“When you look at the car counts and the exciting racing being put on during Florida Speedweeks it only gets you amped and excited to have the best dirt late model drivers in the country headed to Virginia for what we feel is going to be the best Commonwealth 100 yet,” commented track General Manager Clarke Sawyer.

This year’s edition will have a new twist as the Lucas Oil Late Model series will now sanction the $25,000 to win event. The weekend will also include a $3000 to win non-qualifiers race.

Fans can expect to see the best in national and regional dirt late model drivers for this highly anticipated event. Defending Lucas Oil Late Model Series Champion Jimmy Owens, two-time Champion Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Don O’Neal, 5-time Champion Earl Pearson Jr., Jared Landers along with rookie contenders Austin Hubbard and Jonathan Davenport are just a few of the Lucas regulars that will compete against defending race winner Steve Shaver, Booper Bare, Ricky Elliott, Jason Covert, Jamie Lathroum and a host of other regional hot shoes for the top prize.

Fans have until April 1 to grab one of the best deals in dirt Late Model racing — a two-day advance adult ticket for just $30; Senior / Military are $27 and students (7-17) just $15. All tickets are general admission. No reserved seats will be sold for the event.

Fans can purchase tickets by visiting www.vamotorspeedway.com, downloading the advance ticket order form and sending it to the track with a money order or cashier’s check (no personal checks), or by calling the speedway office at 804-758-1867 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and using a Mastercard, Visa or Discover card.

Drivers, meanwhile, can also save by entering the Commonwealth 100 prior to the early-entry deadline of April 1. The $150 early-entry fee not only saves racers $50 off the regular $200 entry fee but also includes a two-day driver pit pass worth $50.

The Commonwealth 100 weekend kicks off on Fri., April 13, with Lucas Oil Late Model time trials and heat races, while B-Mains, a 30-lap Non-Qualifiers’ Race and the headline 100-lapper take center stage on Sat., April 14. A raindate of Sun., April 15, has been established for the event. Schedule of events is tentative and subject to change.

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vamotorspeedway and follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/vamotorspeedway.com for a chance at special deals and prizes during the 2012 season.

Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway, an ASA affiliate track, is a 1/2-mile, dirt oval. The track is located on U.S. Route 17, eight miles north of Saluda, VA and 25 miles south of Tappahannock, VA in Jamaica, VA. The speedway is just a short drive from Richmond, Fredericksburg, Southern Maryland and the Hampton Roads areas.

To learn more about Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway and its 2012 schedule of events, fans may call the Speedway office at (804) 758-1VMS or visit the track’s web site at www.vamotorspeedway.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: DAVE SEAY (804) 758-1867 OR (804) 357-7223

This year’s edition will have a new twist as the Lucas Oil Late Model series will now sanction the $25,000 to win event. The weekend will also include a $3000 to win non-qualifiers race.

Fans can expect to see the best in national and regional dirt late model drivers for this highly anticipated event. Defending Lucas Oil Late Model Series Champion Jimmy Owens, two-time Champion Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Don O’Neal, 5-time Champion Earl Pearson Jr., Jared Landers along with rookie contenders Austin Hubbard and Jonathan Davenport are just a few of the Lucas regulars that will compete against defending race winner Steve Shaver, Booper Bare, Ricky Elliott, Jason Covert, Jamie Lathroum and a host of other regional hot shoes for the top prize.

Fans have until April 1 to grab one of the best deals in dirt Late Model racing — a two-day advance adult ticket for just $30; Senior / Military are $27 and students (7-17) just $15. All tickets are general admission. No reserved seats will be sold for the event.

Fans can purchase tickets by visiting www.vamotorspeedway.com, downloading the advance ticket order form and sending it to the track with a money order or cashier’s check (no personal checks), or by calling the speedway office at 804-758-1867 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and using a Mastercard, Visa or Discover card.

Drivers, meanwhile, can also save by entering the Commonwealth 100 prior to the early-entry deadline of April 1. The $150 early-entry fee not only saves racers $50 off the regular $200 entry fee but also includes a two-day driver pit pass worth $50.

