RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
NEWS/RUMORS
Phone:
Information Phone Number: 804-228-7500
Tickets/Administration: 804-455-7223 (RACE)
Address:
P.O. Box 9257 (23227)
600 E. Laburnum Avenue
Richmond, VA 23222
Email: ririnfo@rir.com
Track Specs:
Short Track: 0.75-mile oval, 60-foot width with 10-foot apron
Banking: turns: 14 degrees; frontstretch 8 degrees; backstretch 2 degrees
Straights: Backstretch - 860 feet; Frontstretch - 1290 feet
Seating Capacity: 107,097
Websites:
Richmond International Raceway
ESPN's NASCAR Track Guide
Old Track Name: Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway
- RIR Sells Out Cup race: Richmond International Raceway President Doug Fritz announced this afternoon all grandstand seats for tonight's Sprint Cup Series race, the Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400, have been sold. "Ticket sales were steady and we remained optimistic leading into this weekend," said Fritz. "The hard work of our staff and our continued effort to provide a first class experience for our fans continues to pay off." Tickets go on sale May 24 for "One Last Race to Make the Chase," the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race "under the lights" on Saturday, September 6, 2008. Tickets start at $80 and can be purchased at www.rir.com or by calling 866-455-RACE (7223).(RIR)(5-3-2008)
- Statement from Richmond International Raceway President Doug Fritz on the Tornados in Colonial Heights and Suffolk, Virginia: "While Richmond International Raceway was not affected by the recent tornados in nearby Colonial Heights and Suffolk, Virginia, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and businesses affected by this
devastation. At-track activities will go on as planned for this weekend's NASCAR doubleheader, the Lipton Tea 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Friday night and the Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday night.(RIR)(5-1-2008)
- Tix still available at for Richmond races: Tickets are still available for Saturday night's Sprint Cup Series for the Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Tickets are also available for the Friday, May 2, Lipton Tea 250 Nationwide Series race, which also includes Wawa Pole Qualifying and practice for the Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400. To purchase tickets contact the Richmond International Raceway ticket office at 866-455-RACE (7223) or online at www.rir.com. Friday's reserved tickets are $45 (in advance) and $50 (on race day) and general admission tickets are $35 (in advance) and $40 (on race day). Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult in general admission sections on Friday only.(4-29-2008)
- Blue Angels to perform fly-over at Richmond: The sky above America’s Premier Short Track will be invaded by the roaring engines of the internationally known Blue Angels Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron on Saturday, May 3, prior to the Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 Sprint Cup Series race. In addition to the fly-by performance, some of the Blue Angels team members will be making appearances at America’s Premier Short Track throughout the weekend. Several of the Blue Angels will visit the Green Flag Zone fan hospitality on Saturday, May 3, and the Party Zone fan hospitality on Friday, May 2. They will participate in question and answer sessions and sign autographs (time permitting).(RIR PR)(4-24-2008)
- Crown Royal Awards Fan Naming Rights to Cup Race at RIR: In the second installment of the ground breaking "Your Name Here" contest, in which one fan will receive official naming rights to the 2008 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway on May 3, 2008, Crown Royal announced Dan Lowry as the grand prize winner. From this point forward, the race will officially be entitled "Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400." As part of Crown Royal's first ever press conference from the sky, Dan Lowry,
29, of New Waterford, Ohio, took part in an elaborate unveiling ceremony in which several helicopters flew high above the Las Vegas Strip to a 10,000-square-foot desert mosaic featuring Lowry's name as part of the official race logo to be used at Richmond International Raceway. Lowry was one of two winners of the contest that were flown to Las Vegas to
