Heard awful news this week. My old hometown weekly track - Southside Speedway in Richmond, VA - won't open this season due to a stroke by the owner. I think we all have a special place in our hearts for our home speedway, even when we live far away and no longer attend. Originally opened as the dirt Royall Speedway, Southside operated continuously for well over 50 years, a 1/3-mile asphalt configuration whose most recent "star" was Cup regular Denny Hamlin. At one time it also hosted GN/Cup events in the same seasons asits crosstown companion track, the 1/2-mile dirt Richmond Fairgrounds. Southside was indeed a historic track by any standard. It was home to "Mr. Modified" Ray Hendrick, as well as the other 4-H Boys - Sonny Hutchins, Runt Harris and Ted Hairfield. 2-time NASCAR National Modified Champion Eddie Crouse called Southside home, as did Busch Series GN champ Tommy Ellis. One of its promoters included Emanuel Zervakis, the "Golden Greek" of early GN win fame, whose career ended in a blazing pile of Modified rubble outside the track one Friday night. Zervakis later built winning Sportsman cars for Sonny Hutchins, Butch Lindley and Geoff Bodine. Cup Rookie of of the year Lennie Pond called Southside home as did Rookie of the Year, Bill Dennis - alsothe first 3-time winner of Daytona's Permatex 300 at the wheel of Southside car owner Junie Donlaveys' mounts. Running on Friday nights, Southside drew the best talent from North Carolina and Maryland, as well an the famed "Eastern Bandits" from the northeast -"Steady" Eddie Flemke, Denny Zimmerman and Red Foote. Wendell Scott was a track points champ. A former winner of Southside's famed Virginia 400 Modified race was Bobby Allison. Al Grinnan would win here on Friday night on asphalt and in Wilson, NCon Saturday night on dirt.Jimmy Hensley, Eddie Royster, Paul Radford, Perk Brown, Carl Burris, Hank Thomas, Gene Lovelace raced each other here. Friday nights are going to be very quiet on GenitoRoad in Chesterfield County, VA. Too quiet. A sad day for weekly racing. Forgive me if I have a tear in my eye dreaming ofthe ghosts of Ray Hendrick and Sonny Hutchins beating and banging through turn 1 while we fanspourfrom our hiddenpints into our Coke on a cold April night for a little warmth. RIP Southside.
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:08:38PM
