Well Worth the Wait – South Boston Speedway Kicks off 2024 Season on a Day Fit for a King

The sun peeked over the grandstands at South Boston Speedway. It was a welcome sight, but a day late. The months leading up to opening day had been filled with a lot of work by a lot of people, and a lot of learning for a new general manager like myself. Our 2024 kickoff event was billed as a day fit for a King – a huge, new Open-Wheel Modified racing event worth $20,000 to the racer who finished first.

We were working with the SMART Modified Tour (a touring racing series that travels across the southeast to different racetracks) to bring a new crown jewel event to southern Modified racing. Open-Wheel Modifieds have a long, storied history at South Boston Speedway, with legends like Sonny Hutchins, Eddie Crouse, Richie Evans, and Ray Hendrick wheeling their machines around our racetrack. It’s only fitting we’d be the place to crown a new King of the Modifieds.

Many phone calls, many meetings, many discussions, and many hours had gone into planning the event. Our staff took a lot of care in getting everything just right for our fans and the racers who would put on the show for them.

A fresh coat of paint blanketed the entire venue. Crisp wall signage was hung. A brand-new Old Glory had just been run up the flagpole; under it, an equally new flag of the Commonwealth blew in the breeze at the speedway’s entrance. A completely renovated broadcast and public address booth was just waiting for its microphones to go hot.

But as we got closer to race day, the reward from all that work looked like it would have to wait. Mother Nature just wasn’t playing nice. As the forecast for Saturday, March 23 looked bleaker and more damp, we decided to wait one more day to open our doors for the 2024 season. Sometimes in racing, changing the date of an event might dissuade fans from coming. Folks have made their plans well in advance, some already having bought tickets. They’ve tailored their entire schedule around coming to the speedway on a particular day.

After a soggy Saturday, we turned the page to Sunday.

Man, all that work just to have to move the race to the following day. It was so frustrating. Would the work pay off the way we’d all hoped and expected? We’d have to find out.

As the sun rose over those aforementioned grandstands on Sunday, March 24, and the 18-wheel semi trailers holding the ground-pounding, 600-horsepower Modified race cars began to make their way into the infield to start their day, our workday also began.

Joining the Modifieds were “our” cars: Late Model Stock Cars and Hornets. Late Model Stock Cars – in simple terms – are mostly like a NASCAR Cup Series or Xfinity Series race car as you’ll find at the grassroots level. A Hornet is a four-cylinder, front-wheel drive car, with added safety equipment and a roll cage. Altogether, this race day featured three great, diverse classes and was the perfect way to start off a racing season at South Boston Speedway.

As the morning turned to afternoon, it was about time to open the gates. A smattering of fans had been sitting on the bricks outside of the front ticket booth, anticipating the first wisp of fresh rubber and exhaust fumes. A mixture of folks, young and old, waited patiently for the ticket windows to open, some just needing to scan tickets they bought well in advance of the event.

As the time grew nearer, the crowd outside the gates grew larger. Meanwhile, on the track, the Modifieds, Late Models, and Hornets were all fired up, warming their engines and beginning their practice sessions. This would be the final time drivers and teams could tune their cars up before running their qualifying laps that would set their respective starting positions for feature fields on race day.

High above it all were clear, blue skies. The sounds of wrenches banging and clanging gave way to the roar of engines. Practice for all three divisions came and went in the blink of an eye. The gates swung open and those waiting in line had their patience rewarded.

The smell of our world-famous bologna burgers filled the air as concessions opened. Behind Turns 3 and 4 as well as our back straightaway. Trucks and cars entered our tailgating area where fans can watch the race from their own personal trackside parking area. Folks who brought their lawn chairs days in advance found them, opened them up, and sat down. The grandstands began to be speckled with spectators.

Our announcer, Doc Love, spoke into the microphone in that brand-new PA (public address) room, welcoming our fans to the 2024 season. It wouldn’t be long now. Leading off the show would be our Late Models, then the Hornets, then the Modifieds.

Our Sentara Health-sponsored Late Model Stock Car division is our featured class on a weekly basis. It would be their first race for championship points this season. One-hundred laps was the distance, on a brand-new Hoosier tire compound that presented a lot of unknowns to our competitors. Two-time national champion and six-time South Boston Late Model champion Peyton Sellers, reigning Martinsville 300 Late Model winner Trevor Ward, and Virginia fan-favorite Mike Looney headlined a stout field of cars that would christen our 2024 campaign.

Up until this point, I had been running around – sometimes quite literally – doing a little bit of everything. A lot of preparation goes into race day, but nothing can truly prepare you for it.

I made a point to greet and shake hands with all those fans who had waited patiently out front for the gates to open. As they walked through, I wanted to make sure they knew we appreciated them joining us on a Sunday. The same went for our sponsor, URW Community Federal Credit Union, who put its name on the race day. I visited with their employees and their families and friends, who were all our guests.

I actually hadn’t gotten to think much about race cars until we were about to fire the engines for our first race. That was weird, because in my previous roles in racing as a digital marketing manager, or social media guy, or photographer, all I really did was think about race cars on race day.

Today was just a different day, though. And it had absolutely flown by. All of a sudden, here we were, moments from beginning pre-race ceremonies, where we set the stage for the race by thanking our sponsors, saying a prayer, singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and, finally, saying “Drivers, Start Your Engines!” We do all of that in our Victory Lane area on pit road, looking up at the crowd.

I was to be the person to kick off the pre-race festivities by welcoming everyone, and I realized I hadn’t actually looked up. Wow! The stands were filled. Thousands of people had been waiting for this moment. Just like I had. A day late? I guess not.

I’ve been a racing fan since I was seven years old, and I’ve been attending races since I was nine. Right then, seeing those fans anticipating the start of our 2024 season, it was among the most memorable and special moments I’ve ever had in racing.

After that, everything slowed down. The green flag dropped, and then the checkered. Our amazing fans were treated to a first-time South Boston Speedway Late Model Stock Car winner in Craig Moore and a dominating performance in Hornets by Cameron Goble. Then, they got to witness 17-year-old Luke Baldwin get the better of one of the greatest Modified drivers in history, Matt Hirschman, as Baldwin used a daring late-race, three-wide move to take the lead and ultimately take the $20,000 King of the Modifieds top prize.

As the sun set behind Turns 1-2, we took photos and celebrated in Victory Lane, and I was filled with a sense of such appreciation for what had just taken place. All that work had been rewarded. It was a perfect day at a place that is so special to so many. It was a day fit for a King. And it was well worth the wait.

1188 James D. Hagood Highway
South Boston, Va. 24592
(434) 572-4947
SouthBostonSpeedway.com