Richmond International Raceway
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This track has been used with the permission of www.etracksonline.co.uk
Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a A 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia. It hosts the NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series. "America's Premier Short Track" also hosts the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, and the United States Auto Club Silver Crown and National Sprint Car Series.
Richmond International Raceway is the only track to host all of its events "under the lights," and features some of the best racing on both NASCAR's and the IndyCar Series' schedules. The track has sold out the last 30 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races and features some of the best racing in all of motorsports.
Richmond International Raceway is located at the Richmond Raceway Complex, which is an 800-acre (3.2 km²), multi-purpose facility.
The former name for RIR was Strawberry Hill until RIR bought out the Virginia State Fairgounds in 1999. The Strawberry Hill Races were formerly held the third Saturday of April at the Richmond Raceway Complex. In 2000, the Races were moved to Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia's first Thoroughbred racetrack.
Richmond hosts the final race leading up to the start of the Chase for the Nextel Cup.
[edit] Trivia
- The track operated as a 0.5 mile oval through the spring race of 1988. During the spring and summer of 1988, the track was reconfigured to its current layout of 0.75 miles. The first race under the new configuration was in September 1988. Lights were added for the fall 1991 race.
- The track was previously called Richmond Fairgrounds Speedway and the annual fair made the track a popular venue.
- Richard Petty holds the record of most wins at Richmond with 13 victories, Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace are tied with six.
- Richmond is the site of the famous battle between Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip in 1986. Earnhardt tapped Waltrip in turn 4 and both drivers hit the wall, handing the win to Kyle Petty who avoided the crash and won.
- In 2001 to 2002, the fall event was sponsored the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 presented by the Looney Tunes and in 2003, the event was renamed the Chevy Rock and Roll 400.
- Until 2005, RIR was home to a fall Craftsman Truck Series race. Starting with the 2006 schedule, that date was transferred to Talladega Superspeedway.
[edit] Current Races
- Nextel Cup - Crown Royal 400
- Nextel Cup - Chevy Rock and Roll 400
- Busch Series - Circuit City 250
- Busch Series - Emerson Radio 250
- Indy Racing League - SunTrust Indy Challenge
[edit] Records
- NASCAR Nextel Cup Qualifying: Brian Vickers, 20.772 sec. (129.983 mph), 2004
- NASCAR Nextel Cup Race: Dale Jarrett, 2 hrs. 45 min. 4 sec. (109.047 mph), 1997
- NASCAR Busch Series Qualifying: Kyle Busch, 20.874 sec. (129.348 mph), 2004
- NASCAR Busch Series Race: Dale Jarrett, 1 hr. 47 min. 13 sec. (104.928 mph), 1995
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