Amid uncertainty about Langley Speedway’s future, the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown, scheduled for the track April 21, has been canceled. Race coordinator Buck Reuss said Denny Hamlin Foundation management informed him Tuesday that the charity race will not be held at Langley or any track this season. ‘This is due to the situation at Langley Speedway,’ Reuss said. ‘I don’t blame anyone operating the track, because I think (Victory Lane Motorsports owner) Bill Mullis and (Langley Speedway general manager) Chuck Hall have done more for the track than anyone since Joe Carver (Langley’s promoter from the mid-1970s to early ’80s). But the drivers needed to set their schedules by Jan. 5 at the latest.’ Mullis has not been able to purchase the property on which the track sits from the California-based landowner because they disagree on the purchase price. Mullis has leased the track from the landowner the previous six seasons, but has said it would be more viable financially for him to operate the track by purchasing it. Minus a purchase agreement or lease, track management has not released a schedule for the 2016 season and, during the past week, has moved much of its property off of the premises. In addition, Langley Speedway management did not re-sign with NASCAR for three races run at the track annually: one in the K&N; Pro Series East and two others in the Whelen Southern Modified Tour Series. The Hamlin charity race was expected to be one of the biggest events in track history. Reuss said that in addition to Hamlin, he expected his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, 2015 Sprint Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and 2003 Cup champ Matt Kenseth, to also be part of the Showdown field. Previous hosts were Southside Speedway, RIR and South Boston Speedway.(Daily Press)(1-14-2016)
UPDATE: Due to track operations and schedule uncertainty at Langley Speedway (Hampton, Va.), the 9th Annual Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown scheduled for April 21st at Langley has been cancelled for 2016. ‘The event is an around-the-clock, full year in the making,’ said race coordinator Buck Reuss. ‘But due to the very unfortunate timing of the property negotiations ongoing at Langley, it left us no choice but to look toward 2017 and bypass this year’s running of the event.’
‘It is really disappointing as I was really looking forward to returning to Langley to race again, as were so many other drivers that were planning to participate,’ said Hamlin, who began his stock car racing career at Langley in 1997, winning both the track championship and track rookie of the year honors. ‘So we will turn our attention to 2017 and wish everyone the best of luck in their racing endeavors this year.’(Denny Hamlin Foundation)