participate in the ceremony. While Lowry was awarded the grand prize, Tim Weiland, the first-prize winner of De Pere, Wisconsin, received a custom Stage 1 Roush Fenway Ford Mustang. Crown Royal selected the winners from approximately 10,000 written submissions chronicling consumers' fondest Crown Royal memories that were enjoyed in a responsible manner. In his winning entry, Lowry recalled a moment when he was working thousands of miles away from home in Venezuela. He wandered into a local restaurant where he didn't recognize any of the labels behind the bar until he caught sight of the iconic purple and gold Crown Royal bag that immediately reminded him of the fond memories of home. Lowry's name will be incorporated into all official race logos, used for thousands of pieces of merchandise and recognized by NASCAR's broadcast and media partners as the race's official title. In addition, Lowry will take part in pre-race festivities at Richmond International Raceway, and participate in the trophy presentation to the race winner in Gatorade Victory Lane. During the race weekend he will receive VIP accommodations for himself and a guest.(RIR PR)(2-29-2008)
- RIR to make monthly donation to classrooms: Recognizing the needs of local public school classrooms in the Greater Richmond Metropolitan Area, Richmond
International Raceway officials announced that they will be making a monthly donation to a different classroom in need in its community. Working through DonorsChoose.org, a non-profit website that connects classrooms in need with individuals and companies who want to make a
difference through financial assistance, Richmond International Raceway will fund various classroom projects throughout the school year. In December 2007, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine announced Virginia's participation in DonorsChoose.org, a website that links teachers' class project wish lists with citizen philanthropists. Nearly 300 state teachers' projects had been added to the site before the expansion to Virginia was officially named. Richmond International Raceway begins its campaign to further enhance local public school classrooms by funding the "Building Vocabulary That Lasts a Lifetime" project at Glen Lea Elementary School in Henrico County. The project will benefit a third-grade classroom of students who have demonstrated a desire to increase their vocabulary. Each student will be provided with their own personal vocabulary tool kit to further develop their vocabularies.
DonorsChoose.org was pioneered by teachers at a Bronx, New York public high school in 2000. DonorsChoose.org is dedicated to addressing the lack of learning materials and experiences in our public schools. All donors are able to select the specific projects that they feel will have the biggest impact. Each project proposal is screened by DonorsChoose.org. Richmond International Raceway's 2008 season is just around the corner. Tickets are available by calling 866-455-7223 or visiting www.rir.com.(RIR PR)(2-27-2008)
- Limited Number of Commonwealth Mezzanine Tickets Available at RIR: Richmond International Raceway's new front stretch escalator system is progressing at a rapid pace, now that two of the six escalators have been installed in the Commonwealth Grandstand. In order to enhance the experience for those fans seated in the Commonwealth Mezzanine and Tower sections, a new escalator system will be in place in time for the May 2-3 NASCAR doubleheader weekend there. The escalator system will take fans from the ground level to the Commonwealth Mezzanine and the first row of the Commonwealth Tower, which will allow fans in these sections to access their seats easier and quicker than ever. The first two escalators, running from the ground to a platform below the Commonwealth Mezzanine, were installed January 25. The third and fourth escalators, which will run from the platform to the Commonwealth Mezzanine, are on track to be completed by February 9. The fifth and sixth escalators, which will run from the Commonwealth Mezzanine to the first row of the Commonwealth Tower, are projected to be completed by the end of February. Following the installation of the escalators, crews will begin work on cosmetics, which will be complete in time for the NASCAR Nationwide Series 250 and Crown Royal Presents The Your Name Here 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races May 2-3. Although tickets are sold out in the Commonwealth Tower, there is a unique and great way to grab a seat in the Commonwealth Mezzanine. The Cintas Pit Stop Club, an all-inclusive package for groups of eight, includes eight tickets in the Commonwealth Mezzanine for the Crown Royal Presents The Your Name Here 400 race, as well as indoor, climate-controlled hospitality for each group on race day. The hospitality area includes a full dinner buffet and beverages, pit passes, souvenir programs and more for each person in the group. The Cintas Pit Stop Club package, which includes a reserved table for eight, is available for $2,400 per group. These packages can be purchased by calling 804-228-7611 or going to rir.com.(RIR PR)(2-11-2008)