The Commonwealth 100 weekend kicks off on Fri., April 13, with Lucas Oil Late Model time trials and heat races, while B-Mains, a 30-lap Non-Qualifiers’ Race and the headline 100-lapper take center stage on Sat., April 14. A raindate of Sun., April 15, has been established for the event. Schedule of events is tentative and subject to change.
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43rd SEASON: The tentative 2012 schedule has been released and includes 17 weeks of action starting with the opening weekend Commonwealth 100 and ending September 14 – 15, 2012 with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned $20,000 to win USA 100. The schedule also includes two Mud Bogs at “The Pit @ VMS”. To see the entire 2012 schedule in its entirety, visit the Speedway’s website at www.vamotorspeedway.com.

Registrations are currently being accepted with the top 10 in each division having their numbers reserved until February 15th, after which all numbers will be first come first served. Competitors can obtain a 2012 registration form by going to the tracks website or by calling the speedway Monday through Friday 10am through 3pm at (804) 758-1867.

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vamotorspeedway and follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/vamotorspeedway.com for a chance at special deals and prizes during the 2012 season.

Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway, an ASA affiliate track, is a 1/2-mile, dirt oval. The track is located on U.S. Route 17, eight miles north of Saluda, VA and 25 miles south of Tappahannock, VA in Jamaica, VA. The speedway is just a short drive from Richmond, Fredericksburg, Southern Maryland and the Hampton Roads areas.

To learn more about Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway and its 2012 schedule of events, fans may call the Speedway office at (804) 758-1VMS or visit the track’s web site at www.vamotorspeedway.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: DAVE SEAY (804) 758-1867 OR (804) 357-7223

Napa of King William has signed on as sponsor of this weekend’s $25,000 to win event and will now be called the 2nd Annual NAPA of King William Commonwealth 100. NAPA of King William has sponsored several special events at Virginia Motor Speedway over the year’s and has decided to move their support to the speedway’s biggest race of the year.

“We are pleased to have Curtis Grubb, Anita Sawyer of NAPA of King William as title sponsor of our signature event for the speedway. They have been great supporters of racing at Virginia Motor Speedway and we value their partnership,” commented track General Manager Clarke Sawyer.

“With this being the biggest event of the year we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to become the title sponsorship of the Commonwealth 100 to promote our NAPA store and the new line of Seachoice Marine Products we now sell in our store,” commented General Manager Anita Sawyer.

Added Sawyer, “We really enjoy the partnership we have with Virginia Motor Speedway, it has helped us get tons of exposure for our NAPA store and also gives us a chance to entertain some of our vendors and customers at one of the finest facilities in the country.”

The Speedway would also like to announce that Nininger Tire and Auto Service of Brunswick, Maryland has added a special bonus for the upcoming Commonwealth 100. The bonus will pay $250 to the top finishing Regional/Local racer, $150 for the second highest finishing Local and $100 for the third highest finishing Local racer. To be eligible for this bonus a driver can not be in the Top 15 of World of Outlaw or Lucas Oil Series points coming into the Commonwealth 100.

“I think the drivers we have in this region are just as good as any in the country”, said Glen Nininger owner of Nininger Tire and Auto. Then he added, “I hope that I’m in Victory Lane handing one of our guys the money as I think one of them can surely win”. When ask about his involvement in the Commonwealth 100 and VMS Nininger replied, “It’s the biggest event on the East Coast and the facility is one of the nicest in the country, that and the tracks staff have such expertise and professionalism it’s a place to be involved with”.

In another announcement VMS track owner Bill Sawyer has decided to extend the two-day advance ticket pricing all the way through Saturday April 16th.

“As a way to help the fans out every little bit we can in these economic times, I just felt we needed to carry the special two-day pricing all the way to the gate on Saturday, April 16,” commented Track Owner Bill Sawyer. “I think our price-point for a two-day ticket has been well, well received. We’ve read and heard a lot of nice comments on it, and now we’re going to let everybody take advantage of it.

“I think it’s important that we look after the working man’s pocketbook to make it affordable for him to be able to come to Virginia Motor Speedway for our biggest show of the year. We want to put a very good ticket price out there and hopefully do the volume of numbers coming through the gate.”

Adult tickets are just $30; Senior / Military are $27 and students (7-17) just $15; children 6 and under are free. All tickets are general admission. No reserved seats will be sold for the event.

