Local Look: Richmond

Local Look: Richmond
Events: Crown Royal 400, Circuit City 200
Local papers contributing: Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Tennessean
RIR at center of power play
The deal: Richmond International Raceway was at the middle of a power struggle between the France family and Bruton Smith, writes Bob Lipper of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

In 1999, Bill France Jr. and his International Speedway Corp. was able to do what Smith's Speedway Motorsports Inc. couldn't a year earlier -- buy Roger Penske's three tracks and his 90-percent holdings in a fourth, and the independently owned RIR.

Before 1999, Smith owned nine tracks to the Frances' eight. Once ISC took control of RIR, the Frances owned 10 tracks that held 16 of the 34 Cup races on the schedule.

Today, 19 of the 36 races are run on 12 tracks controlled by the France family.

Why we care: The Frances paid Paul Sawyer $215 million for RIR, which matches the price Smith paid for Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1998 as the highest amount for a track purchase.

"I think when you look at just the selling price of $215 million, you can see the France family saw the value of this racetrack," RIR president Doug Fritz said. "The France family and ISC looked at this facility as a crown jewel of racing."

RIR generates more than $9 million in just ticket sales for each of its two Cup races.

"I can tell you [RIR] is one of our more successful facilities. It's a premium facility in our portfolio," said Lenny Santiago, manager of investments and corporate communications for ISC.

"If you look at the sheer number of tracks that were added, that shows you the magnitude of how important 1999 was," Fritz said. "That was a very pivotal year for the company."

RIR expansion coming in phases

The deal: Jill Erwin of the Richmond Times-Dispatch writes Richmond International Raceway is in no hurry to complete its county-approved expansion plans.

Since 2001, when RIR was given the OK to expand its seating capacity to 150,000, the track has added 5,000 seats in three phases.

He said the next phase of expansion could come in time before the spring race in 2007, but that estimation is the earliest completion date at best.

Why we care: No matter how tiring the week may be, the drivers will be fully energized come Saturday about 7:30 p.m. ET.

Of course, Richmond is the cutoff date for the Chase in September, so drivers will be eager to see how they perform there in May. Plus, they'll be doing it in front of the 29th consecutive sellout at RIR, which will be hosting its 100th Cup event, fourth all time.

"I think it has always been one of the best facilities that we've raced at, and that's because they never stop making improvements," Kyle Petty said. "It's a modern facility because it always kept growing with the changes of the sport. The [racing] surface, the stands, the suites, everything at Richmond is well done."

Sterling flew fast from Coo-Coo's nest

The deal: A shoulder injury paved the way for a 30-year career in Cup, writes Larry Woody of The Tennessean.

On May 8, 1976, an 18-year-old Sterling Marlin was summoned to replace his dad, Coo Coo, for a Grand National (now Nextel Cup) race in Nashville.

"Daddy had hurt his shoulder in an ARCA crash at Talladega the week before," Marlin said. "He told me I could take over the car at Nashville if I wanted to."

Marlin started 30th and finished 29th.

Why we care: This weekend at Richmond, Marlin will make career start 685 as he celebrates 30 years in NASCAR's top series.

"It's hard to believe the years have gone by like this," said Marlin, who has 10 victories, 83 top-fives, 215 top-10s and winnings of more than $38 million. "It seems like just yesterday when I was going to the Fairgrounds [now Music City Motorplex] with Daddy and getting ready to run my first race."

Marlin, in his first year driving for MB2 Motorsports, wants to drive at least through next year.

"Racing is my life and I'm having a blast," he said. "It never gets old."

Source: Nascar.com