BUSCH: Martinsville Speedway on 2006 schedule

Martinsville Speedway Announces Return Of NASCAR Busch Series

MARTINSVILLE, VA (October 22, 2005) - After an absence of over more than a decade, the NASCAR Busch Series will return to Martinsville Speedway in 2006.

Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell announced Saturday afternoon that the historic Virginia track will host a 250-lap NASCAR Busch Series event on Saturday, July 22.

The race will be held at night, under portable lights brought in for the event. It will be a two-day event, with time trials on Friday, July 21, and the race on Saturday, July 22.

"It's great to have the Busch Series return to Martinsville," said Campbell. "This all came together quickly, but when the opportunity arose to get this race, we felt it was something we needed to make the most of."

The last NASCAR Busch Series race at Martinsville was in October of 1994. The race was won by Kenny Wallace, one of the few active Busch Series drivers who has competed in a Busch event at Martinsville Speedway.

"It's fun to go back to Martinsville," Wallace said Saturday afternoon from Memphis where the Busch Series was racing. "Since I won the last Busch race held there (Martinsville), the track holds a soft spot for me. It's great that NASCAR realizes that the Busch Series was built on short tracks and I'm glad to be going back there."

Wallace won two of the 33 Busch races run at Martinsville from 1982 to 1994. He is the only active Busch driver to record a win at Martinsville.

Sam Ard leads the list of Martinsville Busch winners with five. Ridgeway's Jimmy Hensley, Harry Gant and Tommy Houston had three wins apiece.

It will be the second night race run at the .526-mile oval. The first was last Labor Day weekend when the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series made a return visit to Martinsville Speedway after a three-year hiatus. While the success of that event didn't play in the decision to stage a second annual night race at Martinsville, Campbell said it helps to have one night race under the speedway's belt.

"After having one night race, we know what to expect now," said Campbell. "The Modified race was a tremendous success for us in all areas. We learned a lot that night and we can put all of that to use for the Busch Series race in July."

Musco Lighting will supply lighting for the race. The Oskaloosa, IA, company also supplied the lighting for the Whelen 300 at Martinsville Speedway in the inaugural night event in September.

According to Campbell, an announcement will be made soon concerning tickets for the Busch Series race.

-Martinsville Speedway