“We are thrilled to work with the DRIVE SMART Virginia team to bring their ‘Who’s Your Driver’ program to life at Richmond Dragway,” said Johnny Davis, owner of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) member track in Sandston, Va. “To help raise awareness for our fans and racers by encouraging them to have a plan when they are out drinking and having a good time is a central message to keeping everyone safe and getting people home safely to their families and friends.”

For the 2019 season, “Who’s Your Driver” will become the right lane sponsor at Richmond Dragway with marquee signage atop the track’s lighted scoreboard. The “Who’s Your Driver” branding will also take a high visibility role around the facility, on the track’s website, on Richmond Dragway’s social media platforms, and on the 1320go.com live race results app.

“Unfortunately, people forget that having a blood alcohol content as low as .03 percent can impair your ability to drive,” said Janet Brooking, executive director of DRIVE SMART Virginia. “However, 100 percent of alcohol-related traffic incidents are preventable if you choose a sober driver. So before race fans arrive at Richmond Dragway, we just want to make sure they’ve got a plan to get home safely.”

The “Who’s Your Driver” website — whosyourdriver.org — is filled with information and resources including facts about drunk driving and a place for race fans to sign a safe driving pledge to designate a sober driver before you spend a night out on the town or at the race track. The message of “before you plan to drink, answer ‘Who’s Your Driver’” is an easy reminder to get home safely regardless of your circumstances.

“When you think back to the start of drag racing, it was to make the streets safer and get people off the streets and on the controlled environment of race tracks,” Davis said. “The message resonates through the DRIVE SMART Virginia ‘Who’s Your Driver’ program. We want our fans, our racers and their families to be safe. It seemed like a natural fit to bring awareness to something so important.”

IHRA Division Director Jon O’Neal added, “There is no better partnership in motorsports than one that combines a facility’s abilities with a state project to help keep the roads safe. From inviting street racers to the track to this exciting new partnership with DRIVE SMART Virginia, Johnny Davis and the Richmond Dragway team are at the forefront in working with the surrounding community. It's exciting to see how this partnership will grow.” 

DRIVE SMART Virginia has also partnered with Racing Virginia, a network of motorsports facilities and programs throughout the Commonwealth, to utilize Richmond Dragway’s events as a tool to continue to introduce new fans to the sport of drag racing.

About DRIVE SMART Virginia DRIVE SMART Virginia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1995 on the principle that traffic fatalities and injuries are preventable. Through education and outreach programs, DRIVE SMART Virginia promotes traffic safety in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Founded in 1995, the organization is led by a diverse Board of Directors including safety advocates, associations, corporate Virginia, and law enforcement. Learn more at drivesmartva.org.