You were treated to a first class tour around the facility. The tour started out with a tour of the main grandstands along the start/finish line. You were able to see first hand what seats you would prefer and which seats you would not. But there is really not a bad seat in the house.

A tour of the press box and corporate suites allows everyone to realize how far this sport has come. Luxury suits atop the stands bring a controlled environment to the race fans. These suites are great for the fans that want to be there without the racing atmosphere. But most race fans would rather be out in the stands, standing up cheering for their favorite driver and smelling the fumes; that’s what racing is all about.

A layer of asphalt about six inches deep was removed from pit road and was replaced with concrete. This is the first time in recent history that pit road has been resurfaced and it looks great.

Noticeably the scoreboard was missing. Well a new 120-foot tall scoreboard will be positioned behind the backstretch with three 30-foot video display screens. It will be in place before the October race. The video screens will display scoring along with replays that are visible to all.

The tour also allowed the opportunity to drive your personal vehicle around the Speedway. You were paced behind Martinsville Speedway’s pace car. The speed proved to be enough for the average driver and fan. I would have some pictures of the ride, but with all of the screaming in the car, there was no time.

A special thanks to Tommy Harris, a member of our 500 Committee, for taking us through the complex. It was very informative and btw, the tattoo’s are only for my viewing… :)

You can view the complete photo gallery of the open house here.

Tickets for the Sprint Cup Series TUMS QuikPak 500 on October 19, are on sale and may be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.