SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (January 8, 2019) – Fans are guaranteed to get more bang for their buck at South Boston Speedway with a rule change for 2019.
The track announced today that caution laps would not count in races that are 150 laps in length or shorter. In the past, that rule was in effect only for races 75 laps or shorter.
“We do our best to always put our fans first,” said South Boston Speedway General Manager Cathy Rice. “By not counting the caution laps in races 150 laps or shorter, fans will get to enjoy more laps of racing every race. It should make race nights much more fun for everyone.”
With the new rule in place, the only race in 2019 where caution laps will count will be the 200-lapper celebrating Independence Day on June 29.
Driver expect the change to help in the grandstands and the pits.
“It’s going to help the fans get their money’s worth. They know they are going to get a set number of laps,” said Thomas Scott, who finished third in the 2018 Late Model Stock points race at South Boston. “From a safety standpoint for the crews, if you are involved in something on the track and have to come in and change a tire or fix something, you don’t have to worry about rushing to get out without losing a lap. It’s going to make pit road safer.”
Peyton Sellers, who won his fourth South Boston Speedway championship in 2018, believes limiting caution laps will make the title chase tougher in 2019.
“It’s going to keep more people on the lead lap and it’s going to make the points race closer,” said Sellers. “When you have trouble and pit under caution, you’re not automatically going laps down like in the past and that will tighten things up.”
The 2019 South Boston season will kick off on Saturday, March 16 with an afternoon of racing featuring twin 100-lap Late Model races, a 50-lap Limited Sportsman race, a 30-lap Pure Stock race and a 15-lap Hornets race.