Fans can purchase tickets in advance by calling the speedway office at 804-758-1867 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and using a MasterCard, Visa or Discover card. Avoid the long lines and get yours in advance. Tickets sold this week will be held at will call.

The VMS 2011 season will kick off in a huge way on April 15 – 16, 2011 when the nationally recognized World of Outlaws Late Model Series will bring their 900+ horsepower Dirt Late Models to compete in the $25,000 to win Commonwealth 100. The weekend will also include The Rumble on the River 30 lap $3000 to win non-qualifiers race.

Fans can expect to see World of Outlaws Late Model stars two-time defending Champion Josh Richards, Rick Eckert, Steve Francis, Chub Frank, Darrell Lanigan, Clint Smith, Shane Clanton, Tim McCreadie, Tim Fuller along with 2007 VMS Victory Lap Late Model Champion and current World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year Austin Hubbard. Also expected to compete are two-time Lucas Oil Late Model Champion Scott Bloomquist, 4-time Lucas Oil Late Model Champion Earl Pearson Jr., Brad Neat, 3-time MACS Champion Jason Covert, Jonathan Davenport, Jimmy Owens defending race winner Chris Madden and a host of other top regional and national talent.

The Commonwealth 100 weekend kicks off on Fri., April 15, with WoO LMS time trials and heat races, while B-Mains, a 30-lap Non-Qualifiers’ Race and the headline 100-lapper take center stage on Sat., April 16. A rain date of Sun., April 17, has been established for the event.

Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway, an ASA affiliate track, is a 1/2-mile, dirt oval. The track is located on U.S. Route 17, eight miles north of Saluda, VA and 20 miles south of Tappahannock, VA in Jamaica, VA. The speedway is just a short drive from Richmond, Fredericksburg, Southern Maryland and the Hampton Roads areas.

To learn more about Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway and its 2011 schedule of events, fans may call the Speedway office at (804) 758-1VMS or visit the track’s web site at www.vamotorspeedway.com.

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vamotorspeedway and follow us on Twitter:www.twitter.com/vamotorspeedway.com for a chance at special deals and prizes during the 2011 season.

MEDIA CONTACT: DAVE SEAY (804) 758-1867 OR (804) 357-7223

2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Promoter of the Year Has Showplace Track Ready For Second Annual $25,000-To-Win Event

JAMAICA, VA – April 3, 2011 – There’s a host of reasons for Virginia Motor Speedway owner Bill Sawyer’s selection as the 2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Promoter of the Year, but three undoubtedly stand out.

No. 1: Sawyer’s racetrack, a showplace half-mile oval that he’s built into one of the top short-track facilities in the country.

No. 2: Sawyer’s creation of the Commonwealth 100, a $25,000-to-win WoO LMS spectacular that launched in 2010 and returns to the national tour’s schedule this year for a second annual edition on April 15-16.

No. 3: Sawyer’s dedication to the fans, for whom he not only provides a speedway with virtually unmatched amenities but also attractive ticket deals like the one he’s offering up for the high-profile Commonwealth 100 weekend.

Under Sawyer’s leadership, VMS and the Commonwealth 100 have quickly assumed prominent places on the dirt Late Model map – and the extra-distance WoO LMS show has become arguably the biggest financial bargain in the division for fans. A two-day general admission ticket to the Commonwealth 100 – which includes time trials and heat races on Fri., April 15, and B-Mains, the 30-lap ‘Rumble on the River’ Non-Qualifiers’ Race and the 100-lap A-Main on Sat., April 16 – costs just $30 for adults, $27 for senior citizens/military and $15 for students ages 7-17.

Sawyer had originally set an April 1 deadline for fans to take advantage of the $30/$27/$15 two-day ticket, but he decided to dispatch the price as an advance-sale incentive and simply hold it steady right up to Qualifying Night on April 15.

“As a way to help the fans out every little bit we can in these economic times, I just felt we needed to carry the special two-day pricing all the way to the gate on Friday, April 15,” Sawyer said last week. “I think our price-point for a two-day ticket has been well, well received. We’ve read and heard a lot of nice comments on it, and now we’re going to let everybody take advantage of it.

