Anyone who has driven the Route 220/58 Bypass into Ridgeway on race weekend knows the moment it happens: the speed limit drops from 65 mph to 35 mph in the space of a mile, and every lane in front of you slows down at once. The Virginia Department of Transportation's own race-weekend advisory puts it plainly — fans should watch for that speed reduction as they approach the track, then watch for police and message boards directing them into the right lane. That's the whole trip in miniature: one bypass, one interchange, and large numbers of cars trying to funnel through it at the same time.
A chartered bus doesn't erase that bottleneck — nothing does, Martinsville Speedway sits on U.S. Route 220 and U.S. Route 58, not an interstate, and everyone funnels through the same corridor. What a bus does is put one vehicle in that crawl instead of a dozen, following the exact traffic pattern VDOT publishes for through-groups, while your group rides together, gets pointed at the right access road, and doesn't have to find its own way back to a car afterward. Below is what actually happens getting a group in and out of Martinsville Speedway: which roads carry race traffic, where the gates sit, what the speedway's own rules say about tailgating and bags, and how a party bus or charter bus fits into a trip that starts in Roanoke.
Why Rent a Bus to Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is a half-mile track — nicknamed "the Paperclip" for its flat, tight oval — built into a rural stretch of Henry County with two U.S. highways as its only real approach. There's no rideshare zone with a published pickup lot the way a downtown arena has one, no parking garage, and no transit line. Groups get there the way NASCAR fans have gotten there for decades: by car, in a single-file crawl down the bypass.
A group that shows up in five or six separate cars loses each other in that crawl, and loses each other again after the race when 35,000 fans try to leave down the same two roads at once.
A Martinsville Speedway charter bus or party bus rental keeps that from happening. Your group boards once, in Roanoke, and rides together the whole way down U.S. 220 — with a built-in designated transportation provider, so nobody in your group has to skip the tailgate to drive home. Martinsville Speedway's own group ticket page notes that fans buying 10 or more tickets get "special savings," and says the option is "perfect for businesses, civic groups & social clubs, charter bus companies and more" — the speedway plans for buses to show up, because they do, every race weekend.
Charter Bus & Party Bus Access at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway's own facility maps organize the property by gate number rather than by a single "bus lot," and the entrances that matter shift depending on which direction your group approaches from. According to NASCAR's published facility guide for Martinsville, parking tied to Gates 17, 21, and 22 all enters from the north side of the track — the side that lines up directly with the Route 220/58 Bypass, which is the corridor a Roanoke bus takes in.
The speedway's own event and facility maps page is the source to check closer to your date, since gate assignments can shift by event and by ticket type. What doesn't shift is the bypass itself: every car, bus, and RV headed to Martinsville funnels through that same Route 220/58 corridor, so the group that's already coordinated with one vehicle has a real advantage over six cars trying to stay in radio contact through the merge.
There is no rideshare lot or transit stop published at Martinsville Speedway. Every option — personal car, RV, or bus — uses the same Route 220/58 Bypass corridor and the same gate system. A bus puts your whole group through that funnel once, together, instead of splitting the trip across multiple cars.
Route 220/58 Bypass Traffic: How Martinsville Speedway Race Weekend Actually Flows
Before every Martinsville race weekend, VDOT's Salem District issues a fresh traffic advisory, and the pattern it describes is consistent from year to year because the roads themselves don't change. Here's the direction-by-direction breakdown from VDOT's own race-weekend guidance, which any bus routing down from Roanoke will follow:
- From the north (Roanoke area): VDOT's advisory tells vehicles to "continue on the Route 220/Route 58 Bypass past the speedway interchange and turn right onto the access road," located about one mile east of the interchange — not at the interchange itself, which is the mistake first-timers make.
- From the east (Danville area): Traffic is routed to what VDOT calls the track's "back gate," reached off the Route 58 Bypass east of the speedway.
- From the south (Greensboro area): VDOT directs vehicles to stay in the right lane and watch for police and electronic message boards managing the merge.
