NASCAR WCUP: New Martinsville Speedway Garage Area Gets Big Thumbs Up
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
March 28, 2001MARTINSVILLE, VA. – It’s difficult to get anyone in Winston Cup racing to agree on anything. But Tuesday morning 15 teams were in total agreement: the new garage area at Martinsville Speedway is a big hit.
“It’s just totally, totally awesome, state of the art,” said Barry Dodson, crew chief for the Eel River Racing team and driver Kenny Wallace.
“It was something we’ve needed here for years. I think what compliments it the most is he (track president Clay Campbell) kept the race fans in mind. Sitting on the back (stretch) you can see the front and sitting on the front you can see the back. Not only was it a difficult task, it had to be very, very expensive.”
Tuesday morning was the first mass unveiling of the new garage to Winston Cup teams. Two teams tested at the track on Monday, but 15 were on hand Tuesday, testing for the Virginia 500 Winston Cup race set for April 8. The new, 600-foot long metal garage building is located on the backstretch side of the infield. It is divided into 20 bays that will accommodate the entire starting field. The garage sits atop a concrete pad which extends 60 feet in front of the building.
The Wood Brothers Racing team, fresh off a victory in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway Sunday, were back at the track for their second day of testing Tuesday, and team co-owner Eddie Wood said he was impressed with the garage area.
“I like it. It utilizes what space you have. There’s more room in here (the infield) than it has ever seemed to be in the past,” said Wood. “I really like it being open in the back where you can watch the cars go by without having to go get up on top of the truck. You’re gonna have a spotter on the top of your truck anyway, but you can keep up a lot better with what’s going on from the back of your garage stall.”
In past years teams have been forced to set their cars up on the bumpy asphalt of pit road. Because of that, team members have a great appreciation of the perfectly level floors in the garage.
“The level floor is very important,” said Dodson. “We leveled our scales this morning and realized we didn’t have to. It’s one of the most perfect garage floors we see in all of Winston Cup racing.”
Although veteran crew chief Buddy Parrott is working with rookie Kurt Busch this season, he’s been coming to Martinsville Speedway more years than he’d like to remember. He may have been the most impressed when he rolled into the track Tuesday morning.
“(Martinsville Speedway president) Clay Campbell has done a great job of carrying on his grandfather’s legacy here, keeping this the baddest little short track in the south,” said Parrott. “This is just so great for the sport. Fans always see an exciting race here. This may make it even more exciting.”
Drivers testing at Martinsville Speedway Tuesday included Elliott Sadler, Hermie Sadler, Steve Park, Kenny Wallace, Buckshot Jones, Andy Houston, Kevin LePage, Mark Martin, Johnny Benson, Jeremy Mayfield, Kevin Harvick, Jerry Nadeau, Jeff Gordon, Jason Leffler and Kurt Busch. All but Elliott Sadler and Park will be back again Wednesday for the final day of testing before the Virginia 500.
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-$70 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
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