2021: SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY GENERAL MANAGER CATHY RICE STEPPING DOWN AT THE END OF THE 2021 SEASON
SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY
GENERAL MANAGER CATHY RICE STEPPING DOWN AT THE END OF THE 2021 SEASON
South Boston, VA…… When
Cathy Rice took the reigns as general manager at South Boston Speedway in 2000,
she became a pioneer of sorts in being only the second woman to become a
general manager at a NASCAR-sanctioned speedway.
While serving in that post for the past 20 years the Cluster Springs,
Virginia resident has helped make South Boston Speedway one of the true gems
among NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series short tracks.
The 2021 season will be Rice’s last full season as general manager of
South Boston Speedway, as she plans to step down from a full-time role at the
historic speedway.
“I am not
walking away, I am just slowing down,” Rice explained.
“I do need
to slow down. We all do in time. Everybody at some time or another looks at
doing different things and seeing different places. With my husband now retired
we will be able to do more things together. I want to spend more time with my
family. I want to spend more time with my grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
“I don’t
want anybody to think I’m leaving because I’m not,” she continued.
“My health
is good. I feel I can still come here and help whenever needed. I’m going to
stay on as far as maybe consulting or something along that line. I will always
be here for whomever comes in and steps into my position.”
South
Boston Speedway CEO Nick Igdalsky points out that Rice is much more than South
Boston Speedway’s general manager.
"Cathy Rice has been the lifeblood of this
historic racing venue during her tenure and will continue to be involved with
the speedway in some capacity well past 2021,” Igdalsky said.
“No one has fought, advocated, promoted or has
been more passionate about South Boston Speedway over the past 30-plus years
than Cathy Rice. She has put so much care, effort and passion into her work at
SoBo that we often joke that the track is her third child!
“Her daily presence will be missed by all who
frequent the speedway, but her legacy will be passed on as Cathy will
personally train her replacement this entire season,” Igdalsky continued.
“I am so proud of her and what has been
accomplished at South Boston Speedway during our time working together. Please
join me in thanking Cathy for all she has done for South Boston and Halifax County
and congratulating her on her amazing career at South Boston Speedway."
Rice said she
has had a plan in place for the time when she felt the need to slow down and
step back.
“I had
always told Nick that as long as my health would permit me to do so I would
give him a year’s notice because I would love to bring someone in here and let
them see what it is like during the winter months, how we start our season, how
we go through our season during the summer months and how we end our season,”
Rice explained.
“Whomever
steps into my position needs to experience what all of that is like, and they
need time to get to know people in the community.”
Rice has
spent 33 years on the operational side of things at South Boston Speedway,
serving in a variety of capacities ranging from secretary to scorer, to
promotor, and her present post of general manager.
When Rice
was named as the track’s general manager in 2000, becoming only the second
woman to serve as general manager of a NASCAR-sanctioned speedway could have
led to mixed feelings and a lot of pressure. It wasn’t that way for her.
“People have
asked me how I feel being a woman in the position I am in,” Rice remarked.
“Being a
female in a male-dominated sport didn’t make me feel any different. I didn’t
feel any pressure. I feel the competitors respected me as well as I respected
them. Today, the situation is different. There are a lot more women involved in
the sport, and they are involved in many different ways.”
Rice says
she is very grateful to have the opportunity to work for the Mattioli Family
and grow South Boston Speedway.
“You will
never find anybody to work for as good as the Mattioli Family and Nick and his
family,” Rice remarked.
“That is
one thing that makes this really hard. When you come to work here you are like
a family. We are family oriented. We have fun at what we do, and we get the job
done.”
One of the
things Rice credits for her success and the success of the speedway is a
dedicated, hard-working and talented staff.
“There is
no way I could do this by myself,” Rice said, “and I thank everybody on the
speedway staff over the past and present years for their hard work and
dedication to the speedway.
Rice very
much appreciates the support the South Boston-Halifax County, Virginia
community has shown to her and to South Boston Speedway over the years.
“I thank
my family and friends for their support through all of these years,” Rice said.
“I also thank
the Halifax County Board of Supervisors, South Boston Town Council and all of
our other local governmental agencies, all of our law enforcement agencies
including the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Fred Clark, the South
Boston Police Department and former Police Chief Jim Binner, the Virginia State
Police and the Town of Halifax Police Department. My thanks also go out to the South
Boston and Halifax fire departments as well as to all of the other county fire departments,
the Halifax County Rescue Squad, all of our town and county emergency services
agencies and personnel and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
“In
addition,” Rice continued, “I also thank our track service providers including Franklin’s
Wrecker Service and Donnie Ellington, our officials, our past and present
sponsors, all of our competitors, and especially the people of South Boston and
Halifax County and our many loyal race fans for their support.”
Rice has
received numerous honors during her tenure as general manager at South Boston
Speedway. She has been honored by NASCAR for her outstanding work, twice being
named the recipient of the NASCAR Team Player Award. In addition, Rice serves on the National Association of Stock Car Auto
Racing (NASCAR) Appeal Board. Rice will continue to serve on the board. She
also received the Old Timers Racing Club’s Promotor of the Year Award in 2013.
On four occasions Rice and South Boston Speedway have received appreciation
awards from the United States Marine Corps II Marine Expeditionary Force in
recognition of outstanding cooperation and assistance in Marines training
exercises.
Rice has enjoyed a longtime involvement in racing that dates back to 1972
when she married Allen Rice, who was a mechanic and crew chief for his
brother’s racing team. Her first working experience in motorsports was as a
co-owner and crew member of a Late Model Sportsman Division car with duties
that included timing and scoring.
In the 1980s she worked with former NASCAR stars Jeff Burton, Elliott
Sadler and Hermie Sadler. Rice traveled with Jeff Burton in 1989 on what was
then known as the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series (the series now known as
the NASCAR Xfinity Series) circuit. During that time, she handled timing and
scoring for Burton.
Rice began her career at South Boston Speedway in the early 1990s and
served in a variety of roles that included secretary, scorer, promotor and
general manager. Her tenure as general manager started when the Mattioli Family
purchased South Boston Speedway in 2000.
In addition to her duties in racing, Rice is active in the South Boston-Halifax
County, Virginia community. She is a longtime member of the Halifax County,
Virginia Chamber of Commerce and has served three years on the organization’s
Board of Directors. Also, Rice has served on the Halifax County, Virginia
Tourism Board for nine years, and served multiple terms on the former Halifax
County, Virginia Motorsports Academy Advisory Board.
Rice has been a member of the South Boston, Virginia Rotary Club for 17
years. She has served as secretary of the civic organization and is a recipient
of the Rotary Club’s Paul Harris Fellow Award.
An active member of Second Baptist Church in South Boston, Virginia Rice has served on various church committees and as a member of the church’s board.
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