In 2019, Virginia Motorsports Park did what others said could not be done in many ways. Others speculated that the racing surface was “too smooth” for drag radial racing and the style of prep that is forced to make those entries blast record-breaking performances. Others speculated that Pro Modified cars and Radial vs. The World cars could and would never sit beside each other due to this rule or that rule. Others speculated that the name ‘Shakedown’ was dead. On Sunday, September 22, 2019 – the Shakedown was very much alive and well, holding national records in most radial categories, including Radial vs. The World, Outlaw 10.5 and knocking on the door to Limited Drag Radial, X275 and Ultra Street record books. Pro Mods and Radial vs. The World cars were side by side in a number of races during Judgement Day, with Pro Mods winning the shootout but the national record fell on the drag radial side of the racetrack. This further proving the point that Virginia Motorsports Park was indeed the smoothest and flattest drag racing surface on the planet Earth and it also was fast.
Flash forward towards September 16-19, 2020, the plan does not change very much but just continues to refine and improve. We will headline this event once again with Pro Line Racing Pro Modified and Radial vs. The World along with another star-studded cast of stars in the rest of the line-up, including Outlaw 10.5, Limited Drag Radial, X275, Ultra Street, Top Sportsman and more to come.
The story in 2019 was the close racing and the number of holeshot victories that the Shakedown provided. For a racing facility and a promotion team, this is the dream event – both lanes prepped to the max, drivers and teams making full runs to the finish line with their opponent right next door and the fictional chainsaws were left sitting on the starting line as that is what it took to win a round at the Shakedown. Razor sharp reaction times and scoreboard-burning elapsed times were the norm in 2019.
COMP Cams is back on board as the event title partner for the second consecutive season and Virginia Motorsports Park is excited to announce FuelTech made a leap up the marketing ladder to be the new event presenting partner for the 2020 season. Both companies work together in a number of ways and both have one goal in mind – making their customers excel to the front of the pack and find the winner’s circle, just as they did last season.
For more than 35 years, the COMP Cams mission has never changed: to produce the highest-performing products possible, provide customers with superior service and to lead the industry in technological development. At the end of the day, nothing COMPares to the performance, service, technology and results of COMP Cams, based out of Memphis, Tennessee.
FuelTech is an international company specializing in developing and manufacturing state of the art performance engine management systems. The company’s elite staff, always keeping a grip on the forefront of technology available, guarantees top notch quality and constant innovation. The FuelTech mission is to research, innovate and develop real, efficient and quality solutions, making engine management technology the key factor of success. Pride and satisfaction lead the list of values held by the FuelTech team in which they strive to instill in their customers, coming out of the Ball Ground, Georgia based building and company.
Here we go, race fans! One of the most exciting races of 2019 returns to Virginia Motorsports Park on September 16-19, 2020 with more attitude and flare than the inaugural version. More information including event purses, daily schedules, campground information and advance tickets will be available soon and will be right here at RaceVMP.com. You might want to bring your five-point harness to the grandstands with you on this one because it’s going to make you want to jump out of your seat!
Photo Credit: James Sisk Photography
