NASCAR Drivers Steal the Show at Richmond International Raceway Night at the Diamond
Michael Waltrip & Martin Truex Jr. Watch Batting Practice, Throw Out 1st Pitches, Meet Fans
A couple of NASCAR drivers who are used to driving race cars on backstretches and straightaways watched some sluggers drive baseballs into centerfield during Richmond International Raceway Night at The Diamond, Presented by AAA and the Richmond Flying Squirrels. NASCAR’s Michael Waltrip and Martin Truex Jr. were in town today to ramp up RIR’s race week, which features NASCAR events this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Prior to the game, the drivers watched batting practice with the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants), spoke with fans during a private meet and greet and test drove AAA’s Keys2Drive test track to try out the Impaired Driving Simulation Course conducted by the Virginia State Police. For more information on AAA’s Keys2Drive, please visit www.AAA.com/teendriving.
“AAA’s Keys2Drive is great for adults and kids,” said Waltrip. “I have a 15-year-old daughter who is ready to start driving, and AAA is my best friend. Every time I get an e-mail from them about safety – making sure you wear your seatbelt and not texting while driving – I forward them right to her. AAA takes care of you and will help make my daughter be a safer driver.”
As part of the NASCAR-themed festivities, Waltrip, Truex Jr. and Richmond International Raceway President Dennis Bickmeier threw out ceremonial first pitches and fans enjoyed racing games between innings, as well as ticket and prize giveaways throughout the night.
RIR Night at The Diamond, Presented by AAA & the Richmond Flying Squirrels is a prelude to the short-track action “under the lights” fans will enjoy this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
“I’m looking forward to the race weekend in Richmond,” said Truex Jr. “We’ve been on a roll lately and had some really good races. Richmond has been a great track for us and I really love it there. I can tell you Richmond is one of the most exciting races of the year, and if you haven’t been before, you definitely need to come out. Running under the lights at night, sparks flying, beating and banging…it’s just an awesome track.”
Tickets are on sale now for the Toyota Owners 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway. Advance tickets, including seats in Turns 1 and 4, start at $50, and can be purchased online by clicking here or by calling 866-455-7223. Tickets for the ToyotaCare 250 start at $35 in advance and can be purchased online by clicking here or by calling 866-455-7223. Children 12 and younger are admitted free with a ticketed adult in general admission sections on Friday. The weekend begins Thursday, April 25, when the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East returns to RIR for the BLUE OX 100 and Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown presented by FedEx, benefiting the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Advance tickets are $25, with children 12 and younger admitted free.
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