Fan-friendly park offers more than just racing

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on July 5, 2014 11:07 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

Milton Bryant backed his silver Chevrolet Z71 4x4 pickup into spot 148 right up to the fence and put the tailgate down.

He put three chairs in the truck bed -- two on a built-in platform specifically for this purpose. He, Andy Woodlief and Marshall Carroll adjusted their NASCAR crew chief-style headsets and got comfortable.

"This is the best way to watch racing," Bryant said.

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But Bryant and his friends almost didn't get to spend this Saturday evening watching possible future NASCAR drivers work their way around the asphalt track in Wilson County.

Heritage Bank, in 2009, foreclosed on what was then Southern National Speedway. All that remained was a barren raceway with faded paint at the finish line and memories.

Fast forward five years and sitting trackside just a few feet from the action as cars blow by is one of the more unique, and most popular, racing experiences that Southern National Motorsports Park offers to its fans.

For Bryant's money, it's the only experience.

"I don't know that I'd watch a race any other way. This is the best," he said.

In 2011, co-owners Michael Diaz and Jerry Brown purchased the park, which sits just off of Newsome Mill road in Lucama, for $650,000 at an auction. Their goal was to restore the park and make it as fan-friendly as possible.

Aside from the 148 trackside parking spots, fans have the option of many different viewing experiences at the track. If they want a full view of the four-tenths-of-a-mile oval speedway they can sit up in the grandstands overlooking the track.

Sometimes fans will bring lawn chairs and sit on the front stretch by the finish line, feeling the vibration of the cars as they speed by on the high side of the seven-degree banked straight away.

Or for a more comfortable feel, they can watch from the comfort of air conditioning in one of the 16 luxury suites spanning behind the grandstands.

"It's unique in that it has a little something for everyone," the park's public address announcer Ken Childs said. "There's things you can get here that you won't get anywhere else."

Even for the kids, which is an important factor in the experience for racing fans like Chad Williams. Williams frequents Southern National Motorsports Park and often brings his wife and three kids along.

"They have an arcade and playground for the kids, which with three of my own is a big plus for me," Williams said. "It's great because if not for that they would be all over the stands driving fans crazy."

The addition of the arcade and playground gives Williams some relief as his two youngest kids, Austin, 10, and Haley, 6, can go play. Meanwhile, he and his oldest son, Chase, 12, can watch the races.

Diaz is still trying to get the word out that the track is back in business because many people aren't aware. He hopes developing the ultimate fan experience will cause fans to start visiting the park.

Childs compares the facility to the fan-friendly environment of a minor league baseball stadium, but says it offers things for fans even those venues don't offer.

The park has access to the drivers unlike what you would get at almost any sporting event. They have pit parties before and after races, autograph sessions with the drivers and sometimes people will take home car parts that the drivers signed.

You can even pay to go for a ride-along driving experience with one of the drivers, or drive yourself.

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Diaz grew up a race fan in northern Virginia and has many memories of the races he's seen and been to as a youngster. That's part of the reason he bought the track so the memories wouldn't fade with the paint at the finish line.

Williams recalled a trip to the track in 2007.

Local fan-favorite Deac McCaskill was competing in two 75-lap races called "twins." McCaskill wrecked his car in the first race and did not finish. His crew got the car ready just in time for the second race.

He started in the back of the pack with no front end attached and the side of his car held on by layers of tape. McCaskill charged through the field, racing to a victory in his makeshift Late Model Class Chevrolet Impala.

"It was something I'll never forget," Williams said.