RIDGEWAY, VA :: Lynn Carroll, who came out of retirement to serve as the race director for the MDCU 300, made a splash during the two-day open test at Martinsville Speedway. After previously announcing that teams running the Ford D347SR Crate Engine would have to run a 290 CFM carburetor, Carroll allowed teams to run a 650 CFM carburetor if they added weight.

The teams that choose to run the 650 could do so if they added 50 pounds of weight – 25 pounds to each side.  The controversial rule change generated plenty of discussion in the garage on Thursday morning after Kres VanDyke turned heads on Wednesday with some of his fast laps.

Carroll confirmed the rule change in an interview with RACE22.com on Thursday morning.

“We’ve given them an option,” Carroll said.  “They can run the 390 with a one-inch spacer plate and left the weight the same and everything with that.  We gave them the other option to run the 650 carburetor with 50 pounds added, 25 on the left and 25 on the right, so they have two different options they can run.”

Carroll said the reason for the change was to promote better competition in next Sunday’s big dance.

“We’re just trying to equal the cars up,” Carroll explained.  “We wanted everybody to have equal opportunity.”

When asked if other teams had criticized the rule change, Carroll said he hadn’t heard other teams give negative feedback.

“Some guys aren’t going to like it and some guys are going to like it no matter what you do,” Carroll said.  “We haven’t heard anything at all.”

In last year’s race, Chad Finchum set the fast lap in qualifying running a Ford D347SR but the race was dominated by drivers running built Chevrolet motors.

Carroll stepped down earlier as the director of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.  Last week, Kenny Hunley was announced as Carroll’s successor but Carroll came out of retirement to serve as the race director for next Sunday’s MDCU 300 at the request of Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell.

“Clay wants me to do this event so I’ll do this event for him as long as he wants me to.  That’s probably about it.”