2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 124
Commending Richmond Raceway.
Agreed to by the Senate, February 26, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 2, 2026
WHEREAS, in 2026, Richmond Raceway celebrates its 80th anniversary of providing a unique and unparalleled stock car racing experience for both fans and drivers; and
WHEREAS, Richmond Raceway traces its roots to 1946 when a half-mile racetrack was built at the Atlantic Rural Exposition fairgrounds in Henrico County; the first race at the dirt track was held on October 12, 1946; and
WHEREAS, Richmond Raceway hosted its first National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Grand National Division race on April 19, 1953, where future NASCAR Hall of Fame-inductee Lee Petty won the race with an average speed of 45.535 miles per hour; since then, the historic track has been home to numerous thrilling NASCAR contests of skill, speed, and technical prowess; and
WHEREAS, today, Richmond Raceway is the oldest active NASCAR Cup Series track on the East Coast and is one of the most important racing venues in the Commonwealth; in its lifetime, Richmond Raceway has undergone numerous name changes and configurations, and the original dirt track is now an asphalt surface; and
WHEREAS, racing fans have flocked to Richmond Raceway for its race weekends since 1959; the track's current configuration, built in 1988, is a three-quarter-mile-long, D-shaped oval, the only such track in NASCAR; lights were added 35 years ago in 1991, allowing Richmond to host popular nighttime races; and