“I think it’s important that we look after the working man’s pocketbook to make it affordable for him to be able to come to Virginia Motor Speedway for our biggest show of the year. We want to put a very good ticket price out there and hopefully do the volume of numbers coming through the gate.”

Commonwealth 100 attendees will certainly get plenty of bang for their buck when they sit down in VMS’s comfortable 8,000-seat aluminum grandstand. This year’s event figures to be even bigger and better than the 2010 inaugural, which drew 56 cars and saw Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., triumph in dramatic fashion. Entertaining extras for the fans that proved popular a year ago will also be back to add to the excitement, including a pre-race driver autograph session under the bleachers on Saturday and a cannon-blasting, gun-popping appearance by a group of costumed Civil War reenactors who bring the area’s history to life both before and after the 100.

“Fan interest has been very good and all indications are that we’re going to have a great field of cars,” said Sawyer. “We’ll have the who’s who of dirt Late Model racing here, that’s for sure.”

Madden, who has won three times at VMS over the past two years, will return to defend his Commonwealth 100 title. He’ll face a star-studded roster of entrants, including former WoO LMS champions Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky. (who led last year’s event until popping a tire with nine laps remaining), Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., and Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn.

The field will also feature WoO LMS regulars who are well-known to VMS fans – like Rick Eckert of York, Pa., and 2010 Rookie of the Year Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., a 19-year-old sensation whose career began at the track – as well as ’10 Commonwealth contenders Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn. (finished second), Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga. (third place), Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla. (fast-timer), Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa (was second when he developed a flat on lap 85), Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis. (second when he got a flat on lap 91) and Jason Covert of York Haven, Pa. (fourth when he slowed with a flat on lap 98).

Sawyer, 62, was more than satisfied with last year’s debut of the Commonwealth 100 and expects nothing but brighter days in the future.

“I think we were overdue to do a major, crown-jewel-type deal here at Virginia Motor Speedway,” said Sawyer. “For the first time out of the box with a major two-day event I was very pleased. All I can see it do is continue to grow.

“Last year’s race was a memorable show even though we had a 35 mph wind blowing all day long that made (the track) dry out sooner than we thought it would. We had a good surface when the event started (on Saturday) and there were still multiple grooves throughout the race, but the changing track made it more of a tire management situation. Madden sort of laid back a little bit and didn’t wear that right-rear (tire) out, and they all started coming back to him.”

During the Commonwealth 100 weekend, WoO LMS officials will publicly recognize Sawyer in front of his home fans for winning the tour’s Promoter of the Year honor. He did not attend December’s WoO LMS awards banquet in Concord, N.C., because he was recovering from a medical procedure (VMS P.R. director/announcer Dave Seay accepted the award in Sawyer’s stead), so this will be the first time he’s photographed with a plaque that he considers a cherished piece of hardware in his office.

“To be picked out as the Promoter of the Year from a lot of established tracks that have been on the World of Outlaws schedule for years is quite an honor,” said Sawyer, who has hosted at least one WoO LMS event every season since 2005. “It’s always nice to be patted on the back by your peers, and it says a lot for the staff that (VMS general manager) Clarke (Sawyer, Bill’s nephew) has here and the dedication that the boys put into the facility and each event that we do.”

The top-promoter nod is another achievement in a long racing life for Sawyer, who has literally been involved in the sport since his birth. His late father, Paul, was one of NASCAR’s pioneers and owned Richmond International Raceway until selling it to the International Speedway Corporation in 1999.

“Daddy got his first car the year I was born,” said Sawyer. “This will be the 62nd year that the Sawyer family name has been involved in racing, starting back in 1949 when my father got his first Modified that happened to be a dirt car. He went from car owner to promoter to racetrack builder in Richmond.

“Daddy and (former NASCAR Cup Series champion) Joe Weatherly were partners until Joe got a factory deal with Ford in 1956 and daddy bought him out. I was very fortunate to be raised around Joe. As a kid I can remember sitting in the floorboard of his race car when it was driven over from the shop to one of the racetracks was in Norfolk.

“It’s been a helluva ride,” continued Sawyer, who worked as an executive at Richmond before purchasing and totally rebuilding VMS in 2000. “I never really saw myself as a dirt track owner, but when the opportunity afforded itself after we got out of the NASCAR situation it was kind of nice to come back to the dirt where the family all started in racing. I’ve enjoyed it immensely for the last 12 years.”

