Neighbors 'never thought the day would come' after Richmond loses NASCAR race weekend

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Growing up right across the street from Richmond International Raceway, Reggie Johnson would always get a jolt of excitement when NASCAR's spring and fall races would come to town.

"I have very fond memories watching the people come, watching the trailers come in, going, 'Hey there's my favorite driver!'" Johnson said.

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Earlier this week, NASCAR announced it would only have one of its annual races for the 2025 season, moving its spring race to Mexico to expand its global platform.

When CBS 6 broke the news to Johnson Wednesday afternoon, he was shocked.

"It's always been two races a year. I never thought the day would come when they take one away," he said.

He said over the years, residents would often complain about traffic concerns from thousands of fans coming in for race weekend.

IN-DEPTH: What Richmond loss of NASCAR race weekend means for community

Other residents, like Mary Wood, would open up their yards or parking lots to charge for parking.

"Before COVID-19, I used to park, fill my yard up, and there would be people who would camp out in the backyard, and that kind of stuff," Wood said. "One thing I've noticed is that the crowd has diminished quite a bit."

Wood and Johnson said over the past few years, they've seen fewer and fewer visitors coming to the raceway.

"I'm sure a lot of business owners are like, 'Oh, no,'" Wood said.

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CBS 6 spoke with Harry Sharma, who manages Race Track Market.

"That day we do a lot of business," Sharma said about each race.

With the loss of one race, Sharma said it could have a major impact.

"We lose $5,000 to $10,000," he said. "They should do more. The reducing, it's bad."

Johnson said he understands the move, though he worries about the economic impact it could have on Henrico County and Richmond.

“I can understand it once a year, if they’re trying to expand, go international. There are international drivers in NASCAR now, so why not? You have to go with the punches."

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