This is a tremendous honor and your family is justifiably proud.
Best of luck to your dad and your nephew.
I will never, ever, ever forget watching your dad set the all-time dirt qualifying record at Richmond in his '64 Ford #59 - a record that will stand FOREVER in all of the NASCAR and Richmond record books!
The following article appears in today's Las Vegas Sun newspaper:
Statistical report offers a beyond-the-stereotype look at NASCAR fans
By Ric Anderson (contact)
Thursday, March 8, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Theyre more likely than most Americans to own an all-terrain vehicle and a mobile home, or be planning to buy one in the next year.
Theyre pretty likely to call a Southern city home.
And theyre slightly less likely than the general population to have a college degree.
In some ways, a statistical analysis of NASCAR fans by Scarborough Research affirms the stereotypical image of the sports followers as rural, Southern good ol boys.
But before you think the average NASCAR fan is a Dukes of Hazzard character come to life, Scarborough Marketing and Public Relations Manager Haley Dercher says the report offers some information that might surprise you.
For starters, they arent all ol boys, as NASCAR draws a concentration of female fans comparable to the level in several other sports 37 percent. Forget the image of the sports fans being poor folk, too. Theyre 3 percent more likely than the population at large to have a household income of $75,000 or more and just 2 percent less likely to be at the $100,000 level, Dercher said. In what may be a related statistic, theyre 7 percent more likely to be married and therefore pooling resources.
Whats more, the statistics would strongly suggest theyve got a substantial amount of disposable income.
Is $100,000 a lot of income in New York City? No, she said. Is it in Charlotte (N.C.)? Probably.
Dercher picked Charlotte for her comparison because its one of the top markets for NASCAR fans. Other cities with above-average concentrations of fans are Greensboro, N.C.; Roanoke, Va.; Greenville, S.C.; and Orlando, Fla.
Las Vegas? Its not even in the top 25.
With this weekends NASCAR Sprint Cup race expected to attract well over 100,000 visitors to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, though, local business operators might be interested to know that NASCAR fans apparently like to toss around their disposable income, too.
Scarboroughs report shows fans are 13 percent more likely than the general population to buy a computer in the next year, 23 percent more likely to buy a DVD player and 39 percent more likely to buy a satellite radio system.
As for what they already own, theyre 80 percent more likely to have an ATV, 29 percent more likely to have a mobile home and 61 percent more likely to own a boat.
The Scarborough numbers are based on broader market surveys of about 300,000 people per year. Respondents are selected at random and are interviewed by telephone.
One NASCAR statistic that jumped out at Dercher was fans age breakdown. Compared to other sports, NASCARs fans tend to be grayer, with survey respondents ages 18 to 29 being 13 percent less likely than the general population of all ages to identify themselves as NASCAR fans.
With that young demographic, which youd think would be interested in speed and who are probably buying cars, you might think would theyd be into NASCAR, she said. But its their parents and grandparents who are more interested.
Track History
November 30, 2010
By Allen Madding
Allen Madding
In 1952, Longview Speedway, a quarter-mile flat dirt track existed on the outskirts of Manassas, Virginia. Al Gore purchased the track and the 22-acre parcel of land it sat on and reconstructed the race track to be a three-eighths mile asphalt oval. Gore renamed the track Old Dominion Speedway.
Open cockpit roadsters initially took to the track and were later replaced by modifieds. The modifieds were eventually replaced with stock cars and the track became the home to the Northern Virginia Stock Car Club.
On April 25, 1958, the NASCAR Grand National Division (later renamed the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) came to Old Dominion Speedway for the first time holding a 150-lap event. 25 cars competed and Frankie Schneider won in his No. 62 Chevrolet after leading 106 laps. For his efforts, he collected $600.
The NASCAR Grand National cars would not compete at Old Dominion again until May, 18, 1963 when 16 cars competed in the 300 lap event. Richard Petty would capture the win driving the No. 41 Petty Enterprises Plymouth while Jim Paschal finished third driving the No. 43. Petty collected $1,000 for the win.
When the NASCAR Grand National division returned on July 8, 1964, Ned Jarrett won the Old Dominion 400 in Bundy Longs No. 11 Ford after leading 359 laps and he collected $1,100 in front of a crowd of 5,560 fans.
Jarrett won again in September 1964 at Old Dominion leading 424 laps in the 500 lap event collecting $1,500 with the NASCAR Grand National division.
Junior Johnson took the checkered flag and $1,100 after leading 396 laps of the 400 lap NASCAR Grand National division event at Old Dominion on July 8, 1965 driving his No. 26 Ford.
Richard Petty won the 400 lap NASCAR Grand National division event in September 1965 driving the No. 43 Plymouth leading only the last lap and capturing the $1,300 prize.