- Cup tix on sale at Richmond on Saturday: Tickets for the Saturday, May 3, Crown Royal Presents The Your Name Here 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway will go on sale to the general public this Saturday, January 5, at 8:00 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.rir.com, by calling 1-866-455-7223 or 1-888-472-2849 or in person at the Richmond International Raceway ticket office located at 600 East Laburnum Avenue; Richmond, VA 23222. Additionally, tickets are currently available for the Friday, May 2, Nationwide Series 250 race. Tickets to Friday's race include practice and pole qualifying for both the Crown Royal Presents The Your Name here 400 and Nationwide Series 250 races.(RIR PR)(1-4-2008)
- Richmond fans help RIR give back: With the holiday season in full swing, Richmond International Raceway is proud to announce the results of its successful campaign to benefit two area charities and ultimately, citizens in Henrico County and the Greater Richmond Metropolitan Area. Starting Monday, November 19, and ending this past Friday, December 14, the Richmond International Raceway ticket office served as a drop-off point to donate new, unwrapped toys for the Marine Toys for Tots program and canned goods to help the Central Virginia Foodbank. With track president Doug Fritz pledging to match all donations at the track, toy-for-toy and can-for-can, area residents and race fans responded with incredible generosity. All told, nearly 700 new, unwrapped toys will find their way into the hands of area children through the Marine Toys for Tots program and hundreds of pounds of food will help Richmond-area residents during a time of need. In addition, Richmond International Raceway held its fourth annual Community Tree Lighting on Tuesday, December 4. Hundreds attended the event, which was highlighted by musical performances by Laburnum Elementary School students and the Henrico High School Mighty Marching Warriors band. Through its more than 550 partner agencies, the Central Virginia Foodbank serves the hunger needs of 31 counties and six cities in the Central Virginia area.(RIR PR)(12-20-2007)
- Richmond International Raceway to Host Community Tree Lighting December 4: Everyone in the community is invited to join Richmond International Raceway president Doug Fritz for Richmond International Raceway's fourth annual Community Tree Lighting Ceremony on Tuesday, December 4 at 7:00 p.m. A festive way to kick off the holiday season, the ceremony features an illumination of the raceway's 40-foot holiday tree, music and fun for the entire family. WRIC-TV8 meteorologist Matt DiNardo will serve as master of ceremonies. The ceremony will take place on Richmond International Raceway's front yard, located at 600 East Laburnum Avenue (corner of Laburnum Ave. and Richmond-Henrico Turnpike/Meadowbridge Rd.).(RIR PR)(12-3-2007)
- Commonwealth Grandstand Escalator Construction Begins; Seats Available: Richmond International Raceway took racing fans to new heights in 2007 and will do so even faster in 2008 with a new escalator system. Your opportunity to grab a seat in the Commonwealth Tower is just around the corner. Construction crews recently began work on a new escalator system for the frontstretch Commonwealth Mezzanine and Tower Grandstands, which is great news not only for current ticket holders in these grandstands, but also for those fans wishing to experience “Racing Perfection” for the first time in the best seats in the house. The construction will be complete in time for Richmond International Raceway’s 2008 season-opening NASCAR doubleheader May 2-3. The project will include three escalators, which will take fans from the ground to the Commonwealth Mezzanine, as well as the first row of the Commonwealth Tower. The Commonwealth Grandstand escalators will allow fans seated in these sections to access their seats easier and quicker than ever. Richmond International Raceway officials are pleased to announce that a limited number of tickets will be available in the Commonwealth Tower, which offers an unprecedented view of the ¾-mile track. The view from any seat in the Commonwealth Tower is one of the best in all of motorsports. These tickets are available only as season tickets, which includes all three race weekend at Richmond International Raceway in 2008. Tickets in the Commonwealth Tower will first be offered to current renewable ticket holders wishing to relocate their seats, beginning November 26 and extending through November 30. During this time, current renewable ticket holders wishing to relocate should call 1-866-455-7223 (from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday or 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET on weekends) or visit the Richmond International Raceway ticket office, located at 600 East Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA (from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday). Beginning December 1, customers on the ticket wait list will be given an opportunity to purchase tickets to Richmond International Raceway events, including seats in the Commonwealth Tower. Anyone on the wait list should call 1-866-455-7223 (from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday or 9:00am to 9:00pm/et on weekends) or visit the Richmond International Raceway ticket office, located at 600 East Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA (from 8:30am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday). All remaining tickets for the May NASCAR doubleheader May 2-3 go on sale January 5. For more information on seats in the Commonwealth Tower, please call our ticket office at 1-866-455-7223, visit www.rir.com or stop by the ticket office at the corner of Laburnum Avenue and Richmond-Henrico Turnpike/Meadowbridge Road.(RIR PR)(11-26-2007)
- Congrats: Richmond International Raceway's extended family grew a little larger Thursday. Jillian Margaret Turner-daughter of the track's Director of Public Relations, Aimee Turner, and her husband, Matthew Turner-entered into the world October 4, 2007, at 11:36 a.m. Jillian tips the scales at 6 lbs., 12 oz. and stretches 18-1/2 inches. Jillian is the Turners' first child.(RIR PR)(10-5-2007)
- Richmond Cup race sold out: The Nextel Cup Series consecutive sellout streak at Richmond International Raceway has reached 32. All grandstand seats for the Saturday, September 8, Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Nextel Cup Series race, the final race before the Chase for the Nextel Cup, are sold out, raceway officials announced today. The sellout mark's 16 season of consecutive Nextel Cup Series sellouts at America's Premier Short Track. While all the grandstand seats are sold out for the Chevy Rock & Roll
400, fans can still purchase tickets for the Friday, September 7, Emerson Radio 250 Busch Series race. Reserved tickets for Friday's events are $45 (in advance) and $50 (on
race day). General admission seats are $35 (in advance) and $40 (on race day). Children 12 and under are admitted free in general admission sections with a ticketed adult on Friday. For tickets and information, please visit www.rir.com or call 1-866-455-7223.(RIR PR)(9-6-2007)
- Only 1000 seats left at RIR for Cup race: Fewer than 96 hours before Nextel Cup invades Richmond International Raceway for Saturday night's Chevy Rock & Roll 400, there still are tickets remaining. RIR has sold out 31 consecutive races, and Director of Public Relations Aimee Turner expects this weekend to be no different. "We're quickly selling them now," Turner said. "We're going to sell out. It's not a question of, 'Are we,' but just which day we make the announcement. It will be very soon." Turner said fewer than 1,000 tickets remain, with most of them being scattered single seats.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(9-5-2007)
- PRS Guitars' to provide trophy for Richmond: Over the past two years, the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 trophy has become a celebrity in its own right. Posing for numerous photos with fans, getting plenty of attention from Nextel Cup Series drivers and participating in its own media tour, the one-of-a-kind award is becoming as recognizable as some of the most sought-after trophies in all of sports. Manufactured for the third consecutive year by PRS Guitars, the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 trophy weighs in at about 75 pounds and features a
custom PRS guitar engulfed in polished aluminum flames and is embedded within a 3-D polished aluminum rendition of Richmond International Raceway. The guitar, which is painted to match the paint scheme of the Chevrolet Impala SS Pace Car, sits atop a mahogany and maple pedestal.(RIR PR)(9-4-2007)
- Daughtry to perform concert at Richmond: For the fifth straight year Chevrolet will bring together the sounds of rock and roll and the intensity of NASCAR racing during the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Nextel Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, September 8, with this year's event featuring a pre-race concert by Daughtry. The triple-platinum selling rock band will perform on the frontstretch near the start/finish line of Richmond International Raceway on September 8 at 5:45 p.m., prior to the start of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400. Individuals with tickets to the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Nextel Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway can get an up-close view of the Daughtry concert by visiting Chevy Fan Fest on the midway at RIR on September 8. By participating in the Chevy Challenge, each individual will receive two free passes to watch the Daughtry performance on the frontstretch of the track. Tickets can be purchased at www.rir.com or by calling the RIR ticket office at 1-866-455-RACE (7223).(RIR PR)(9-1-2007)
