One of the oldest racetracks in the United States roared to life on Thursday as over 80 late model drivers descended onto Martinsville Speedway for the annual ValleyStar Credit Union 300 test day. Teams utilized the session as a way to shake down their cars and improve on them in preparation for one of the most prestigious late model races in the country next weekend.
The test session also served as the first opportunity for many drivers to take to the track at night, as track president Clay Campbell announced in October that LED lights would be installed at the short track, with the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 being the first race with the permanent light fixtures. There are many unknowns for drivers and teams going into the event, but the decision to install lights at Martinsville has garnered praise from the short track community.
“They did an excellent job with the lights, but we really didn’t expect anything different from Martinsville Speedway,” said driver Peyton Sellers.
“Clay and all of his people definitely know how to put on a race, and the lights are second to none. There are no shadows on the track, and there is absolutely going to be good racing. The fans are really going to enjoy seeing sparks from the cars bottoming out. You could never see that in the daylight.”
There is a lot of anticipation for the first ever ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at night, but it is not the first time that Martinsville has experimented with night time racing. In 2005, Martinsville Speedway collaborated with MUSCO Lighting to provide temporary lighting towers for the Made in America Whelen 300 for the Whelen Modified Tour. Ted Christopher brought home the checkered flag that evening, and celebrated in front of the largest crowd for a stand-alone event in NASCAR history.
The 2017 ValleyStar Credit Union 300 has been met with a similar reaction, as Martinsville Speedway is expecting a record-breaking crowd for the prestigious short track event. Many drivers, including Virginia Late Model Triple Crown Series contender Brenden Queen, believe that the evening conditions will create better racing, and more entertainment for the fans.
“I think the grip level is definitely going to come up,” Queen said. “I also think there will be a little bit more speed, but I’m not really sure what the track is going to do. The high line works really well here, so it will be interesting to see if that gets more grip when the lights come on.”
Queen used the test session on Thursday as way to work on his car’s speed in order to avoid a poor qualifying effort next weekend. Peyton Sellers teamed up with short track veteran Bruce Anderson and local rookie Colin Garrett for the test session in order to share data and improve their setups for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Unlike Queen, Sellers does not expect the track to undergo that many changes as the race moves into the evening.
“We race here in the fall, so the track is already cooler than it normally is,” Sellers said. “Plus concrete doesn’t change as much at night, as it already has maximum grip regardless of what month it is. However, I do think the cars will travel a little bit further, and I also think there will be better side-by-side racing because the motors will run fresher.”
The ValleyStar Credit Union 300 is NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious Late Model Stock Car race. The day starts with three 25-lap heat races to set the field, followed by a 25-lap “last chance” heat. Tickets for the September 23 event are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-877-RACE-TIX or online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.
