NASCAR
Campbell: We're excited to have fans back in here [Martinsville] because everything just feels better with fans in here enjoying what this place is all about
It's a big weekend for Martinsville Speedway with a 3-race event coming to town, but more importantly for the first time since the pandemic hit a large number of fans will be able to attend. Earlier this week WRAL's Kacy Hintz caught up with track president Clay Campbell to discuss the protocols in place and the buzz surrounding this week's events
you know, I know the biggest thing is you guys are going to have more fans than we had last fall. Just how exciting is this for MArtinsville to be able to host a good number of fans coming up this week. It's exciting for us. I think it it's exciting for everybody, not only the track, but the teams, the drivers for Nascar uh, and we knew we would get to this point, but to be able to welcome more fans back in to enjoy what they have always enjoyed here at martinsville, a great short track race. It's it's pretty exciting. I can't wait till the weekend. Get here right now. I know it's probably in Virginia is a roughly 30%. Do we have a number that you guys will be able to be welcoming back in? You know, we're very fortunate that the governor, Governor Northam did allow 30% will be shy of 30% due to social distancing and things like that. But after you go, like last year, this race last year had no one, the fall race had 1000. So to go to a little less than 30% were very excited about that. I think it's gonna be a great weekend and that's all three nights we have three nights of racing the wheel and modified tour on thursday night for the virginias for racing lovers, 200 Xfinity series is back for the second year in a row for the cookout to 50 in the blue emu, maximum pain relief 500 for the Nascar Cup series on saturday night. So the first time we've had, we've got three night races and really thrilled about that, right? And also, you know, I guess just in general, having that many fans back in the state of Virginia, something for people to look forward to. Just kind of, how exciting is that for the track to kind of be that first event to be able to host this many people, What does that do for looking ahead in the excitement? You're right Casey, This will be the largest crowd back since the pandemic struck a year ago. So this will be the largest crowd in the commonwealth of Virginia and we're really excited to be that. Uh, I think it excites everybody martinsville in Henry County, the area around here to bring in fans to enjoy the restaurants and motels, spend money in grocery stores, convenience stores, all of that. It's big for our area. Uh, but industry wise, it's, it's big for all of us to be able to bring fans back in here because everything that we do, we know people will be here to enjoy it. It's great for our staff is great for the competitors too, Get out of the car and have fans cheering and screaming once they stand on top of the cars. So it's gonna be a great weekend. You've certainly seen that after some of the races that have had fans and the guys jumped out of the cars. They really do love that. You mentioned you can't maybe get to that 30 because of social distancing. How different has your preparations been for this week? Given maybe some of the protocols you guys have to, you know, maybe adhere to. Yeah, it is a little bit different. It's more work on the operation side, it's more work on the ticketing side, but you know, we started it last year with 1000, so we kind of had a trial run with a smaller crowd and I think we're certainly ready for the task this weekend to do it right. We don't take that lightly that were allowed more fans in here. So we want to get them in here, experience a safe event and get them out of here and then hopefully they'll come back here in, in october of this year. But you know, there are things that we do as far as the replacement of the dots on the ground to keep people six ft away when they're standing in line. Uh, staggered entry times going through the gates. We've got hand sanitizing stations all throughout the property will have people wiping down the handrails all throughout the day. So, things like that. Uh, it all works. Uh, it is what we have to do right now and, and we have no problem with is good. Right? Uh, since I got you, I have to ask just last week you guys held, I think one of, if not the first on track test for the wet track tires. I just hope I can get your thoughts on that. Um, how you think it went and kind of, what does this do for opening up doors in the future for short track racing? Um, are on wet tracks if you will. Yeah, I think it's great. I think the test went well. I think Nascar and their engineers and Goodyear the drivers they left here with a positive attitude. I think what it does case, it doesn't really mean we're running in the rain. What it will allow us to do once that rain is over and the track is wet. We don't have to spend two hours getting it totally dry. Uh, so we can go back to green flag racing quicker. Uh, and the tire that they have will allow us to do that. So, I think it opens up a lot of doors going forward where maybe we don't have to postpone a race and come back another time to do it. Or the fans are not sitting in the grandstand so long watching air titans and jet drivers go around trying to get the thing dry. So it's a great initiative. And I think as I said, when they left here the other day, everybody had a positive feeling about the test right now. I'm a weirdo. I've been at darlington for two races where I think, well, I left last year like two in the morning, but I love it. I love watching the air titans go around around, but that's, that's just, I'm a weirdo. I'm a track weirdo. Um, Well, so I know you guys have with Virginia legalized betting I'm interested in. Is this something that you guys are able to like, is this a fan experience that they're gonna be able to have this week doing the kind of online betting? Well what it is, they will have uh they have a display set up outside the the gates. It will be a very elaborate deal showing what wind bet is all about. We're excited about wind bet in the relationship they have with Nascar and the relationship they have with us here at martinsville and at Richmond, I think it gives our fans something else to do when they arrive on property from the time they're here on property until they leave. All betting, there will be no betting in a building or this display that everything is on the phone, which you can do anywhere at any time. But I think it it just takes us to another level uh in the gaming area that we haven't experienced in the past. So it's I think it's all gonna be great and we're excited about wind bet, Windows things in the first class manner. And I like to think we do as well. So I think the Teaming up of wind win bet and marshall speedway. Nascar is a win for everybody. Well played right there. I got to ask you what have you enjoyed so far, both this season. I know I've loved just that we had a string of new winners each week. But what stood out to you about this Nascar season so far? Well, that would have to be it. Seven races and seven winners. Who would ever thought we'd had that many winners in that many races? Can there be 1/8 winner this weekend? Could possibly be? And I think that's what fans need to need to be watching to see if we have that eighth winner or we have a repeat finally. But here you've got so many people that have that shot at winning. Uh It would you're talking about wind, but it would be hard to bet if this is gonna be the eighth or you know, a repeat out of the seventh. Right? Well, I guess finally, you know, what do you obviously martinsville being? You know, one of them? I think it's not the shortest track on the cup series circuit. But what do you want fans who are in attendance or for viewers watching on tv? What do you want them to take away from this these races that make it so unique and special each year at martinsville? Well, I think number one, they get to see the modifieds return to Martinsville, They get to see the Xfinity back again and then another Great Cup race. Uh, and I think they will see what they're used to seeing here at martinsville. Great short track racing. Uh, that's what has made this place so special to our fans. And if they leave here saying, man, that was a great race and that's you re notch that off that networked, right? I guess one more thing just if it could piggyback off of that, you know, you mentioned, that's what, you know, it's so exciting into the race, is their short track racing can be. And so I guess how important was it for you? Obviously, you can't control what the governor was going to do, but how big was it for you guys to be able to get, you know, a good amount of fans and specifically for this weekend's race? Yeah, it was big. It was a huge deal. Uh, we met with the governor a couple of times, myself and Dennis Pick Meyer, president of Richmond. It's huge. Not only for us, but for nascar for the commonwealth of Virginia. And, and he said as long as numbers kept going down, then we'd probably see some restrictions loosened up, some. So we're excited to have whatever that number is. We're excited to have fans back in here because everything just feels better when you have fans in here to enjoy what this place is all about. So, it should be a very exciting, memorable weekend. Did I leave anything else out that? Thank you. Awesome. Well, thank you so much. I wish that it was different times. I normally, I think Wrl goes up there to the race, but we haven't been able to do much. So hopefully by the fall will be follow you. Will. I hope so. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Thank you. Have a good day. Bye. Appreciate it. Yeah. See you later. Bye bye.