When Jeff Gordon got out of his No. 24 Chevrolet following Sunday's Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway, he was wondering why he had lost so much grip over the last 50 laps.Then, he felt the pavement and saw just how moist it was, and immediately understood why.
Nearly all day, a heavy mist hung over the track -- wreaking havoc with on-board cameras, windshields, and FOX's rooftop cameras. Throw in temperatures in the low 40's, cloud cover, and a cool breeze and the conditions were just plain horrible.
But yet, nearly 60,000 race fans made it to Martinsville and stuck around for 500 laps of Sprint Cup action, and they should be applauded.
Let's face it -- sitting in aluminum grandstands elevated off the ground wouldn't be most people's cup of tea on a blustery, rainy, early spring afternoon.
If you're starting to shiver a little bit at your keyboard right now, then you're starting to get the feeling.
Those conditions didn't faze the fans that were there, and they were rewarded with another classic NASCAR short track race.
Martinsville has one of the lowest attendance configurations of any track on the Sprint Cup circuit, and it doesn't sit anywhere near any major economic centers. In fact, the local area has been hit especially hard by layoffs and the overall downturn in the economy.
Those factors play heavily on those decision-makers of NASCAR who field each season's schedule, but I'd like to think another factor that Martinsville has in its favor is its history.
Since the track was opened, fans have known what to expect. Side-by-side, bang 'em up, hot tempered short track racing is a staple of old time NASCAR that is disappearing much too easily. The drivers love the place, as do fans and teams.
But the one thing that will keep two dates alive and kicking at NASCAR's oldest track are the fans who fill the stands. And when those fans still manage to hang in even on the worst days of weather to see some racing, it makes a big statement towards keeping the beloved Virginia venue.
Here's to you, Martinsville fans
