MARTINSVILLE (WSLS-10 SPORTS)- They have been racing at Martinsville Speedway for nearly 70 years. Now it won't be long before the track will never again be at the mercy of the setting sun. Dale Earnhardt Jr was on hand to help announce "Light Up Martinsville. " The International Speedway Corporation will spend 5 million dollar to equip the track with LED lighting. It will be the first major motorsports facility to use that kind of system. The construction and implementation of the new lights will start after the completion of the Martinsville chase race, scheduled for October 30. The project is slated to be complete by January of 2017.
"Every short track ought to have a set of lights just in case, " says Dale Earnhardt Jr. " Even if Clay (Campbell) won't admit that they'll be running night races here one day, you know it's a possibility and it's exciting for me. It's exciting for the drivers to have that possibility. And the fans--you know they are going to be asking for it, and I see a time much like Bristol where they will have a day race and a night race at some point in the future of this track, " explained NASCAR's most popular driver.
"To be able to light this track up when the sun goes down, that's going to be something truly special," said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. "Our fans have told us that they want lighting. We're pleased to provide them with another amenity which will ensure Martinsville continues to be one of the premier destinations in motorsports."