This weekend in tiny Dinwiddie, VA outside of Richmond, The NHRA will make it's last stop, at least for the near future with the running of The NHRA Virginia Nationals.
It's a bad break for Richmond, which over the past couple years has lost a Triple A Baseball team, an IRL Race and a minor league hockey team. You can't blame racing and sports fans in Richmond to be a little down right now. This is the second time The NHRA has abandoned Richmond. The consolation prize is The IHRA will move a race to Virginia Motorsport Park in 2010.
NHRA officials replaced the Richmond sport with a second race at the newest track in drag racing located in Charlotte. You can't blame The NHRA, Charlotte is a hot racing and sports market and a second race in Charlotte stands to be more lucrative than a fall race at Richmond.
The NHRA and VMS officials have left the door open for a possible return down the road. If The NHRA adds an additional race, or another race has to relocate, Richmond will welcome The NHRA and it's stars like John Force, Tony Schumacher, and Ron Capps back with open arms.
In the meantime, there is a lot to be decided this race weekend in Richmond.