NASCAR WCUP: Jeff Burton praises improvements at Martinsville Speedway
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
March 22, 2001MARTINSVILLE, VA. – Jeff Burton has always liked coming to Martinsville Speedway, ever since he came with his dad as a youngster.
It’s even more fun these days for the driver of the Roush Racing Citgo Ford.
Burton was on hand Wednesday as Martinsville Speedway officials unveiled off season track improvements during Media Day. And the former Martinsville winner was impressed with what he saw – a new garage area, a wider pit road and new aluminum seats on the back stretch.
“I’ve been coming up here for a long time and it seems like every time I come, they keep building stuff,” said Burton, who grew up in South Boston, VA., about an hour from the track.
“It’s been fun coming up here over the years and watching the race track grow. I know all the teams are really going to be excited about the garage. If it does rain, and let’s hope it doesn’t, it’s real convenient for the teams to have a garage. It’s perfect.”
Burton said when the Winston Cup circuit rolls into town for the April 8 running of the Virginia 500, the new garage will attract a lot of attention, but he is equally impressed with the wider pit road.
“Pit road is more important than the garage. We don’t really need a garage,” said Burton, who won the Old Dominion 500 here in 1997. “Having one pit road (Martinsville switched to one pit road two years ago) is what it should be.
“Clay (Speedway President Clay Campbell) taking the initiative to fix that was really a big deal and then to spend a lot more money to make it even better yet is really a big deal. I’m excited to see the changes and I’m excited to come here and race.”
Burton said Martinsville’s tight .526-mile oval wasn’t the easiest track to master, but it produced some of the best racing for fans and drivers alike.
“I want to see a competitive race. When I watch a race at Martinsville, I see a competitive race. I see a competitive race at Bristol and at Richmond,” said Burton. “These race tracks put on the best shows. They are the hardest for the teams. They are challenging.
“But it shouldn’t matter that it’s hard for the teams. It’s a safe place to race. It’s a competitive place to race and it puts on good races. To me, it’s what racing is about, side-by-side, bumper-to-bumper racing. It’s fun to watch and it’s fun to race.”
The Virginia 500/Advance Auto Parts 250 weekend kicks off with Bud Pole qualifying for the Craftsman Truck Series at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 6 followed by time trials for the Winston Cup Series at 3 p.m. Tickets for qualifying are $15 for adults and children under 12 get in free.
Tickets for the Advance Auto Parts 250 Craftsman Truck race are $30 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12. All seats are unreserved.
There still are great seats available for the Virginia 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race for $40-$65 each. To purchase tickets call the speedway ticket office toll free at 877-722-3849 or go online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.
Text provided by Mike Smith
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit
The Racing Photo Museum and the
Visions of Speed Art Gallery.