NASCAR: Making Taco Bell 300 Field Isn’t An Easy Chore
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
September 11, 2001MARTINSVILLE, VA (Sept. 11, 2001) – Which NASCAR race is the toughest to make? Is it the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 or the Southern 500?
It’s not likely even in the Winston Cup division but in NASCAR’s Late Model Stock Car class. And the race is the $91,000 Taco Bell 300 on Sunday, September 30 at Martinsville Speedway.
How come? Last fall, over 120 cars showed up at the speedway, each trying to break into the 40-car lineup for NASCAR’s richest event for the division. The winner receives $15,000 and the 42nd and last finisher earns $1,125. Again this year, all cars time trial on Saturday with only the fastest 20 earning starting positions.
And last year, when Chad Harris won the pole position, only .185 seconds and .748 miles per hour separated the top 20.
The rest of the field is broken down into four 25-lap qualifying races, run prior to the feature on Sunday, with only the first five finishers in each event moving on to the 200-lap classic. So, for many drivers, they have to race to be able to race.
The Taco Bell 300 weekend begins when registration opens at 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 27. There will be no practice that day. Inspection begins at 7 a.m. on Friday, September 28. Friday’s practice will start, time permitting, when all cars have gone through inspection.
Qualifying for the Taco Bell 300 begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 29 to determine the top 20 starting positions. The fastest qualifier will receive $1,000 from Chatlee Boats.
On Sunday, September 30, the Taco Bell 300 kicks off at 12:30 p.m. with the four 25-lap qualifying races followed by the 200-lap feature. At lap 100 the race will be stopped for a 10-minute break and the leader will be presented the $5,000 BB&T Award. Also at the break, several of the top cars will be inverted. The race will continue until the caution is displayed at lap 190 for a single file restart for the final 10 green flag laps.
Tickets for the Taco Bell 300 are $20 each for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12. All seats are unreserved. Tickets for practice and qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 29 are $5.
The Taco Bell 300 is the first of two weekends of racing at Martinsville Speedway this fall. The NASCAR Winston Cup Series will run the Old Dominion 500 on Sunday, October 14 at 12:30 p.m. On Saturday, October 13 the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series will run the Advance Auto Parts 200 beginning at 2:45 p.m.
Great reserved seats for the Old Dominion 500 are available in the towers for $40-$65. Tickets can be ordered by calling the speedway ticket office toll free at 1-877-722-3849 or (540) 956-3151. Tickets also can be ordered 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.