Langley Speedway, the 4/10-of-mile track located in Hampton, Virginia, will reopen again under the direction of track operator Bill Mullis. Stock-car racing will resume starting April 1.

Mullins previously leased and operated Langley from 2009 to 2015. The speedway was closed at the end of the 2015 racing season when Mullis and the former property owners could not reach an agreement to keep the track open.

Mullins recently made the track reopening announcement with Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck and City Manager Mary Bunting, who welcomed the Speedway’s return.

“I just can’t thank everybody enough for being here to support me and support this city,” Mullins said.

Tuck noted that the careers of many racing greats were ignited at Langley. Tuck and Bunting also noted the speedway hosted a number of important events over the years, including the Drive for Diversity, which served as a training ground for drivers from diverse backgrounds and offered them a chance to be selected to drive for a professional NASCAR team.

Bunting said the Speedway has been a tremendous asset to the city and the region, with local residents, hotels, and retailers benefitting from enthusiastic race fans.

“We as a city lost more than $100,000 in overnight visitor economic impact when the speedway did not operate last season,” Bunting said.

“And the benefits are not just monetary,” she added, noting that the city in recent years received $10,000 through Langley Speedway and NASCAR’s Clear Air Tree Planting Program.

Langley Speedway has been a local racing fixture since the 1940s when it was an oval track used for thoroughbred horse racing. Later shortened and dedicated to car racing, it was renamed Langley Field Speedway in 1963. When Langley Speedway closed in 2015, it was southeastern Virginia’s longest running professional sports enterprises, and a popular local and tourist destination.

For more information, contact Langley Speedway spokesman Chuck Hall at 757-802- 5092 or chuck@langley-speedway.com.