Dinwiddie Gets Face Lift

DINWIDDIE, VA -- The fastest track in Virginia just got faster. The track and field facility at Dinwiddie High School, which has produced more regular season Dyestat elite marks than all other state facilities combined in the last four years is nearing completion of a series of upgrades. These upgrades include resurfacing of the track, an additional ninth lane for the straight sprints and hurdles, upgrade of the shot area, resurfacing of the high jump apron and a new pole vault pit. The pit is the UCS 1900 \"Monster Pit\". The same type of pit that was used at L.S.U. last June for the NCAA Division 1 championships.

Dennis Rossi, President and CEO of American Tennis Courts, came down from Baltimore to supervise the surfacing job personally. Mr. Rossi commented to Claude Shell, assistant principal at Dinwiddie, that he wanted to insure the quality of the job. \"We are well aware of the significance of this track in the mid-Atlantic region. This job didn\'t have to be just right, it had to be perfect,\" explained Rossi.

Legendary track surveyor and striper Irvin Eddinger of Protrack surveyed and marked the track. Mr. Eddinger\'s clients list includes U.N.C, South Carolina, Duke, Yale, Wake Forest and Rutgers. This summer prior to his Dinwiddie work he surveyed and marked Franklin Field, home of the Penn Relays.

The renovations were funded by about 50% School Board funds and 50% non-tax dollars. The Athletic Department used monies generated in an aggressive fund raising project to supplement the school board budgeted funds. \"We could not have completed this project with out local business support,\" stated Activities Director Chad Knowles. \"In particular I would like to thank Chaparral Steel, the Titmus Foundation and NWB for being so generous\"

The facility will host three major meets this spring The Five Forks Classic, The Southern Track Classic and The Central District Championships.