Richmond International Raceway

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a A 3/4 mile (1.2 km), D shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Nextel Cup, Busch Series and the Featherlite Modified Series. RIR also hosts the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, and the United States Auto Club Silver Crown Series.

Richmond International Raceway is located at the Richmond Raceway Complex, which is an 800 acre (3.2 km²), multi-purpose facility.

Richmond Raceway Complex also hosts the Virginia Golf Show, Bassarama, Richmond Home and Garden Show, RV and Camping Expo, Richmond Boat Show, Richmond Classic Sports Card Show, East Coast Sawmill and Logging Equipment Expo, Craftsmen Classic Spring and Christmas Shows, Bizarre Bazaar Spring and Christmas Shows and other various arts and craft events.

Outdoor festivals hosted by Richmond Raceway Complex in 2004 included the Virginia State Fair, Richmond Highland Games & Celtic Festival, March of Dimes Bikers for Babies, K95 Country Music Festival, [1] 102.1 The X], ACCA Temple Pork Festival, the VA Food Festival and concerts featuring local and national recording artists.

The former name for RIR was Strawberry Hill until RIR bought out the Virginia State Fairgounds in 1999. The races at Strawberry Hill are still held the third Saturday of April at the Richmond Raceway Complex, although some have suggested the event could eventually be moved to Colonial Downs.

The track operated as a 0.5 mile oval through the spring race of 1988. During the spring and summer of 1988, the track was reconfigured to its current layout of 0.75 miles. The first race under the new configuration was in September 1988. Lights were added for the fall 1991 race.

The track was previously called Richmond Fairgrounds Speedway and the annual fair made the track a popular venue.

Richard Petty holds the record of most wins at Richmond with 13 victories, Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace are tied with six.

Richmond is the site of the famous battle between Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip in 1986. Earnhardt tapped Waltrip in turn 4 and both drivers hit the wall, handing the win to none other than Kyle Petty who avoided the crash and won.

In 2001 to 2002, the fall event was sponsored the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 presented by the Looney Tunes and in 2003, the event was renamed the Chevy Rock and Roll 400.

Until 2005, RIR was home to a fall Craftsman Truck Series race. Starting with the 2006 schedule, that date was transferred to Talladega Superspeedway.