Martinsville Speedway Marker

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Ridgeway in Henry County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Martinsville Speedway

By Amy Wilson, April 23, 2008

1. Martinsville Speedway Marker

Inscription. H. Clay Earles (1913-1999) opened Martinsville Speedway in 1947 with seating for 750. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) first raced here in 1948. Martinsville Speedway was one of eight tracks to host the inaugural 1949 season of NASCAR's Strictly Stock division, later called Winston Cup and then NEXTEL Cup racing. It is the only original NASCAR track still hosting the highest division as of 2007. It features a short .526-mile track and seats more than 68,000. Earle's fan-friendly philosophy has endured, and the track draws fans from across the United States.

Erected 2007 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number A-108.)

Location. 36° 38.129′ N, 79° 51.504′ W. Marker is in Ridgeway, Virginia, in Henry County. Marker is at the intersection of Greensboro Road (U.S. 220) and Speedway Road on Greensboro Road. Click for map. Coordinates are approximate. Marker is at or near this postal address: 340 Speedway Rd, Ridgeway VA 24148, United States of America.

Also see . . .
1. Martinsville Speedway History. "Martinsville Speedway celebrated its 60th year of operation in 2007 and has flown the NASCAR banner longer than any other track on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup circuit." (Submitted on May 16, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)
2. What makes Martinsville special?. An article by Darrell Waltrip and published by Fox News on March 29, 2008. Darrell Waltrip, winner of 84 career NASCAR Cup Series races and three-time champion, serves as lead analyst for NASCAR on FOX. (Submitted on May 16, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)

Credits. This page originally submitted on May 16, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 509 times since then. Photo 1. Submitted on May 16, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.

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