- From the west (Stuart area): transportation providers stay on Route 58 East and follow the posted signs and message boards into the track.
Every one of those instructions includes the same warning: watch for the speed limit dropping from 65 mph to 35 mph as the bypass narrows toward the speedway. VDOT's advisory recommends building in extra time and monitoring its 511 service for real-time conditions on race day — advice that matters just as much for a 35-passenger minibus as for a pickup truck.
Getting to Martinsville Speedway from Roanoke
Martinsville Speedway sits roughly 52 miles south of Roanoke by way of U.S. Route 220, a drive that runs about an hour and sixteen minutes outside of race-weekend traffic. On a normal Tuesday, that's a straight shot down 220 through Rocky Mount and Bassett. On a race Sunday, add real time on the back end — the last few miles are where VDOT's speed-reduction zone and the merge onto the access road slow everyone down together, no matter what they're driving.
The access road VDOT names for northbound traffic sits about a mile past the speedway interchange itself, which is easy to miss if you're not expecting it. A route already confirmed against that pattern means your group's bus isn't the one pulling a U-turn on the bypass while thirty people wonder why the tailgate is starting late.
What Size Bus Fits Your Martinsville Speedway Group
Race groups headed to Martinsville run anywhere from a dozen coworkers splitting a suite to a fifty-person club outing with coolers and folding chairs. Roanokeminibuscompany.com compares vehicles through a large network of bus companies serving Roanoke, so your group isn't stuck paying for seats it doesn't need or squeezing gear into a vehicle that's too small.
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Best for | Notes for a Martinsville trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprinter Van Rental with transportation provider | Up to ~14 | Small suite groups, VIP groups | Easy fit for a hotel pickup and a tight interchange turn |
| 18-passenger minibus | ~18 | Small clubs, coworkers splitting a suite | Room for coolers and folding chairs without going oversized |
| 25-passenger minibus | ~25 | Mid-size fan groups | The most common size booked for a Sunday Cup race |
| 35-passenger minibus | ~35 | Larger fan clubs, company outings | Underneath storage handles a real tailgate spread |
| Party bus | ~15–40 | Groups that want the tailgate to start on the drive down | Built-in sound and lighting for the ride to Ridgeway |
| Charter bus | Up to ~56 | Large club, church, or company groups | Onboard restroom matters on a corridor with limited stops |
For groups planning around a specific race weekend rather than a single seat count, the Roanoke group transportation services page covers how Roanokeminibuscompany.com works out multi-vehicle bookings when one bus isn't enough for the whole club.
Martinsville Speedway Bus Rental Prices
Roanokeminibuscompany.com shows vehicle options and pricing online in under 30 seconds, and every figure you see is example pricing meant to help you plan — not a locked quote. Price depends on the vehicle size, how many hours you need it (including tailgate time before the race and the wait afterward), the specific race weekend, and the mileage from your Roanoke pickup point down to Ridgeway.
To give you an idea: a 22-person group booking a 25-passenger minibus for a Sunday Cup race might arrange pickup in downtown Roanoke around 8:30 AM, arrival near the north access road by 10:00 AM for a full tailgate window, and a return pickup a couple hours after the checkered flag once the bypass traffic starts clearing. A 10-hour rental at that size has run in the neighborhood of $1,600–$1,900 — roughly $73–$86 per person — split across the group instead of everyone buying their own gas and race-day parking pass separately. That number moves with the date, the vehicle, and demand, so the fastest way to get a real figure for your weekend is to check the Roanoke bus rental prices page or call 826-256-8720 for pricing in about a minute.
Tailgating, Camping & What You Can Bring to Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway sells RV and camping spots around the track for the full race weekend, in addition to grandstand and infield tickets, so plenty of groups arrive Friday and stay through Sunday. A bus group without a camping pass can still build a full tailgate day around the race itself — the loading bays on a charter bus or minibus hold coolers, folding chairs, and tents the same way a car trunk would, minus the separate cars.
