Dirt
Virginia Motorsports Park to Host Inaugural Johnny Davis Memorial Race
By Rob King
Officials from Virginia Motorsports Park announced December 28 the newest event on the 2024 drag racing calendar that will be a remembrance and a celebration of life for one of the sport ’ s greatest men . Johnny Davis , past owner and operator of Richmond Dragway , suddenly went home to be with the Lord on September 12 , 2023 , after 43 years of life . The upbeat , positive , and always smiling man left his mark on this world and on our sport in so many ways through not only a racer and fan-favorite racetrack , but through his words of wisdom and an outlook on life that was all so positive .
The inaugural Johnny Davis Memorial Race will take place June 28-30 , 2024 , at Virginia Motorsports Park . The event will host Super Pro , Footbrake , and Jr . Dragster categories all chasing big-money purses across a three-day format in the summer of 2024 with pre-entry beginning on April 17 . For the opening two weeks , racers will be limited to single entries only – if the race is not sold out by May 1 , a second entry will be available for purchase at that time . The track ’ s goal is to maximize the number of racers who get to participate in this event , leading to the limitation to single entries in the first two weeks .
Super Pro is limited to 250 entries and will be racing for a popular 5K-10K-5K format with a $ 325 weekend entry . Footbrake comes into the weekend with 150 total entries and will be racing for 3K-5K-3K across the weekend with a $ 200 weekend entry fee . Jr . Dragsters will be racing in a 32-car shootout on Saturday and Sunday with $ 500 to win each day with a $ 100 weekend entry fee .
There are still many details to be ironed out and other things in the works to make this event one of a kind in memory of a man who gave so much to the sport and Virginia racing community . Marketing opportunities are available to partner into the event and help make this event as great as possible , including best losing packages , random giveaways , and more .
“ Mark your calendars now for the event on June 28-30 , 2024 ,” said Tyler Crossnoe , vice president , VMP , “ and for Wednesday , April 17 at 12pm EST when pre-entry opens for the event that everyone will want to be a part of to remember one of the best in one of the ways he would have loved – racing and enjoying fellowship with friends and family at the racetrack .” DI
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF VIRGINIA MOTORSPORTS PARK
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