Richmond Raceway

Richmond Raceway (RR) is a 0.750 mi (1.207 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in unincorporated Henrico County. It currently hosts two NASCAR Cup Series race weekends, hosts the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.^[2] It formerly hosted events such as the International Race of Champions, Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown, and the USAC sprint car series. Richmond Raceway's "D" shape allows drivers to reach high speeds.

Richmond Raceway

"America's Premier Short Track" "Strawberry Hill" "Action Track"
Location	Henrico County, Virginia, United States
Time zone	UTC−5 (UTC−4 DST)
Coordinates	37°35′30.08″N 77°25′15.28″W
Capacity	51,000[1]
Owner	NASCAR (2019–present) International Speedway Corporation (1999–2019)
Operator	NASCAR
Opened	October 12, 1946; 78 years ago (1946-10-12)
Former names	Richmond International Raceway (1988–2017) Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway (1969–1988) Virginia State Fairgrounds (1964–1968) Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds (1953–1963) Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds (1946–1952)
Major events	Current: NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 (1958–present) Toyota Owners 400 (1953, 1955–1957, 1959–2019, 2021–2024) NASCAR Xfinity Series ToyotaCare 250 (1982–1984, 1990–2020, 2022–2024) Go Bowling 250 (1982–2021) NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Worldwide Express 250 (1995–2005, 2020–present) Former: IndyCar Series Indy Richmond 300 (2001–2009) ARCA Menards Series East UNOH 100 (2011–2015)
Website	www.richmondraceway.com
D-Shaped Oval (1988–present)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	0.750 miles (1.207 km)
Turns	4
Banking	14° in turns 8° on frontstretch 2° on backstretch
Race lap record	0:15.9368 seconds (169.423 mph) ( Sam Hornish Jr., Dallara IR-03, 2004, IndyCar)

NASCAR Cup racecars before the start on the 1/2-mile configuration in September 1984

The pits during a 1985 NASCAR Cup race

Richmond Raceway as seen from the stands.

Nicknamed the "Action Track" and "America's Premier Short Track", Richmond sold out 33 consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races before the streak ended in September 2008 due to the Great Recession as well as the impact of Tropical Storm Hanna.^[3] Richmond has hosted the final "regular-season" race, leading up to the start of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, each year since the format was introduced in 2004 until 2018 when its second weekend was moved into the playoffs. In 2022, their second race weekend was moved into the Summer.

Before 2019, the raceway had a track seating of 59,000.^[1]

History

Early history

Racing sports has a long tradition in Virginia, dating back to colonial English times.^[4] From 1898 to the First World War, the Deep Run Hunt Club in the Northside area of Ginter Park was the site of the club's somewhat annual steeplechase race.^[5] After a decade hiatus, the annual races were moved to Curles Neck in 1928.^[5]

The 1946 AAA Championship Car season was unique in that it was the first post-war IndyCar race and because the Atlantic Rural Exposition had built a new state fairgrounds at the old Strawberry Hill Farm near Ginter Park.^[6][7][5] The ½ -mile^[8] dirt track would be suitable for both annual "Strawberry Hill" horse races and car races, and was known as the "Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds Track", "Strawberry Hill",^[9] and "Strawberry Hill Raceway"^[10] On October 12, 1946, Ted Horn gained the distinction of winning the track's first race in an open-wheel Indy-style car.^[11]

Two years later, when the NASCAR schedule was being formed, this short track joined several others on the circuit.^[12] In 1953, the track began hosting the Grand National Series with Lee Petty winning that first race in Richmond.^[13] The original track was paved in 1968.^[13] In 1988, the track underwent a major renovation into its present D-shaped configuration, with a wider surface, banking in the turns, and expansion in length to .75 of a mile.^[11]

The name for the raceway complex was "Strawberry Hill" until the Virginia State Fairgrounds site was bought out in 1999 and renamed the "Richmond International Raceway". The Strawberry Hill Races, which are a series of steeplechase horse races, were formerly held on the third Saturday of April at the Richmond Raceway Complex. In 2001, the races were moved to Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia's first Thoroughbred racetrack.^[14]

Recent history

Track president Dennis Bickmeier announced that RIR was renamed to "Richmond Raceway", part of a $30 million renovation of the infield known as Richmond Raceway Reimagined.^[15]

In 2021, after NASCAR partner and online sports gambling company WynnBET launched a mobile betting app accessible to Virginia residents, it was announced that a sports betting lounge would be built at Richmond Raceway.^[16]

Former track logo

NASCAR-sanctioned races

Richmond Raceway is home to two NASCAR races in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series.

There are a pair of spring races, usually held on the first weekend of April. The Xfinity race is currently 250 laps (187.5 miles) and is named the ToyotaCare 250.^[17] The NASCAR Cup Series race is currently 400 laps (300 miles) and is named the Toyota Owners 400.^[17]

There are a pair of fall races, usually held on the second weekend of August. The 250-lap (187.5 miles) Craftsman Truck Series race is currently sponsored by WWEX and is named the Worldwide Express 250.^[18] The 400 lap (300 miles) fall Cup race is currently sponsored by Cook Out and is named the Cook Out 400.^[19]

Until 2005, Richmond was home to a fall Craftsman Truck Series race. Starting with the 2006 schedule, that date was transferred to Talladega Superspeedway, and the series did not return to Richmond until 2020.^[20]

Races and events

2019 Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway

Current races

• NASCAR Cup Series
  • Toyota Owners 400 (March)
  • Cook Out 400 (July)
• NASCAR Xfinity Series
  • ToyotaCare 250 (March)
• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
  • Worldwide Express 250 (July)

