The Weavers Have Arrived at Martinsville Speedway

Five months and 12,000 Miles Later, the Weavers Have Arrived at Martinsville Speedway

When the campgrounds at Martinsville Speedway opened up Saturday morning, Darrol and Lisa Weaver’s camper was among the 100 or so to enter the gates, but their trip wasn’t an ordinary one.

The Weavers left their Bakersfield, Calif. house headed for the Goody’s® Headache Relief Shot® 500 in the spring. Roughly 12,000 miles later, they arrived.

Of course the couple didn’t take the most direct route to the speedway.

“I retired on May 6 of this year and on the 28th of May we took off and started driving to the racetracks,” Darrol said. “Martinsville, I think, is racetrack number 15 for us.”

Lisa married into the sport. She wasn’t a fan before meeting Darrol, but has followed closely for the last 14 years.

“I started in Bakersfield at the dirt tracks,” she said. “Then we started going to NASCAR tracks and now this is the dream.”

For her, the best part of the trip has been the friendships made along the way.

“We’ve met a lot of people from all over. It’s been nice,” she said. “We’ve met a handful of people here and there that maybe do four or five races a year. We met some people in Darlington and they are on their way here.”

A trip this big doesn’t just stop at racetracks. Crisscrossing the country has resulted in stops at places like Myrtle Beach and Mount Rushmore.

“It’s been a lot of fun. It’s been a big experience,” she said. “We’ve seen so many races, but it’s nice because we get to sight-see along the way and see all the big landmarks.”

Of course the trip is ultimately about what happens on the track and that’s what has Darrol excited about Martinsville.

“Racing,” was the quick response when asked about what he expects to see. “Some of the tracks have not been real racy. Some of the tracks have been really good and I think Martinsville is going to be one of them.”

As the season winds down, the Weavers have one more trip scheduled.

“After this we’re headed down to Homestead and then we’re done for the year,” Darrol said.

However, plans are already in the works for 2016.

“We’ll do again next year,” he said. “We’re going to come back and visit some of the tracks we’ve really enjoyed and hit the ones we missed.”

The Goody’s® Headache Relief Shot® 500 weekend starts on Friday, October 30, with Virginia Lottery Pole Day. The Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race is on Saturday, October 31, and the Goody’s® Headache Relief Shot® 500 Sprint Cup Series race is Sunday November 1.

The Goody’s® Headache Relief Shot® 500 is the first race of the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.