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

Martinsville Speedway

Photographed 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.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Roads & Vehicles • Sports. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1947.

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

Regionally, this marker is in Southern Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other

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markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Petty 75 Years of Racing (approx. 0.3 miles away); Belleview (approx. 1.2 miles away); Chatmoss (approx. 3.4 miles away); Connecting Communities (approx. 3½ miles away); The Dick & Willie Passage (approx. 3.7 miles away); Historic Oakwood Cemetery (approx. 3.7 miles away); Oakwood Cemetery (approx. 3.8 miles away); Changing With Industry (approx. 3.9 miles away).

Also see . . .
1. Martinsville Speedway - About Us. "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.)

Photographed by Mike Wintermantel, December 9, 2025

2. Martinsville Speedway Marker

Martinsville Speedway image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Wintermantel, December 9, 2025

3. Martinsville Speedway

Credits. This page was last revised on December 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 16, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,964 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 16, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 2, 3. submitted on December 15, 2025, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.