Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
The rumble of race cars will be back at Pulaski’s Motorsports near Radford this Saturday after three years of silence.
The track will reopen with the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) as its leasee. The first weekend of racing will feature the IHRA’s two series races. Weekly racing for many of the local racers is slated for April 25.
Tim Miller as the first Director of the newly created Pulaski County Office of Sports Tourism & Entertainment.
“Reopening the Pulaski County Motorsports Park, in partnership with the IHRA, is part of a broader vision to grow sports and entertainment opportunities with meaningful economic, cultural, and community impact. The racetrack has been woven into the fabric of this community for decades, and its return will allow a new generation of fans, families, and drivers to experience the excitement, traditions, and sense of connection that make this facility so special,” he said.
“This effort is about more than racing—it’s about revitalizing a historic venue, creating new opportunities for events and tourism, and bringing people together around a shared passion that has long been part of Pulaski County’s identity.”
Former Late Model driver Stacy Compton is the track’s new general manager. He brings decades of professional racing knowledge and experience to the leadership role. His experience as a driver at the highest levels of motorsports provides valuable insight into competition management, race procedures, and driver relations.
As general manager, Compton will oversee all aspects of day-to-day management including venue operations, race-day operations, technical inspection, rules enforcement, and overall competition structure.
Compton competed across all three of NASCAR’s national series from 1996 to 2012 and initially raced early in Late Model and other small tracks around the Southeast. The Hurt Virginia native won 36 races in seven years of Late Model competition.
Compton also previously served as a racing analyst for ESPN and was co-owner of Bobby Hamilton Racing.
Compton, who once competed at the Pulaski track, is excited about racing’s return. “This track has a lot of history, and I hope we can jumpstart it again.”
The key, according to Compton, is to make it affordable for a family of four or more to come to Saturday races.
Admission will be $12 with children under the age of 12 and veterans free. Concessions will also be moderate, example: $3 hot dogs every night.
“All of this is important to attract people to the track. It has to be cheaper than a family of four going out to the movies,” he said earlier this week.
The staff has done a lot of paving, repainting of the track surface and rebuilding bathrooms. “People will see lots of improvements when they come to the race,” Compton said. “The bones were here from the past. We just had to improve a few things.”
The race night will also include a fan zone with items like race simulators, and a teen area where friends can meet and mingle.
The first race on March 21 will be a part of the IHRA Stock Car Series, a new division built to restore the true essence of grassroots stock car racing. The series emphasizes driver talent, balanced competition and cost-controlled rules while delivering a national platform for local racers.
“We should see lots of competitors here for those two divisions,” Compton said.
Overall, the series will offer a simplified rules package, affordable participation and transparent competition standards that put the focus back where it belongs: skill, determination and the spirit of American short-track racing, says the IHRA.
“We’re bringing stock car racing back to its roots,” said Darryl Cuttell, owner of IHRA. “This is racing that rewards driver skill, smart setups, and teamwork—not massive budgets. It’s exactly the kind of competition fans love, and competitors deserve.”
The series will run at IHRA partner facilities from the Southeast to the Midwest. Racers will compete for their portion of the $2 million purse, along with series-specific awards and expanded championship opportunities as the program grows.
“This is just the beginning,” said Tim Horton, IHRA Stock Car Series director. “We’re creating a modern motorsports organization with the heart of grassroots racing—and the Stock Car Series is a perfect reflection of what the new IHRA stands for.”
Horton added: “From the top down, we’re racers—not MBA grads. We understand the challenges today’s racers face, and every decision we make puts racers and fans ahead of profits.”
The Weekly Racing series, which will start April 25, features a number of divisions, including Limited Late Model, Super Street, Crown Vic, Mod-4, Stock 4WD and Legends.
“It was clear following the initial release of the schedule that a 4-cyclinder class is a critical division for the local racing community,” said Stacy. “We want to honor the traditions at Pulaski County Motorsports Park, and we want to make sure that we give local drivers the opportunity to race with us.”
This week, the schedule will feature an optional test session for teams, while Saturday includes practice, qualifying, and racing under the lights. Front Gates, Grandstands, and the Fan Zone open Saturday at 2 PM.
The IHRA Stock Car Series will return on July 25 for the fifth race in the 8-race series, followed by the return of the SMART Modified Tour. The track will also host the popular Southern Ground Pounders series in conjunction with its Weekly Series on May 9 and the Grand National Super Series on August 29.
A decision on the drag strip could also be just around the corner. Compton said nothing has been set as of yet but is hopeful Friday nights might be attractive for drag racing in the very near future.
In addition to racing, Compton hopes to bring concerts and other events to the track. Already, the Tour of Destruction, which is touring full-contact racing that includes school buses and trailer racing, is scheduled for September 5.
Compton points Pulaski Motorsport’s schedule will also be in cooperation with similar weekly racing at Lonesome Pine Speedway. The two facilities hope to host a combined championship series, thus allowing racers to compete at both.
For more information, check out PulaskiCountyMP.com.
2026 Pulaski County Motorsports Park Schedule
Mar. 21 IHRA Touring Series #1
April 25 Weekly Racing
May 9 Southern Ground Pounders; Weekly Racing
May 30 Weekly Racing
June 13 Weekly Racing
June 27 Weekly Racing
July 11 Weekly Racing
July 25 IHRA Touring Series #5
Aug. 7 SMART Modified Tour; Weekly Racing
Aug. 29 Grand National Super Series, Weekly Racing
Sept. 5 Tour of Destruction
Sept. 12 Weekly Racing Finale