Boasting the third-largest first-place check of the season on the WoO LMS, the Commonwealth 100 offers $2,000 just to take the green flag. Add in the Non-Qualifiers’ Race that pays $3,000 to win from a purse of nearly $16,000, and the weekend’s payout will be in the neighborhood of $125,000.

Pit gates will open at 3 p.m. and the spectator gates will be unlocked at 4 p.m. on both April 15 and 16. Practice is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. each day, with action starting at 7 p.m. on Friday (time trials) and Saturday (B-Mains).

Sun., April 17, has been reserved as a rain date for Saturday’s competition.

Fans can purchase tickets in advance by visiting www.vamotorspeedway.com, downloading the ticket order form and sending it to the track with a money order or cashier’s check (no personal checks) or by calling the speedway office at 804-758-1867 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and using a Mastercard, Visa or Discover card.

All tickets are general admission. No reserved seats will be sold for the event.

Free camping (no hookups) will be available in designated areas on the speedway grounds for the Commonwealth 100 weekend.

Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway is located on U.S. Route 17, eight miles north of Saluda, Va., and 20 miles south of Tappahannock, Va. The speedway is just a short drive from Richmond, Fredericksburg, Southern Maryland and the Hampton Roads areas.

For complete information on the Commonwealth 100, log on to www.vamotorspeedway.com.

Additional info on the WoO LMS is available by visiting www.worldofoutlaws.com.

The speedway has undertaken several new construction projects in preparation of the 2011 season. All will enhance the racing experience for our fans and competitors. Included in the projects are a new set of restrooms to be constructed near the turn four section of the main grandstands, a new registration and tech building in the competitor parking area, new back stretch billboards and a new eight acre parking area for RV’s and campers.

The addition of new bathrooms will allow the speedway to get away from the use of port-a-john’s during special events and provide a more sanitary facility for the fans.

For the competitors the speedway is construction a new registration and tech building that will help speed up the weekly and special event registration process along with technical inspection all in one central location.

The new back stretch billboards will provide for a cleaner look and give sponsors a larger area to get their message out to the thousands of fans that visit the ½ mile facility in Jamaica, VA.

After having such a successful debut for the Commonwealth 100 it was determined that more space was needed for RV’s and campers thus the clearing of just over eight acres of land to accommodate the increasing number of on on-site campers for the speedway’s weekly and special events. Camping at Virginia Motor Speedway will continue to be free. Campers are reminded that there are no hook ups.

All the speedway’s projects are scheduled to be finished and ready for the Commonwealth 100 weekend.
Fans have until April 1 to grab one of the best deals in dirt Late Model racing — a two-day advance ticket for just $30 (adults); Senior / Military just $27 or a Student two-day tickets for just $15 (7 to 17).

All tickets are general admission. No reserved seats will be sold for the event.

Fans can purchase tickets by visiting www.vamotorspeedway.com, downloading the advance ticket order form and sending it to the track with a money order or cashier’s check (no personal checks), or by calling the speedway office at 804-758-1867 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and using a Mastercard, Visa or Discover card.

Drivers, meanwhile, can also save by entering the Commonwealth 100 prior to the early-entry deadline of April 1. The $150 early-entry fee not only saves racers $50 off the regular $200 entry fee but also includes a two-day driver pit pass worth $50.

The Commonwealth 100 weekend kicks off on Fri., April 15, with WoO LMS time trials and heat races, while B-Mains, a 30-lap Non-Qualifiers’ Race and the headline 100-lapper take center stage on Sat., April 16. A raindate of Sun., April 17, has been established for the event.

Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway, an ASA affiliate track, is a 1/2-mile, dirt oval. The track is located on U.S. Route 17, eight miles north of Saluda, VA and 25 miles south of Tappahannock, VA in Jamaica, VA. The speedway is just a short drive from Richmond, Fredericksburg, Southern Maryland and the Hampton Roads areas.

To learn more about Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway and its 2011 schedule of events, fans may call the Speedway office at (804) 758-1VMS or visit the track’s web site at www.vamotorspeedway.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: DAVE SEAY (804) 758-1867 OR (804) 357-7223