Elmo Langley, who would later drive the pace car for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, won the final NASCAR Grand National event held at Old Dominion Speedway on July 7, 1966 driving the No. 64 Ford after leading 231 laps in the 400 lap event collecting $1,100.
Old Dominion continued to host the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series (later renamed the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series) which competed at the track until 1980.
Since then the track continues to host weekly stock car racing including Mini Stocks, Grand Stocks, Speedway Sportsman, and Late Model divisions. Old Dominion also continues to host the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
The Speedway also contains a 1/8th mile concrete drag strip which stays busy most Friday nights hosting the Southern Bracket Racing Association (SBRA). It is reported that Old Dominion is the oldest drag strip on the east coast with drag racing events dating back to the Longview dirt track days. Al Gore constructed the first purpose-built asphalt drag strip east of the Mississippi River at Old Dominion in 1953.
You can contact Allen Madding at .. Insider Racing News
Another article from a Northern Virginia paper:
Old Dominion Speedway days are numbered
Drivers and crew of Legends class cars watch as the sun sets over Old Dominion Speedway and the Grand Stock race gets under way on Saturday, July 15, 2006. ODS appears to be nearing its end as the owner is considering selling the land to developers and building a new racetrack south off Interstate 95. Dylan Moore/News & Messenger
By: Kipp Hanley | Inside NoVA
Published: March 01, 2012
MANASSAS, Va . --
Old Dominion Speedway may bid Prince William County adieu in the near future, according to its owner.
In a phone interview Wednesday, Steve Britt confirmed that he's actively looking at a site on Interstate 95 south of Prince William where a racetrack could be paired with auto industry themed restaurants or even a Harley Davidson dealership or go-kart track.
The earliest the speedway would likely closed its doors would be after the 2013 season, said Britt. In conjunction with the site search, Britt is applying to rezone his 38 acres on Dumfries Road to residential in hopes of a attracting a home builder.
Stanley Martin Homes nearly purchased the racetrack land in 2007 but managed only to purchase 22 adjacent acres that are also up for a residential rezoning, said Britt.
Both parcels have to have their respective land use designations changed, a process that could start March 20 should the Prince William Board of County Supervisors vote to initiate a comprehensive plan amendment.
Britt said complaints from newer residential neighborhoods as well as the restrictions placed on a legal non-conforming use like ODS are two of the major reasons for the impending move, said Britt.
"We believe the track and its current location is not conducive to a good relationship with the surrounding property owners, and I'm not sure our use is compatible given where Prince William County sees that quadrant going."
The current NASCAR-sanctioned track has been in operation in Manassas since 1952.
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It is being reported on Fredericksburg.com that one of the star weekly tracks in NASCAR's crown is considering a move to the Fredericksburg, Virginia area beside Interstate 95 between Washington and Richmond. The historic Old Dominion Speedway operated by several generations of the Gore family in Manassas is a Virginia weekly racing landmark.
The Yankees couldn't conquer the Virginians in two Manassas Civil War battles, but housing developments are proving to be a worse enemy, much as the beautiful Beltsville Speedway found out.
Old Dominion Speedway eyeing Fredericksburg region?
The owners of the Old Dominion Speedway in Prince William County may be eyeing the Fredericksburg region as a new home for their automotive racetrack.
Steve Britt, principal owner of the stock-car and drag-racing facility in Manassas, said the tracks current site is hemmed in by residential developments. Thats leading to frequent noise complaints from nearby residents.
Britt is looking for a new home for the track along the Interstate 95 corridor between Stafford County and Richmond. He wouldnt specify what locality theyre focused on but said they have begun talking to officials in the selected county about possibilities.
Britt wants to find a site that includes at least 80 acres for the track, isnt far from the interstate and doesnt have a lot of nearby homes. His company has signed a letter of intent on one property and has a backup thats a little farther south.
Britt envisions the track being part of a motor-sports-themed destination. He said logical fellow users would be along the lines of a Harley-Davidson dealership, Quaker Steak & Lube and Dave & Busters restaurants, and a Goodyear Tire store.
He wants to build a modern and interactive track with several entertainment amenities that can seat about 3,500 or about half the capacity of its current home, where the track has been since 1952.
The cost of buying land and developing a new track could be about $20 million, Britt said. He hopes to shave a good bit off the price if a developer would sell him the land for cheap in an effort to get an anchor tenant that would attract other businesses.
Britt hopes to sell the roughly 40 acres where the track is currently located to a homebuilder. The speedway will remain at its current home at least through the 2013 season, which runs March through October.
Anyone who thinks NASCAR "plate" racing was invented after Bobby Allison's near trip into the Talladega grandstand should read the news account you have posted of the Richmond race - winner Petty and Benny Parsons had to race with restrictor plates as a penalty for having their engines set back too far.
A small correction for the text cited from Greg Fielden in his 40 Years of Stock Car Racing - Bobby Isaac's car owner and the owner of K&K Insurance was Nord Krauskopf, not Norm as written by Fielden.
