Richmond International Raceway:Racing side by side under the lights!
Richmond International Raceway Races:
The Richmond International Raceway is located in Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It is a three-quarter mile D-shaped, asphalt racetrack that is part of the Richmond Raceway Complex. The track has fourteen degrees of banking in the turns with eight degrees on the D-shaped frontstretch and two degrees of banking on the backstretch. The facility is exclusive in that it is one of the few racetracks to host all its events under the lights since 1991. In 1948, the ground was broken for a dirt racetrack named Strawberry Hill. Five years after its inception, in April of 1953, the first NASCAR race was held which was won by Lee Petty. Since it opened the track has undergone three name changes, five layout changes and one surface change (dirt to asphalt). Construction on the current configuration started on February 21 1988. After finishing third in the Pontiac 400 Richard Petty crawled out of his race car and jumped onto a bulldozer to begin demolition of the track. Were they short on help? Did 'The King' need the extra money? No, it was all part of the ceremony to begin the construction on the new configuration of the speedway that most drivers now consider the best on the NASCAR Circuit. The first race to be held on the new configuration was in September of 1988.
The drivers are able to maintain high speeds to give it a super speedway feel. That rare, but exciting combination allows for the beating and banging that the fans love. Richard Petty holds the record for the most wins there with thirteen victories. Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace are tied for second with six each. In 1986, Richmond International Raceway was the location of the famous battle between Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip. Earnhardt bumped Waltrip in turn four and both drivers hit the wall. Kyle Petty managed to avoid the crash and scraped by to win the race.
The Nationwide Series races are scheduled on Friday night followed by the Cup series on Saturday night (weather permitting). A capacity crowd of more than 100,000 is able to sit and enjoy the races. In September 2006, Richmond International Raceway hosted its 30th consecutive...and still counting sellout. The September race also contains some extra excitement since it is the last race before the 'Chase for the Sprint Cup' begins. On September 11th 2004 Jeremy Mayfield needed to win the race and lead the most laps to qualify for the 'Chase for the Cup'. He did just that and qualified for the last spot in the first year of the 'Chase for the Cup' Since the 1988 season, Richmond has been a short track that features speedway style racing. The exciting racing and fan-loving track make this a must-see for any NASCAR fan. The racing is electrifying as you watch the drivers race side-by-side, lap-after-lap for position. Bottom line, Richmond International Raceway is truly one of the most amazing places in all of NASCAR to watch a race in person.
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