Virginia Motorsports Park facts for kids
 |
|
| Location | Petersburg, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Time zone | UTC−5 |
| Coordinates | 37°09′59.29″N 77°31′26.51″W / 37.1664694°N 77.5240306°W |
| Capacity | 23,000 |
| Owner | Tommy & Judy Franklin |
| Address | 8018 Boydton Plank Road North Dinwiddie, VA 23803 |
| Opened | 1994 |
| Major events |
|
| Dragstrip | |
| Surface | Concrete |
| Length | .402 km (.25 mi) |
| Website | http://www.virginiamotor sports.com |
Virginia Motorsports Park (VMP) is a super exciting place in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. It's famous for its fast-paced drag racing, where powerful cars race down a straight track. The park is just outside Petersburg, Virginia.
VMP first opened its doors in 1994. It can hold a huge crowd, with seats for up to 23,000 fans!
Contents
What is Virginia Motorsports Park?
Virginia Motorsports Park is a special type of race track called a dragstrip. It's a straight track, usually a quarter-mile long, where two cars race side-by-side. The goal is to be the first to cross the finish line.
The track at VMP is a quarter-mile long, which is about 0.402 kilometers. It's made of concrete, which helps the powerful race cars get a good grip.
Drag Racing Excitement
Virginia Motorsports Park has a long history with major drag racing events. It has hosted races from two big organizations: the NHRA and the IHRA.
NHRA Races
When VMP first opened, it hosted big NHRA events. After a short time with IHRA starting in 2010, the track welcomed NHRA back in 2012.
In 2018, a major NHRA event called the NHRA Summernationals moved to VMP. It was renamed the Virginia NHRA Nationals. This brought many top professional drag racers to Virginia. However, these races stopped in 2020 when NHRA changed its schedule.
PDRA: Fast "Doorslammers"
Virginia Motorsports Park is also a key track for the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA). This group focuses on "doorslammer" drag racing. These are cars that still look like regular cars, but they are incredibly fast!
PDRA races are usually an eighth-mile long (about 0.201 kilometers). They feature classes like Pro Stock and Pro Modified. Pro Modified cars often use special power boosters like turbochargers or nitrous oxide to go even faster.
The current owners of VMP are Tommy and Judy Franklin. They bought the park in 2017. Tommy Franklin is also one of the people who started the PDRA. VMP often hosts big PDRA events, like the Brian Olson Memorial World Finals.
More Than Just Drag Racing
Virginia Motorsports Park isn't just for drag racing! It also has a special dirt track right next to the dragstrip.
This dirt track hosts exciting events like tractor pulling. In tractor pulling, powerful machines try to pull a heavy sled as far as they can. VMP is a member track of the NTPA.
You can also see motocross races and other fun events on the dirt track. Plus, the park is home to the annual Dinwiddie County Fair every October, which is a big community event!