Martinsville Speedway's published fan policies bar a specific list of items at the gate, including "firearms, sporting knives, spotlights, laser pointers, flying lanterns or other items deemed dangerous." Pack light, leave anything on that list at home or on the bus, and check the policies page directly before race day since exact bag rules can be adjusted event to event. What riders eat or drink once they're parked and tailgating at the track is between them and the speedway's own rules — that part of the day happens off the bus, not on it.
Leaving Martinsville Speedway After the Race
Getting out is the part every returning fan already braces for. With one bypass and one interchange carrying the entire crowd back out, VDOT's own advisory warns fans to expect "an increased volume of traffic" for the whole weekend, not just race day itself, and recommends checking 511 conditions before heading home. There's no quick side street to cut through — Route 220 and Route 58 are the only two roads out, the same two roads everyone drove in on.
A bus doesn't beat that traffic, but it does change what your group experiences inside it. Instead of a caravan of cars trying to stay together through a slow, single-lane merge, your group is in one vehicle, following the same route the transportation provider already worked out on the way down, with nobody splitting off to find a car in a gravel lot after dark. Building extra time into the return pickup, the way VDOT recommends for every vehicle on the bypass that day, keeps the ride home from becoming its own source of stress.
What's on the Racing Calendar at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville hosts two NASCAR Cup Series weekends a year, and both draw bus groups from around the region. The spring race, the Cook Out 400, runs in late March. The bigger date still ahead on the 2026 calendar is the fall Playoffs weekend, running Friday, October 30 through Sunday, November 1, 2026, with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Friday, the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs race on Saturday, and the Cup Series Xfinity 500 — a Round of 8 elimination race that decides who advances toward the championship — on Sunday, November 1.
Because that fall weekend is a playoff elimination race, it's historically one of the busiest dates of the year at the track, which means bus availability out of Roanoke tightens up the closer you get to late October. Groups planning around it should lock in a vehicle well before the Saturday Xfinity race, not the week of. The Roanoke sporting event transportation page covers how Roanokeminibuscompany.com handles race-weekend and other single-day sporting trips out of the city.
Types of Martinsville Speedway Groups Booked Out of Roanoke
The same door-to-door trip works whether the group is racing fans, coworkers, or a club outing:
- Fan clubs and race groups. The classic Martinsville trip — a club or group of friends riding down together with a full tailgate spread in the bays.
- Corporate and client groups. Companies moving staff or clients to a suite without anyone worrying about the bypass merge or a race-day parking pass. See Roanoke corporate transportation.
- Civic groups and social clubs. Exactly the audience Martinsville Speedway's own group ticket program is built around, per the speedway's group ticket page cited above. A Roanoke church transportation trip or civic club outing books the same way.
- Milestone celebrations. A race weekend built around a birthday or retirement gift; see Roanoke birthday party transportation.
Groups planning a full weekend rather than a single race day — hotel Friday night, the track Saturday and Sunday — can also work with Martinsville-Henry County's group travel office, which lists the speedway itself as one of its core motorcoach-group attractions for the region.
Booking a Bus to Martinsville Speedway
- Fill out a quick quote or call 826-256-8720 with your group size, your Roanoke pickup point, and the race weekend you're headed to.
- Compare vehicles and pricing from a large network of bus companies serving Roanoke, sized to your group and your tailgate gear.
- Set your pickup and return window so the bus is staged and ready once the checkered flag drops, instead of your group hunting for a ride home in a gravel lot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus enter Martinsville Speedway?
Entry depends on your approach direction. Traffic coming from the north, out of Roanoke, continues on the Route 220/58 Bypass past the speedway interchange and turns onto the access road about a mile beyond it, per VDOT's race-weekend advisory. Gates 17, 21, and 22 are marked as north-side entries on NASCAR's published facility guide for the track.
Exact gate assignments can shift by event, so the speedway's own maps page is the source to check closest to your date.
How far is Martinsville Speedway from Roanoke?
