Martinsville Speedway Press Release

Martinsville, VA(September 17, 2009) -- Any doubts about how well the Limited Sportsman Division drivers would perform in their debut at Martinsville Speedway were dashed during Wednesday's day-long test session.

The Limited Sportsman Division, a staple of weekly race tracks across the Southeast, is set for its first-ever race on Martinsville's tough half-mile on Sept. 27 as part of the Made In America Whelen 300 weekend. Fifty-five teams showed up Wednesday for an open test and it turned into an impressive first outing.

There were a few single-car spins resulting in very little damage to the cars.
 

"I was surprised. I was expecting a lot more spins, especially going into the corners," said Danny Willis Jr., veteran Limited driver who finished second in the season-long points race at South Boston Speedway this year. "There were a lot of people who had never been here before, but everybody did a good job."

Most of the 55 drivers on hand Wednesday had never ventured past the track they race on a weekly basis, which made the unique long straights and tight turns of Martinsville Speedway a challenge.

"The first thing, the big thing for everybody is getting used to the track. It's so different from anything most of us have ever run," said Willis, who is from South Boston, VA. "We had to get used to taking care of the brakes in the corner and the speed we carry down the straights. You really had to keep a good eye on the brakes all day. But I can tell you, I love this track."

That affection certainly showed in Willis' on-track efforts. While there were no official times kept, his speeds were consistently on or near the top of the unofficial charts.