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CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Southside Speedway roared back to life Friday night for the first time in five years as hot rods filled the Chesterfield track for the "Back at the Track" cruise-in event — a milestone moment for a community that has been fighting to bring racing back to the historic venue.
The cruise-in marked the speedway's first event since falling into disrepair, with weeds growing throughout the property at its lowest point.
Lin O'Neill, one of the race team owners at the track, said 21,600 people signed a petition calling for the track's return.
"I didn't do this by myself. It was done with everybody," O'Neill said.
For many in attendance, Friday night was an emotional homecoming.
"I had left Virginia for a while and when I came back and saw the track, it just broke my heart because it's been so much of my life," one attendee said.
Charlie Beals, who started racing go-karts when he was 4 years old and is now a stock car racing driver, said the track holds a special place in his life.
"I remember growing up here, going here on Friday night and then running the go-kart on Saturday, just loving watching racing and getting to be able to test here was also just such a dream," Beals said.
The sentiment was shared by fans of all ages.
"This track has tradition, and I would love to see it brought back," one longtime fan said.
Another attendee pointed to the turnout as proof of the community's appetite for racing's return.
"I just think that it's something that the community wants. I mean, you can tell just by how many people have showed up tonight," she said.
O'Neill said the energy inside the track Friday night was exactly what he had envisioned.
"We'd all meet out here on Friday nights and have a great time," O'Neill said. "It's just a genuinely good place and Chesterfield has something that not many places have. It's really neat to watch people have smiles on their face and being inside the racetrack once again."
The cruise-in comes as the revival project continues to work through the county's approval process. Chesterfield County's planning commission delayed its vote on the project's master plan until June after commissioners said the proposal left too many questions unanswered, particularly around parking, development details and public safety on race days.
WATCH: Drivers have already built cars to race at Southside Speedway — but they're still waiting
The master plan, presented by Jeff Oakley of Competitive Racing Investments, spans both sides of Genito Road and is divided into two phases. Phase one focuses on restoring the track and restarting racing operations. Phase two expands the development beyond race days with plans for a hotel, restaurants, a gas station and additional parking.
"Racing is the focus of this development. It is the number one priority. It's where all of the conversation goes. But it will be a long-term investment," Oakley said.
The timeline adds pressure to the project. Under the lease agreement, racing must return within five years of signing or the deal could be terminated. Oakley said he plans to meet with commissioners before the June vote to provide more detailed answers and keep the project moving forward.
For longtime fans, the wait has been frustrating, but the excitement remains high.
"There are people who have actually already built cars ready to go racing just at Southside Speedway," said Buck Reuss, a longtime fan. "Because when they heard it was coming back and everything was done the way it was with the announcement, they went ahead and said, 'Cool, we're going to do this.'"
The track is planning to host its first race in 2027 and its first full season in 2028.
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