THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 11, 1995 TAG: 9502100650
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: NASCAR '95: Season Preview
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
With all the construction that has taken place at Martinsville Speedway in the last few years, this space usually is devoted to describing Clay Earles' latest addition to one of NASCAR's founding speedways.
But this year, the big changes will be on the track.
In one of the more interesting recent moves by a NASCAR track, Martinsville Speedway gave up its Busch Grand National date in favor of Late Model Stock racing.
But before you suggest that track president Clay Campbell is giving up the horse for the cow, let's hear his story.
``A lot of people think we're crazy for dropping the Busch series,'' he said. ``But for the years we've been running Late Models, we've had over 100 cars per race. So we decided if we could get those cars, with the fans they attract weekly, our chances of success are much greater just for that show than they are for the doubleheader.''
The ticket price drops to $15, and all the racing will be on Sunday. Both 200-lap feature races - one on March 19 and the other on Oct. 15 - will be preceded by two 50-lap qualifying races.
``We're putting up $25,000 to win,'' Campbell said. ``That's unheard of for those guys. We're excited about the possibilities of that race.''
But the big talk among race fans in Henry County is truck racing. The SuperTruck series is coming to Martinsville on Sept. 23.
``We've had more talk locally about the truck race than anything we've ever done,'' Campbell said. ``If everybody comes that says they're going to come, we're going to have a whale of a crowd. We've had people tell us, `I've never come to see a race, but I'm coming to see the truck race.'
``That's one of the things we've been trying to center in on for the past few years - local enthusiasm. And we've got it for the truck race.
``Due to the nature of racing at Martinsville, I can't wait to see them on a track like this,'' Campbell added wryly.
We can guess what will happen. It's a 0.526-mile oval with long, fast straightaways and tight, mean little corners. Those trucks will dine on each other's quarter panels like they haven't eaten in days.
The race is known as the Goody's 150 and will be the Saturday support race for the annual Goody's 500 Winston Cup race on Sunday, Sept. 24.
As usual, the track will have its annual Hanes 500 Winston Cup spring race, this year on April 23. And that race will be preceded by a NASCAR All Pro race on April 22.
As far as physical improvements, the track has added 50 acres of parking outside the third and fourth turns and has embarked on a $100,000 project to open a new entrance off the U.S. Route 58 Bypass. This entrance, which will come directly off the westbound lanes of the four-lane highway, will be open only on race weekends. It will bring cars in the back way on a road that formerly came to a dead end at the freeway.
Tickets for all of the races are on sale, and those who buy the $15 general-admission tickets for the Late Model race in advance get a free T-shirt. MEMO: For more information, write the speedway at P.O. Box 3311, Martinsville,
Va. 24115, or call (703) 956-3151. by CNB