Martinsville Speedway announced the date for the first primetime ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on Thursday night, setting the race on Saturday night, September 23rd.
Last fall, Martinsville Speedway said they would install LED lights all around the half-mile oval. Shortly after the announcement of being the first motorsports facility with LED lighting, track president Clay Campbell said the 2017 ValleyStar Credit Union 300 would be the first night race.
“We’re excited about it,” Clay Campbell told Race22.com back in October. “I’ve always thought this was the greatest Saturday night race on a Sunday afternoon. Now, it will be the greatest Saturday night race. I couldn’t think of a better event to run at night than the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. This race is so exciting in the day so we’re really pumped up.”
The ValleyStar Credit Union 300 has had night time finishes before – most notably in 2013 and then again in 2016. However, those races have finished in complete darkness.
“We considered it because this race is always bumping darkness anyway so now, we’ll just started at night and we won’t have an issue with it,” Campbell added. “It’s going to be great. The fans are going to love it. To see these cars out there on a Saturday night race is going to be amazing.”
With the addition of the lights, Martinsville Speedway could potentially move one of their two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series dates to a primetime show.
“I think, as we go forward, 2017 schedule is already set so it won’t happen until 2018,” Campbell remarked. “We’re doing it right now so we won’t have an issue with weather or any delays where we could finish these things. 500 laps, give these fans what they paid for. I’m not saying somewhere down the road, we won’t do one at night but the possibility is there now. You can’t run a night race without lights.”
In addition to the September 23rd date, Martinsville Speedway also announced the title sponsor, ValleyStar Credit Union, has signed on to sponsor the race for five more years. ValleyStar Credit Union has been tie title sponsor of the race since 2014.
