Brannock, Martinsville Speedway Receive National Facility, Security Awards

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (July 18, 2013) - Matt Brannock has been Martinsville Speedway's Director of Operations for just two years, but Wednesday he helped Martinsville Speedway garner a major industry award while capturing a national individual award himself.

Martinsville Speedway was honored with the Facility of Merit Award at the National Sports Safety and Security Conference in Orlando Wednesday while Brannock was named the Security Professional of the Year.

"It is my pleasure to accept this award on behalf of the operations and security team that spends countless hours behind the scenes to make the fan experience at Martinsville Speedway the success it is," said Brannock, a former Virginia State Trooper who grew up just a few miles from Martinsville Speedway. "I truly would not be in this position if it weren't for the confidence and support of my peers and co-workers.

"I'm continuously reminded of how blessed I am to be a part of a sport that I'm so passionate about and one that means so much to our community."

In honoring Brannock, the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security at the University of Southern Mississippi cited him for his enlistment of community groups to help ensure better communication and service with fans onsite at the track on event weekends.

"I'm very proud of Matt for receiving this award. He'll be the first to say the credit goes to everyone who works with him to make our events a success, but I'll be the first to say his leadership has taken our operation to a new level," said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. "His relationships and the respect he has from all the public safety organizations we rely on throughout the year are so important in making our events a positive experience for our guests."

Martinsville Speedway earned the Facility of Merit Award for the innovative ways it has addressed traffic issues during its two NASCAR Sprint Cup weekends. As with any major national event, the two Sprint Cup events at Martinsville Speedway bring a huge influx of traffic into the area. The speedway and local law enforcement have developed a system to expedite traffic flow for both race fans and members of the community.

"We're also pleased that the speedway was recognized for the way we manage such large crowds and traffic in and around our property," said Campbell. "Considering we're dealing with a crowd that doubles the population of our area twice a year, the steps we've taken over the years to improve traffic flow certainly have done just that.

"It takes a lot of people working together to accomplish that though. The Henry County Sheriff's Department, Virginia Department of Transportation and the Virginia State Police have all worked in sync to constantly try to improve traffic flow. They do an outstanding job."

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to Martinsville Speedway October 27 with the Goody'sTM Headache Relief ShotTM500. Advance tickets for the Goody'sTM Headache Relief ShotTM 500 start at just $37.

Advance tickets for the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday, Oct. 26 are just $30 with youth 12 and under admitted free. Tickets for Pole Day, Friday, Oct. 25, are $15. To purchase tickets for the Goody'sTM Headache Relief ShotTM 500 weekend, call 877.RACE.TIX or visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com.