Previous races

• AAA Sprint Cars (1946–1948, 1952–1953)
• AAA Stock Car (1952)
• ARDC midgets (1946–1948)
• Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown (2011–2013)
• IndyCar Series
  • Indy Richmond 300 (2001–2009)
• International Race of Champions (2004–2005)
• NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
  • UNOH 100 (2011–2015)
• NASCAR Convertible Division (1957–1959)
• NASCAR Grand American (1968–1970)
• NASCAR Goody's Dash Series (1975, 1976, 1979–1981)
• NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series (1991)
• NASCAR Sportsman Series (1990)^[21]
• NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (1990–1993, 1997, 1999–2002)
• URC sprint cars (1956, 1960)^[22]
• USAC Silver Crown Series
• USAC Honda National Midget Championship

Records

• NASCAR Cup Series qualifying: Jeff Gordon, 20.674 sec. (130.599 mph, 210.180 km/h); 2013
• NASCAR Cup Series race: Dale Jarrett, 2 hrs. 45 min. 4 sec. (109.047 mph, 175.494 km/h); 1997
• NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying: Kyle Busch, 20.874 sec. (129.348 mph 208.165 km/h); 2004
• NASCAR Xfinity Series race: Dale Jarrett, 1 hr. 47 min. 13 sec. (104.928 mph, 168.685 km/h); 1995
• IndyCar Series qualifying: Sam Hornish Jr., 15.3197 sec. (176.244 mph, 283.637 km/h); 2005
• Rusty Wallace Race Experience Fastest Non Professional Driver: Paul Delagrange, 20.894 sec. (129.412 mph): 2020

NASCAR Cup Series records

(As of 9/10/11)

Most wins	13	Richard Petty
Most top fives	34	Richard Petty
Most top tens	41	Richard Petty
Most starts	63	Richard Petty
Most poles	8	Richard Petty, Bobby Allison
Most laps completed	21135	Richard Petty
Most laps led	5142	Richard Petty
Highest avg. start*	3.7	Bobby Isaac
Highest avg. finish*	5.0	Kyle Busch

* minimum 10 starts

Race lap records

As of September 2020, the fastest official race lap records at Richmond Raceway (formerly Richmond International Raceway) are listed as:

Category	Time	Driver	Vehicle	Event
D-shaped Oval: 1.207 km (1988–present)[23]
IndyCar	0:15.9368[24]	Sam Hornish Jr.	Dallara IR-03	2004 SunTrust Indy Challenge
NASCAR Cup	0:21.849[25]	Kevin Harvick	Ford Mustang GT	2019 Toyota Owners 400
NASCAR Xfinity	0:22.712[26]	Christopher Bell	Toyota Camry	2018 ToyotaCare 250
NASCAR Truck	0:22.774[27]	Austin Hill	Toyota Tundra	2020 ToyotaCare 250

References

1. Page, Scott (January 27, 2019). "International Speedway Corporation continues to reduce track seating". Jayski's Silly Season Site. ESPN. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
2. "NASCAR Truck Series returning to Richmond in April, 2020". Richmond Times-Dispatch. April 3, 2019.
3. "Hurricane Hanna Stalls Sellout Streak". Archived from the original on May 2, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2008.
4. "History".
5. Peter Winants (August 17, 2000). Steeplechasing: A Complete History of the Sport in North America. Derrydale Press. pp. 45–. ISBN 978-1-4617-0822-3.
6. "The Mitchell Touch". The Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 28, 1953. p. 152. ISSN 0006-2510.
7. Francis Marion Bush (November 4, 2011). Colonial Downs and More. iUniverse. pp. 81–. ISBN 978-1-4620-5575-3.
8. "Richmond International Raceway Packages – Track Seating Chart, Race Tickets & Hotel Travel Package to RIR".
9. Lew Freedman (March 14, 2013). Encyclopedia of Stock Car Racing. Abc-Clio. p. 641. ISBN 9780313387104.
10. Nigel Kinrade, Steve Casper (2007). Nascar. MotorBooks International. pp. 43–. ISBN 978-1-61673-061-1.
11. http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20150420/COLUMNISTS/304209982 "In 1988, the track was totally redesigned and banked into its present D-shaped configuration."
12. "Memories from Richmond". The-Dispatch.com.
13. "Richmond International Raceway".
14. Strawberry Hill Races Traditions^{[dead link]}
15. Phillips, Michael (July 11, 2017). "NASCAR's rebranded Richmond Raceway announces $30 million infield redevelopment project". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
16. "New sports betting lounge coming to Richmond Raceway". WWBT. March 16, 2021.
17. "Toyota to Sponsor Two NASCAR Races at RIR in April 2013 – Richmond International Raceway".
18. Announcing entitlement for Fall Nationwide race 2009
19. "Federated Auto Parts 400 – Richmond Raceway".
20. Pearrell, Tim (April 3, 2019). "NASCAR Truck Series returning to Richmond in 2020". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
21. "Winston Twin 200".
22. "Richmond International Raceway".
23. "Richmond - Motor Sport Magazine". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
24. "2004 Richmond Indycars". Motor Sport Magazine. June 26, 2004. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
25. "2019 NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400". April 13, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
26. "NASCAR Xfinity 2018 Richmond Fastest Laps". April 20, 2018. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
27. "2020 NASCAR Truck Series ToyotaCare 250". September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2024.

External links

• Map and circuit history at RacingCircuits.info
• Richmond Raceway race results at Racing-Reference
• Richmond International Raceway Page on NASCAR.com
• Jayski's Richmond International Raceway Page – Current and Past RIR News
• RIR visitor's guide
• Richmond Raceway Complex website
• Richmond International Raceway Seating Charts