For the first time in almost 30 years, Richmond International Raceway brings back red stripes along its walls.
The design will be completed in time for the Toyota Owners 400 race weekend at the track on April 28-30.
The red and white painted walls pay tribute to the early days of the track and were last featured for the Pontiac Excitement 400 in 1988 when Neil Bonnett held off Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and Bill Elliott to grab the victory.
At the time, Richmond was only a half mile track with metal guardrails that featured the red stripes. Following that race, the reconstruction process started to convert RIR to a three-quarter mile D-shaped oval.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the historical racing images of the red and white on the wall at Richmond,” said Richmond President Dennis Bickmeier. “Our long-time fans have often shared their fond memories of the red stripes, so it is a great day when we can reconnect with our history on the track. The red stripes unite our past with our future. We hope fans will have an awe-inspiring moment as they walk into the track for our Toyota race weekend.”
Sherwin Williams, the official paint of NASCAR, provides the paint for the project.
Check out an artist rendering of how the stripes will look.
