MARTINSVILLE, Va. – NASCAR fans get excited because this weekend you will be able to hear the roar of the engines and smell the scent of exhaust in Martinsville.
The Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 is just a couple of days away. Before the race, fans can join in on the excitement Wednesday night with the Track Laps for Charity.
Track Laps for Charity offers fans the chance to drive their own car around Martinsville’s historic half-mile track. You can step behind the wheel and see what it feels like to be a racecar driver by donating $25 for charity.
All drivers must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. Also, sorry to burst anyone’s bubble, but the fastest you can drive is 55 miles per hour.
Clay Campbell, the track president says, “We may take it for granted that going on the track is not that big of a deal, but for fans that come to our facility, it’s great for them. So, we are looking forward to that.”
This fun event starts Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. All drivers and passengers must sign a waiver before stepping onto the track.
The charity that is benefiting from the event is Vet Tix, a nonprofit that provides event tickets to veterans, currently serving military members and first responders. So far, Vet Tix has distributed more than 9.7 million tickets.
Tickets to different events, provided by this organization, can help families make lifelong memories.
“It is always near and dear to our hearts to contribute to something and really, we do it at Christmas time, Track Laps for Charity, but this one tied into the race. We really hit some success on that one because we have so many people in the area,” says Campbell.