Thanks for the restrictor plate history lesson!!
Congrats!
I watched a CNN report covering this and about puked when they misidentified new inductee Connie Smith (who joins Pig and Garth Brooks) as Connie Stevens.
It isn't just the NASCAR media who can't get it right.
Watched a National Geographic Special this morning on the research and installation of SAFER Barriers at Indy.
From the Richmond County (NC) Daily Journal:
Track getting final touches before race
The major holdup from NASCAR returning to the Rockingham Speedway was the lack of the soft walls around the track. With the Good Sam Roadside Assistance Carolina 200 presented by Cheerwine a little over a month away, Speedway president Andy Hillenburg and director of operations Robert Ingraham said the track is close to ready for its return to the spotlight.
The walls are done, Ingraham said. We just have to wait about two or three more weeks before we can paint them.
Ingraham added the installation of the soft walls was completed in mid-February after a few engineering tweaks.
Another addition which fans will notice immediately is the moving of Victory Lane. The old Victory Lane was located behind pit road. Now, it will be located in front of the grandstands at the finish line to allow fans to see and be a part of the winners celebration.
Since Gov. Beverly Perdue made the announcement on pit road about NASCARs return in September, Hillenburg has been burning the midnight oil, not only getting the track ready, but spreading the word about the April race.
My typical day has been about 14 hours of work a day, six and 1/2 days a week, Hillenburg said. Im not complaining, I asked for itI love it. I dont get up in the morning saying its time for me to go to work. I say its time to go to the racetrack. I love what I do.
Sports editor Shawn Stinson can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 14, or by email at sstinson@heartlandpublications.com
Read more: Richmond County Daily Journal - Tires the name of the game at The Rock
NASCAR engines again roar at The Rock
Three NASCAR Truck series teams are participating in tire testing at Rockingham Speedway in preparation for an April 15 race.
By Jim Utter - jutter@charlotteobserver.com
Tuesday, Mar. 06, 2012
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. It's just a test.
But for NASCAR and the Sandhills region of North Carolina it signifies much more.
For the first time since 2004, drivers from one of NASCAR's three national series made laps around Rockingham Speedway in preparation for an upcoming race.
Three NASCAR Truck series teams took part in a Goodyear tire test on Tuesday in preparation for the inaugural Good Sam 200 on April 15. The two-day test concludes on Wednesday.
The excitement is definitely building. It's something we've been looking forward to for so long, said Andy Hillenburg, a former race car driver who bought the track in 2007 from Speedway Motorsports Inc.
Here we are inside a month-and-a-half, and seeing the trucks here and the NASCAR staff here today it's a dream come true. This is Rockingham's moment to get back in the limelight.
The Cup series held two events annually at the 1-oval through 2003 and one event in 2004, the last of which was won by Matt Kenseth.
The track, then called N.C. Speedway, was sold in 2004 by International Speedway Corp. to SMI as part of a complicated deal that eventually saw Rockingham's last Cup date added to Texas Motor Speedway.
In recent years, Hillenburg has hosted a variety of non-NASCAR events at the track, including Hooter's Pro Cup and the Automobile Racing Club of America series. A half-mile track constructed behind the backstretch is used by many NASCAR teams for testing purposes.
Many NASCAR officials, drivers and longtime fans were excited when the track announced in September it was adding a Truck race to its schedule in 2012.
"Coming in the tunnel today it was just unbelievable to see the changes done here by Andy and Robert (Ingraham, track operations director). The race track looks ready to go, said Wayne Auton, the Truck series director.
"Over the years Rockingham has seen a lot of great racing. I am confident you will see more next month.
The State of North Carolina estimates the economic impact at $10.5 million and the addition of a couple of hundred permanent and temporary jobs due to the new race.
Much of the affection in NASCAR for Rockingham lies in its history .
The late Dale Earnhardt locked up the last of his seven Cup titles at The Rock. Such drivers as Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, Buck Baker and Wendell Scott have added to the track's lore.
Everybody wants to come here and race, Auton said. For us in the Truck series, to be able to bring racing back to Rockingham is the highlight of my career.
Three drivers Jason Leffler, James Buescher and Timothy Peters made 20-lap runs on Tuesday as Goodyear worked to select a competitive tire for the race.
Leffler is the only one of the three with previous NASCAR experience on the track, having raced in both Cup and Nationwide series events before the track changed hands in 2004.
I haven't had good finishes, but I've always enjoyed racing here. It's a technical race track. It's a driver's race track, Leffler said.
It's all about tire management and getting your truck to handle. It seems a lot of drivers really enjoyed racing here it's a shame we don't come here more often.
Read more here: http://www.thatsracin.com/2012/03/06/83140/nascar-engines-again-roar-at-the.html#storylink=cpy
