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OktoberFAST 450 Weekend Preview

CAPRON, Va. (Oct. 14) — The countdown to OktoberFAST is on! Southampton Motor Speedway will wrap up its 2001 season with the $65,000+ OktoberFAST 450 Weekend presented by Bailey’s and Mike Duman Auto Sales — the biggest NASCAR Late Model Stock Car blowout this side of Martinsville.

• Thursday, Oct. 18 — Driver registration will begin and race car transporters will enter the Speedway from 12 noon until 5 p.m.

• Friday, Oct. 19 — Practice Day. Pit gates open and registration continues at 7 a.m. Officials will begin inspecting cars at 8:30. When inspections are completed (late morning or early afternoon), practice rounds will get under way and continue until 5 p.m.

The grandstands will be open all day for fans wanting to get a sneak peek at preparations for the weekend’s activities. There is no admission charge.

• Saturday, Oct. 20 — Qualifying Day. Pit gates open and registration continues at 7 a.m. A mandatory drivers meeting will be held at 8:30. Front gates open at 9 and morning practice will run from 9 until 11:30. Pre-qualifying inspections will start at 11:45.

Time trials to set the first 10 starting positions for Sunday’s feature event will get under way at 1 p.m. After a short break, drivers who don’t nab one of the top 10 spots will face off in four 35-lap qualifying races. The top five finishers from each of those events will transfer to Sunday’s big race, filling positions 11-30.

After the qualifying races, fans are invited to stay for SMS’s 2001 Awards Ceremony (approx. 6 p.m.). The awards celebration will be followed by a block party with live music provided by the “Wooden Nickel” band and fans will be able to meet and mingle with their favorite drivers until 10.

Tickets for Saturday’s activities are $10 for adults ($5 after 6 p.m.). Kids 12 and under are admitted free. Meal tickets for a post-awards pig pickin’ are $10. Fans may also choose to bring their own food and beverages.

• Sunday, Oct. 21 — Race Day. Pit gates and front gates open at 9 a.m. and a church service is slated for 10. The first of two 30-lap “Last Chance” qualifying events will get the green flag at 1 p.m. The first- and second-place finishers from those races will move on to the feature, claiming positions 31-34. Two drivers will be awarded provisional starting spots to round out the 36-car field for the feature.

After a brief intermission, the starting field for the OktoberFAST 250 will be introduced, then the drivers will strap in to begin their pursuit of the $15,000 first prize. Last place in the 250 will pay $1,000.

Tickets for Sunday’s big season-ender are $20 for adults and $5 for youths (6-12). Kids under 6 are admitted free.

• • • Pitwall Productions of Richmond, Va., will be on hand to tape the weekend’s activities. Their footage will be edited into a one-hour special which will air on WVBT Channel 43, the Fox network affiliate for the Hampton Roads area, on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 1 p.m.

• • • Here’s a brief summary of the race procedures (the “ground rules,” if you will) for Sunday’s OktoberFAST 250:

• The race will be run in two segments — 200 laps followed by a 50-lap sprint.

• There will be a 15-minute break between the segments during which crews may change two tires, add fuel and make needed adjustments.

• Cars will line up in double-file formation for the start of the event. The start of the second segment will also be double-file — lead-lap cars to the inside and lapped cars to the outside.

• All other restarts will be single-file.

• A caution flag will be thrown on lap 230 and lead-lap cars will be placed to the head of the field.

• The last 20 laps will be run under the green flag.

• In the event of caution flags within the last 20 circuits, the caution laps will be scored and the race will be extended beyond the 250-lap distance.

• In the event of a caution flag on the final lap, the race will conclude with a

“green-white-checkered” (two laps) finish.

• • • The OktoberFAST 450 Weekend will close the books on 10 years of competition at Southampton Motor Speedway — five seasons on dirt (1992-1996) and five seasons on the blacktop (1997-2001).