Virginia Motorsports Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Virginia Motorsports Park

Location	Dinwiddie, Virginia, United States
Time zone	UTC−5
Coordinates	37°09′59.29″N 77°31′26.51″W / 37.1664694°N 77.5240306°W / 37.1664694; -77.5240306
Capacity	23,000
Owner	Tommy & Judy Franklin
Address	8018 Boydton Plank Road North Dinwiddie, VA 23803
Opened	1994
Major events	NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Virginia NHRA Nationals PDRA PDRA Pro Stars PDRA World Finals
Dragstrip
Surface	Concrete
Length	.25 mi (.402 km)
Website	https://racevmp.com/

Virginia Motorsports Park (VMP) is a super cool place in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, where powerful cars race down a straight track. It's a 1/4 mile (about 0.4 kilometers) long dragstrip. The park first opened its doors in 1994.

This exciting venue can hold up to 23,000 fans who come to watch the races. It has hosted many big events, including the NHRA's Virginia NHRA Nationals. After a short time with another racing group called IHRA, the track rejoined NHRA in 2012.

Exciting NHRA Races at VMP

In 2018, the NHRA brought a major national event back to Virginia Motorsports Park. This event, called the NHRA Summernationals, moved from another track. The first Virginia NHRA Nationals took place in June 2018.

The event ran for two seasons. Then, in March 2020, the NHRA had to reduce its schedule. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virginia NHRA Nationals returned in May 2022, bringing back the thrill of drag racing. It was not held in 2023. However, it returned to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule in 2024. Another event is planned for June 20-22, 2025.

Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA)

Virginia Motorsports Park is also a key track for the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA). This group focuses on 1/8 mile (about 0.2 kilometers) drag racing. They feature special cars called "doorslammers." These are cars that still look like regular cars, but they are super-fast.

The PDRA has classes like Pro Stock and Pro Modified. These cars often have powerful additions like turbochargers or nitrous oxide. The current owners of VMP are Tommy and Judy Franklin. They bought the park in 2017. Tommy Franklin also helped start the PDRA. The track has hosted the PDRA Brian Olson Memorial World Finals since October 2019.

More Fun at Virginia Motorsports Park

Besides the main dragstrip, Virginia Motorsports Park has other cool areas. There's a dirt track right next to the dragstrip. This dirt track hosts different kinds of events. You can see exciting tractor pulling competitions there.

It also hosts motocross races, where motorcycles race on a challenging dirt course. The park is a busy place! Every October, it also hosts the annual Dinwiddie County Fair. This fair brings even more fun and activities to the area.

Fastest Times: Current Track Records

Drag racing is all about speed and quickness. Here are some of the fastest records set at Virginia Motorsports Park. "E.T." stands for Elapsed Time, which is how long it takes to finish the race. "Speed" is how fast the car or bike was going at the finish line.