Richmond Raceway

Richmond Raceway, situated just outside Richmond, Virginia, is a 0.750-mile asphalt track renowned for its distinctive D-shaped design. Hosting NASCAR Cup Series races, along with events like the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, it has been a focal point of motorsport action. With its high-speed potential and unique racing grooves, Richmond earned the monikers “Action Track” and “America’s Premier Short Track.” Despite a streak of 33 consecutive sellout races, the track faced challenges during the Great Recession and Tropical Storm Hanna in 2008. Notably, Richmond Raceway traditionally hosted the final regular-season race leading up to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs until 2018 when scheduling adjustments were made.

HISTORY

Racing has deep roots in Virginia, tracing back to colonial times. The Deep Run Hunt Club hosted steeplechase races in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, later moving to Curles Neck in 1928. The 1946 AAA Championship Car season marked the post-war era’s first IndyCar race, held at the Atlantic Rural Exposition’s new fairgrounds near Ginter Park. This site, initially called “Strawberry Hill Raceway,” became part of the NASCAR circuit in 1953, with Lee Petty winning the inaugural Grand National Series race.

Over the years, the track underwent significant transformations, including paving in 1968 and a major renovation in 1988, resulting in its present D-shaped configuration. Renamed Richmond International Raceway in 1999 after acquiring the Virginia State Fairgrounds site, it became Richmond Raceway as part of a $30 million renovation in 2018.