When H. Clay Earles first viewed the land he had purchased for a race track in 1947, he was thinking about turning a hobby into livelihood.

He built a monument to the sport and a legacy that will live forever. And it is for that history and heritage that Martinsville Speedway was honored by the Department of Historic Resources Wednesday with a Virginia Historic Marker, kicking of the SUBWAY 500 week at the track.

"This is such an honor for my family and for Martinsville Speedway," said Speedway President Clay Campbell, Earles' grandson. "My grandfather was so proud of Martinsville Speedway and this honor today would be so special to him. And I think it's a fitting way to close out our 60th anniversary."

The state historical highway marker program commemorates facts, persons, events and places prominently identified with the history of the nation, state or region. The wording for each marker must be reviewed and edited by the manager of the marker program and the staff of the Department of Historic Resources. The location has to be approved by the Board of Historic Resources.

"What Bill Monroe is to bluegrass music, Martinsville Speedway is to NASCAR. Both came along at about the same time in the late 1940s and made home-grown forms of entertainment wildly popular throughout the world," said Kathleen S. Kilpatrick, director of the Department of Historic Resources.

"Virginia's NASCAR roots arose out of the state's southwestern communities and Blue Ridge Mountain hollows. It's an important recreational heritage in Virginia and we are delighted to recognize that legacy through the new historical marker for Martinsville Speedway."

There are more than 2,000 historic road markers throughout the Commonwealth, but this is the first to honor a speedway.

Following is the text as it appears on the historic marker: "H. Clay Earles (1913-1999) opened Martinsville Speedway in 1947 with seating for 750. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) first raced here in 1948. Martinsville Speedway was one of eight tracks to host the inaugural 1949 season of NASCAR's Strictly Stock division, later called Winston Cup and then NEXTEL Cup racing. It is the only original NASCAR track still hosting the highest division as of 2007. It features a short .526-mile track and seats more than 68,000."

SUBWAY 500 week action doesn't pick up at Martinsville Speedway until Thursday when the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series trucks begin rolling through inspection at 2 p.m. The NEXTEL Cup haulers will enter the infield at 5:30 on Thursday.

There will be a full day of action on Friday with the NEXTEL Cup practice scheduled at noon for 90 minutes. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice for the Kroger 200 is scheduled for 11 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. on Friday.

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup qualifying will begin at 3:45 p.m. on Friday.  There will be a pair of NEXTEL Cup practice sessions on Saturday, one at 10 a.m. and the other at 12:50 p.m.  Qualifying for the Kroger 200 is at 11:10 a.m. Saturday with the race set to take the green flag at 3 p.m.