In an attempt to save fans money at the track, Richmond International Raceway is working with Richmond-area hotels to make attending the short track’s May 1-2 doubleheader weekend affordable.  Working closely with the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the track is offering hotel owners special incentives to provide fans with a lower rate during race weekend.

"We focus on providing the best fan experience in racing, and after restructuring ticket prices for the 2009 season, we still wanted to do something more for our fans due to the current economic conditions," track president Doug Fritz explained. "The total guest experience, both at America's Premier Short Track and while in the Richmond region, is important to us.

"Richmond International Raceway is part of a great community, one that has always embraced race fans traveling to this area, and a good number of hotels have stepped up to provide excellent deals for the visitors coming to Richmond for the May 1-2 NASCAR race weekend. I'm proud of what the hoteliers have done for our fans with this project, and I think it once again shows the commitment of this community to the overall experience at Richmond International Raceway."

Taking the initiative seriously, a number of hotels have dropped their weekend rates 20-50% compared to 2008.  With families doing all they can to pinch pennies, a majority of the hotels have eliminated or reduced their minimum stay requirement.

"It's an ongoing and evolving program," Fritz went on to say. "I encourage all area hotels to join Richmond International Raceway in a worthy program to support our fans. It's not too late to get on the list."

Participating hotels will be promoted on the RIR website and can be found at www.rir.com/hotelspecialoffers.

NOTE:
Richmond International Raceway plans to announce the results of an Economic Impact Study later this afternoon.  Be sure to check back to HardcoreRaceFans.com to see what the panel found.