- Tix still available for Richmond: Fans looking to be a part of one of the most prestigious events on the NASCAR schedule still have the opportunity to do so. A limited number of tickets remain for the Saturday, September 8, Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Nextel Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway. As the 26th race on the schedule, the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 marks the final race before The Chase for the Nextel Cup. After the checkered flag waves, the field will be set for The Chase. Only the top 12 drivers in the point standings will be eligible for the series championship. Tickets for the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Nextel Cup Series race on Saturday, September 8, can be purchased by calling 1-866-455-7223 or visiting www.rir.com.(RIR PR)(8-31-2007)
- Richmond Cup Tix on sale: Tickets for the Saturday, September 8, Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Nextel Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway are now on sale to the general public. Tickets can be purchased at www.rir.com or by calling 1-866-455-7223 or 1-888-472-2849 or in person at the Richmond International Raceway ticket office located at 600 East Laburnum Avenue; Richmond, VA 23222. Additionally, tickets are available for the Friday, September 7, Emerson Radio 250 Busch Series race.(RIR PR)(5-22-2007)
- RIR Prez responds to Dale Jr. commnets about track surface: Richmond International Raceway president Doug Fritz was surprised as anyone to hear the comments from Dale Earnhardt, Jr. yesterday regarding his concerns about the track surface. "This is completely out of left field," said Fritz. "All of the comments I have heard about our track surface from the drivers have been overwhelmingly positive since we repaved it before the 2004 season. Between our two-day test session in early April and our races this past weekend, I did not hear one comment or concern regarding our track surface from Dale Earnhardt, Jr. or any other driver," said Fritz. "I'm always available and accessible to the drivers and I have received feedback from many of them over the years on a number of issues. I was in the garage frequently this past weekend and talked to many of the drivers, and there was no mention of any issues with the track surface. In fact, we've made numerous changes and enhancements at the drivers' request over the years, including concreting our pit stalls, taking out a kink in the backstretch wall, relocating the spotters' stand to a better location and many other improvements related to the competition side," continued Fritz. "Certainly, if there is a consensus among the drivers and NASCAR that we need to do something with this issue or any other, we will certainly take a look at it. Obviously, the drivers are busy today testing, but we have reached out to a number of them, including Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to talk about this." During testing Monday at Lowe's Motor Speedway Earnhardt
told reporters, "The thing about Richmond, now honestly-they need to start sealing that track again. You ain't gonna have a second and third groove at Richmond if the sealer ain't up there to use. I don't know why that ain't registered in anybody's brain. I mean, when that track was good is when they were sealing it ever year...You know-hello?" Track officials have not applied any sealer to the asphalt after it was
resurfaced prior to the 2004 season. Since it was repaved, the track has received rave reviews from the drivers-including Earnhardt-on the
quality of the repaving job and the quality of the racing. "Considering his positive comments about our track and the repaving job during our test session last month and after his victory in last May's Crown Royal 400, I'm even more surprised at his statement," said Fritz. NASCAR has also not heard any complaints from any of the drivers. "Neither (Vice President, Competition) Robin Pemberton or (Nextel Cup Series Director) John Darby has heard anything from any of the drivers on this," said Kerry Tharp, Director of Communications, Competition, for NASCAR. This past weekend's Crown Royal Presents the Jim Stewart 400 featured more of the great side-by-side action Richmond International Raceway is known for. The race tied the track record for the most lead drivers (12) and fell one short of the record for the most lead changes (25), which has happened twice, most recently in March 1996.(RIR PR)(5-9-2007)
