Virginia Motorsports Park – August 27th – 28th
Located just outside Petersburg in Dinwiddie County, Virginia Motorsports Park is a state-of-the-art dragstrip. Known as one of the top-ranked racing tracks in the US, Virginia Motorsports Park was inaugurated back in 1994 for all race lovers out there. The facility is owned by Tommy Franklin, one of the founders of the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA), and his wife Judy Franklin, who purchased the park in 2017.
This 500-acre facility includes a quarter-mile drag race strip, the Mud Bog, and a family All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) park, among various others. Boasting a seating capacity of over 23,000 spectators, the park is home to some of the hottest racing action such as drag racing, motocross, truck and tractor pull, autocross, the great bull run, BMX racing, and is host to the Dinwiddie County Fair which attracts around 10,000 people annually from various parts of the country.
History of the Park
The park has made its mark on the racing community and has been showcasing some of the most thrilling and action-packed motorsports events in history. For the past two decades, the park has witnessed an average of 250,000 people every year. Virginia Motorsports Park was established in 1994 as one of the ten most extensive facilities in the world and bagged the title of hosting the first National Drag Race in the state of Virginia. Speaking of historical events, here is a list of some of the most iconic events that occurred in the park:
- The recent Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series held in September 2020 attracted massive crowds.
- The track also hosted the PDRA Brian Olson Memorial World Finals back in the October of 2019.
- The NHRA Nationals returned to Virginia in June 2018 with completely sold-out events and remarkable performances.
- The first Great Bull Run, inspired by the Spanish San Fermin festival, was held on the 24th of August 2013 at Virginia Motorsports Park.
- The Inaugural Dirtplex Nationals: Mud Bog was held on the 8th of August 2020.
- In the April of 1997, two records were broken by the three-time series winner Warren Johnson. The records broken were about reaching 200 miles per hour and the entire quarter-mile drag in under 6.9 seconds. Johnson covered the track in 6.893 seconds and pulled off a spectacular run of 200.13 mph!
- VMP was given the Golden Trowel Award World Record in 2019 for the smoothest racing surface.
- VMP was also awarded the Drag Champ Track of the Year in January 2020 which was a voted award!
- The Brian Olson Memorial PDRA World Finals is held annually at VMP in October.
The Upcoming Action
The park is soon to witness some of the country’s hottest racing competitions. With the Street Outlaws No Prep Kings series being held this year, the first race is scheduled to take place at the Virginia Motorsports Park. The drag racing competition is the latest series in the Street Outlaws franchise, which has earned global recognition and has provided top-line action-heavy races to its mass following.
Virginia, the state with the most die-hard racing fans, is set to kick off the No Prep Kings series with style. It is a treat to all the drag enthusiasts to attend this event, which is bound to provide spectacular action, thrilling moments, and lasting memories.
The event will take place on August 27th – 28th 2021. Hurry up and book your tickets now!
