By Justin Kern; Media Relations Director
As we inch closer and closer to opening night speedway officials and race teams throughout Hampton Roads are not the only ones excited to be making their return this weekend to Larry King Law’s Langley Speedway. Skip and Cynthia Cain of Norfolk, Virginia, the owners of Big Belly’s BBQ that operate the concession stands at the speedway, are more than ready to welcome more fans back to the speedway.
Governor Ralph Northam made the announcement towards the end of last month that he will be rolling back some of the COVID-19 restrictions here in Virginia which will allow Langley Speedway to open its gates to a larger capacity than it has been over the last several months. Skip was just one of many small business owners happy for this change
“We were impacted just like everyone else,” Skip said about how COVID affected his small business. “It slowed us way down. We just didn’t have the people there [at the track] that we normally do. It was pretty rough.”
“Of course we are happy to bring more fans back, it’s going to be a lot better for the track and of course that will also help us out a lot. It’s a good thing!
Big Belly’s BBQ has been a staple of the speedway for almost a decade now providing fans from all over the region great food and beverages while enjoying some Saturday night short track racing. Skip got his start catering small bbq events in the local area.
“We’ve been Big Belly’s for a long time but only out at the track for nine or ten years,” Skip said. “I started out catering bbq, then we bought a concession trailer and did some seafood and stuff at local festivals. Then when the economy started to drop so bad I started giving up some events and we ended up selling the trailer. Once Bill [Mullis] found out I was selling the trailer he asked me if I wanted to do the concessions and I agreed and the rest is history I guess.”
Fans making their return to the famed speedway can expect the same great hot food and cold beverages as they have been accustomed to over the last ten years – including the famed Redneck Fries. Race fans can also rest assured that Skip and his crew will continue to focus on COVID-19 protocols to ensure everyone is safe while visiting the concession stands by limiting the number of people in front of the windows, spacing people out, and wiping down counters between customers.
“We are certainly going to continue doing what we did last year where we boxed off the front of the concessions and divert the line in front of champs corner towards the gate,” Skip said. “From there we will mark the ground to show where people can stand and maintain the recommended social distance. We will also have someone to direct the fans to open windows making sure there are only a few people at a time so it’s not so crowded there. A lot of people said they liked this way and said they felt the line moved faster.”
Make sure you get your tickets now before it is too late and you miss your first chance at some Redneck Fries, or a cheeseburger, and your favorite Pepsi product this weekend. Grandstands will open at 2:00 pm Saturday as practice gets underway. Qualifying is scheduled to follow at 4:30 with the green flag slated to wave at 7:00.
