On a day when race teams were supposed to be tweaking their cars for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville Speedway, all they could do was keep an eye on Mother Nature. And as usual, Mother Nature won.
After several attempts at drying the track for a day of testing, a noon downpour finally forced track officials to scrap the day of testing. Teams will return on September 28 for another regularly-scheduled test day for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 Late Model Stock Car race on October 9.
“We had a lot of stuff we were going to try on our car today, but I think it (the weather) set everybody back,” said Lee Pulliam, last year’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 pole winner. The Semora, NC, driver also won the track championship at Motor Mile Speedway this year with a track-record 16 wins.
“I think everybody came in with the game plan of a doing a lot of experimenting today, but now we’ll have to come back next week and do the best we can.
“I feel pretty good about the race car, though. We’ve got a really good package to work off from last year, so I don’t think it (the rainout) will hurt us as much as it will some of the others.”
The rainout will make for a hectic test day next week, according to Frank Deiny Jr., a former winner of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300.
“We had a whole list of stuff we wanted to try today. We’re just going to have to have a really solid day when we come back next week,” said Deiny. “We’re going to have to fit two days into one. I think it’s going to be the same for everyone. We’ll all just have to work really hard.”
Open practice is scheduled for Wednesday, September 29, with team sign-in beginning at 7 a.m. All competitor passes purchased for Wednesday’s rainout will be honored on September 28.
Martinsville Speedway PR
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