Speedway opened in 1947 with 750 seats and has grown continuously over the years. But, other than being paved in 1955, the track configuration has not changed since Red Byron won the inaugural event. Martinsville Speedway, located three miles south of Martinsville, Va., is the only original NASCAR-sanctioned track still running NEXTEL Cup events.
 

Today, the seating capacity has grown to over 100,000 spectators.

Track Facts Information:

Length: .526-mile or 2,777 feet/500 laps = 263 miles.
 

Shape: "Paper-clip"-shaped oval with tight turns and 800- foot straight-aways. Turns are 588 feet long.
 

Track Width: 55-feet.
 

Track Elevation: 740 feet.
 

Banking: 12 degrees in turns and flat on straight-aways.
 

Pit Road: 46-feet wide with 43 pit stalls beginning in the third turn, wrapping around the frontstretch and exiting in turn two. Pit stalls are 14-feet wide and 28-feet in length.
 

Press Box: 100-seat box for deadline media above turns one and two.
 

Location: One mile north of the intersection of the U.S. 220/58 Bypass and U.S. 220 Business in Henry County, VA. Speedway property covers 250 acres.
 

History: H. Clay Earles built Martinsville Speedway in 1947 as a dirt track before the formation of NASCAR. The first race was run on September 7, 1947 and Robert "Red" Bryon won $500 out of a $2,000 purse. The track hosted the sixth race in the NASCAR series (Strictly Stock) that eventually became the NEXTEL Cup Series. It also was won by Byron in a 1949 Oldsmobile on September 25, 1949. In 2004 the track was purchased by International Speedway Corporation.
 

Policy Information:

Fans may enter Martinsville with the following:
 

• One soft side bag/cooler, no larger than 6 x 6 x 12 inches such as a scanner bag, a fanny pack, a purse, a diaper bag, binocular bag, etc. This one bag may be carried in any manner, i.e. by handle, with shoulder straps, on a belt, etc. The soft side insulated cooler may contain ice.
   
• One clear plastic bag, no larger than 18 x 18 x 4 inches to accommodate samples received and purchases made after fans have parked their cars. This one clear bag may be carried in any manner, i.e. by handle, with shoulder straps, etc. Clear plastic bags may not contain ice.
   
• Note: Fans are allowed to bring in one each of the bags described above.
   
• Binoculars,
• Scanners,
• Headsets,
• Cameras,
• Seat cushions,seat cushions with compartments will be reviewed on an individual basis.
• All items brought through the grandstand gate will be inspected.
   

The following may not enter the admission gates:
 

• Firearms
• Fireworks
• items restricted by Local, State and Federal laws.
   
• Hard sided coolers,
• thermos insulated cups of any size.
   
• Items restricted by track policy.
   
• No strollers, umbrellas, etc.
   
• Any bags, backpacks, or containers larger than the allowed size.
   
• None of the above restricted items may be left in or around the gate area.
   
• The above are subject to change without notice.
   

Also beware that alcoholic beverages are not allowed to be displayed openly outside the track. You will need to bring cups to pour your beverages in.