About 52 miles by U.S. Route 220, roughly an hour and sixteen minutes outside of race-weekend traffic. Add real time on race day itself — the final stretch through the speed-reduction zone and the bypass merge is where the drive slows down.
What roads close or slow down on Martinsville race weekend?
Route 220 and the Route 220/58 Bypass carry essentially all race traffic in and out, since Martinsville Speedway has no interstate access. VDOT's advisory notes the speed limit drops from 65 mph to 35 mph approaching the track and recommends monitoring 511 for real-time conditions, since the corridor gets heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic all weekend, not just on race day.
Is there rideshare or public transit to Martinsville Speedway?
No published rideshare pickup zone or transit line serves the track. Every option — personal car, RV, or bus — uses the same Route 220/58 corridor and the speedway's gate system, which is one of the main reasons groups consolidate into a single bus rather than splitting into several cars.
How much does it cost to rent a bus to Martinsville Speedway?
Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, the specific race weekend, and mileage from your Roanoke pickup point. You can compare current options through the Roanoke bus rental prices page or by calling 826-256-8720 for a quote in about a minute.
What size bus fits a Martinsville Speedway group?
A 25-passenger minibus is the most commonly booked size for a mid-sized fan group; larger clubs or company outings often move up to a 35-passenger minibus or a full charter bus with underneath storage for tailgate gear. Smaller suite groups often fit comfortably in a Sprinter van.
Can we tailgate at Martinsville Speedway with a bus group?
Yes. Coolers, folding chairs, and tents ride in the bus's storage bays the same way they'd ride in a car trunk, just without the separate cars. Check the speedway's own fan policies page before you pack, since specific prohibited items are listed there and can be adjusted event to event.
What items are not allowed at Martinsville Speedway?
The speedway's published policies bar firearms, sporting knives, spotlights, laser pointers, flying lanterns, and other items "deemed dangerous." Review the full current list on the official policies page before race day.
Does Martinsville Speedway offer group tickets for bus groups?
Yes. The speedway's group ticket program offers savings on purchases of 10 or more tickets and specifically names "charter bus companies" as one of the groups it's built for, alongside civic groups and social clubs, per the official group ticket page.
How long does it take to leave Martinsville Speedway after the race?
The speedway doesn't publish an exact clearance time, but VDOT's advisory warns of heavy traffic on Route 220 and the bypass for the whole weekend, since both directions of exit traffic funnel through the same corridor everyone drove in on. Building extra time into a return pickup, rather than expecting an immediate exit, is the realistic plan.
What's on the Martinsville Speedway calendar in 2026?
The fall NASCAR Playoffs weekend runs Friday, October 30 through Sunday, November 1, 2026, with the Craftsman Truck Series on Friday, the Xfinity Series Playoffs race on Saturday, and the Cup Series Xfinity 500 — a Round of 8 elimination race — on Sunday, November 1.
How far in advance should we book a bus to Martinsville Speedway?
Because the fall weekend is a playoff elimination race, it's one of the busiest dates of the year at the track, and vehicle availability out of Roanoke narrows the closer you get to late October. Booking as soon as your group size and date are confirmed gives you the widest choice of vehicles.
Can the bus wait at the track during the race?
Yes. The bus is booked as a block of hours, so it can hold your gear and stage nearby while your group tailgates and watches the race, then return for an arranged pickup window once you're ready to head back to Roanoke.
Also planning a trip to a Berglund Center event or a night at the Salem Fair? Those guides cover their own drop-offs and parking.
Book Your Martinsville Speedway Bus Today
One bus, one route down Route 220, and a group that arrives together instead of scattered across the bypass. Whether it's a fan club headed to the Xfinity 500, a company outing to a suite, or a civic club's annual race-day trip, Roanokeminibuscompany.com compares party buses, charter buses, minibuses, and Sprinter vans from a large network of bus companies serving Roanoke. Fill out the quick online form or call 826-256-8720 any time for pricing on your Martinsville Speedway trip.
