Langley Speedway (Virginia) facts for kids
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| Location | Hampton, Virginia |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (UTC−04:00 DST) |
| Coordinates | 37°5′11″N 76°23′12″W / 37.08639°N 76.38667°W |
| Capacity | 9,000 est. |
| Owner | Bill Mullis |
| Operator | Bill Mullis |
| Opened | 1950 |
| Former names | Langley Speedway (1950–2016) |
| Major events | Current: CARS Tour (1998, 2009–2011, 2019–present) Hampton Heat 200 (2008-present) Former: NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Visit Hampton VA 150 (2011–2015, 2017–2018) NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (2017–2018, 2022–2023) NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour (1989, 2001–2002, 2010–2015) ASA National Tour (1998–1999) NASCAR Southeast Series (1995) NASCAR Busch Series (1982–1988) NASCAR Grand National Series (1964–1970) |
| Oval | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 0.396 mi (0.637 km) |
| Banking | Turns: 6° Straightaways: 4° |
Larry King Law's Langley Speedway is a cool race track in Hampton, Virginia, USA. It used to be called Langley Speedway. This track is a paved short track that's about 0.637 kilometers (or 4/10 of a mile) long.
It's one of the flattest tracks around! The corners have only six degrees of banking, and the straight parts have just two degrees. In November 1970, it hosted the very last NASCAR Grand National Series race before that series got a new name, the Winston Cup. You can find the track right in front of NASA's Langley Research Center.
Langley Speedway is approved by NASCAR. It's part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. This series helps find a national champion for local NASCAR tracks. The track has 12 different racing groups that take turns racing on Saturday nights. These include Late Models, Modifieds, Legends cars, and Super Trucks. An attorney in the area helps sponsor the track's name.
Saturday night races usually start their pre-race fun around 7:00 PM. The first race kicks off about 15 minutes later.
Besides the main races, Langley Speedway hosts other exciting events. The Hampton Roads Kart Club races there on most Sundays and some Fridays. "Wacky Wednesday" lets anyone with a helmet and a street-legal car try time attacks, burnout contests, and drag races. The Langley Drift Club helped bring drifting to the area. Also, since 2023, you can find Old-Dominion Region-SCCA Autocross events there.
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Hampton Heat 200: A Big Race
The Hampton Heat 200 is a super exciting 200-lap race. It's for the Crossroads Fuel Late Model Stock Car Division. The City of Hampton, Virginia, provides a big prize for the winners. This race is also the second part of the Virginia Triple Crown.
The race follows the official NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Rule Book. NASCAR officials make sure all cars meet the rules. The race is split into two halves. After the first 100 laps, there's a 10-minute break. During this break, teams can add more fuel and make changes to their cars. They can also rotate tires, but they can't put on new ones. Unlike some other races at Langley, caution laps (when cars drive slowly for safety) do count in this race.
Hampton Heat 200: Past Races
2008: The First Winner
The very first Hampton Heat 200 happened on July 12, 2008. Twenty-five cars raced, with drivers from Virginia and North Carolina. Danny Edwards Jr. started in the top spot. He led for the first half of the race. Later, Nick Smith showed his speed and took the lead. Driving car number 21, Nick Smith won the race and a $15,000 prize!
2009: A New Champion
On July 11, 2009, even more cars raced, with 27 entries. Nick Smith, the winner from 2008, started in pole position again. However, C.E. Falk III took the lead early on. Later in the race, Nick Smith had an incident and had to stop racing. Woody Howard then took the lead with only a few laps left. Howard won the race, driving the same car number 21 that won the year before! He took home a $10,000 prize.
2010: Falk's Victory
The 2010 race on July 10, 2010, started with some rain, but the skies cleared up. Twenty-three cars set their qualifying times. Paul DeBolt was the fastest to start. C.E. Falk took the lead early in the race. There was some exciting bumping between Stacy Puryear and Mark Wertz. Falk led at the halfway point and won a $100 bonus. After a few more cautions, Falk showed how strong he was. He pulled far ahead of the other cars. Even a late caution couldn't stop him. Falk got a great restart and won the race, earning a $10,000 prize.
Hampton Heat 200 Winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Nick Smith |
| 2009 | Woody Howard |
| 2010 | C.E. Falk III |
| 2011 | C.E. Falk III (2) |
| 2012 | Matt Bowling |
| 2013 | Peyton Sellers |
| 2014 | C.E. Falk III (3) |
| 2015 | Lee Pulliam |
| 2016 | n/a |
| 2017 | Bobby McCarty |
| 2018 | Philip Morris |
| 2019 | Connor Hall |
| 2020 | Brenden Queen |
| 2021 | Josh Berry |
| 2022 | Jared Fryar |
| 2023 | Brenden Queen (2) |
| 2024 | Brenden Queen (3) |
| 2025 | Matt Waltz |
Famous Drivers from Langley Speedway
Even though NASCAR's top series hasn't raced here since 1970, Langley Speedway is still important. Many young drivers learn to race here every year in late model events. Some well-known drivers who started at Langley include:
- Denny Hamlin – He won the 2016 Daytona 500 and is a regular in the Cup Series. He was a mini stock track champion at Langley in 1997.
- Joe Falk – He owns a Cup Series team. Joe Falk was the 1976 Winston Racing track champion at Langley Speedway. He also finished second in the Virginia State NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Division.
- C.E. Falk – He is the son of former NASCAR racer Eddie Falk and the nephew of team owner Joe Falk.
Langley Speedway's History with NASCAR Series
NASCAR Grand National Races
From 1964 to 1970, Langley Speedway hosted nine NASCAR Grand National events. Back then, the track surface was dirt. David Pearson won the most Grand National races at Langley, with three victories. The November 1970 Tidewater 300 race was very special. It was the last Grand National race before the series changed its name to the Winston Cup. Bobby Allison won that final race, and Bobby Isaac became the champion that year.
NASCAR Busch Series Events
Langley Speedway also held 14 NASCAR Busch Series events between 1982 and 1988. The track had been paved with asphalt since the last Grand National race in 1970. Two drivers were especially good in the Busch Series races here. Jack Ingram won four times, and Tommy Ellis won five times.
