RANDLEMAN – The 36th edition of the NASCAR Day Festival in downtown Randleman is scheduled for 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday.
The event honors the Petty family and their impact on NASCAR and in the community.
The activities extend well beyond tributes to stock car racing.
“It’s a lot of other things,” said Jeff Freeman, director of the Randleman Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a promotional tool to keep Randleman on the map.”
Main Street and Commerce Square will have food, crafts, art, home products, racing memorabilia, youth activities and a stilt walker. There’s also three stages for entertainment.
Freeman said vendors will arrive from multiple states. There could be an extra influx of vendors, he said, with a new dose of inquiries coming during the past week.
“Because stuff for this (past) weekend has been cancelled,” Freeman said, referring to events called off in the aftermath of the remnants of Hurricane Helene.
NASCAR Festival Day an handle the additional vendors, he said.
Stock-car racing legend Richard Petty will sign autographs from 10-11 a.m. His availability is early in the day as he’s scheduled to travel to Detroit for an event later in the day Freeman said.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Inman, a former Petty crew chief, is also expected to attend. Former University of North Carolina men’s basketball standout Phil Ford is slated to be on hand from 3-5 p.m.
There’s a car show, with an entry fee of $25, for antique and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles. Those proceeds go to the Rady Lady Foundation, Petty Family Foundation projects and the Randleman Chamber of Commerce.
Music will have several themes from local country and variety groups to gospel.
There’s also a NASCAR Day pageant.
Attendance for the NASCAR Day Festival often is related to the weather.
“If weather cooperates, we can have 15,000 or thereabouts,” Freeman said.
