Southside Speedway
Richmond, VA, USA
Track History
Southside Speedway in Richmond, Virginia was a one-third-mile asphalt oval that hosted four Cup Series races between 1961 and 1963. Sitting just across the James River from Richmond Raceway, Southside operated in the shadow of its larger neighbor but produced short-track racing that needed no asterisk. The eight-degree banking in the turns generated competitive speed on a compact surface where the cars were always close together and the action never relented. Four Cup visits was a modest total, but each race reflected the intense, door-to-door competition that defined Virginia short-track racing. Southside went on to become one of the most important weekly racing venues in the Southeast, producing a stream of talented drivers who honed their skills on its demanding surface before moving to the national stage. The track's legacy extends far beyond those four Cup races, encompassing decades of grassroots stock car racing that has been the lifeblood of the sport in the Commonwealth.
Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference
Top Drivers at Southside Speedway
Jimmy Pardue leads all drivers at Southside Speedway with 1 win across 4 starts.
All-time stats across Cup, O'Reilly & Trucks (min 3 starts)
| Driver | Races | Wins | Avg Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Pardue | 4 | 1 | 3.3 |
| Ned Jarrett | 4 | 1 | 5.8 |
| Jim Paschal | 3 | 1 | 6.7 |
| Rex White | 3 | 0 | 6.3 |
| Richard Petty | 4 | 0 | 8.3 |
Race Winners (1961-1963)
Southside Speedway has crowned 4 different Cup Series winners since 1961.
| Year | Race | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 100 Miles at Southside Speedway | Ned Jarrett |
| 1962 | 67 Miles at Southside Speedway | Jimmy Pardue |
| 1962 | 100 Miles at Southside Speedway | Jim Paschal |
| 1961 | 50 Miles at Southside Speedway | Junior Johnson |
Race Dynamics
Short tracks feature close-quarters racing with higher caution rates. Aggressive drivers and bump-and-run tactics thrive here. Strong restarts and late-race speed are essential. Track-specific history matters more here than at any other track type.
Top Rated Drivers at Southside Speedway
No NR-Rating driver data available for this track yet.
Similar Tracks
Track similarity data not yet available.
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