The winner of this Saturday night’s Italian Delight Family Restaurant Presents Frutopia Not Just Frozen Yogurt 100 Late Model race will find themselves $2,000 richer than usual.
One of the race’s sponsors, Italian Delight Family Restaurant has added a $2,000 bonus to the Late Model winner’s purse, increasing the winning total to $5,000, a payout practically unheard of in weekly Late Model racing.
And there’s more from Italian Delight. They will add to the purse of all other races on Saturday night’s schedule. They will also draw a lucky number after the finish of each race and the corresponding driver will receive a bonus.
“Anytime there’s more money on the line, you do a little more, work a little harder,” said Thomas Scott, third in South Boston Speedway’s points but still looking for his first win at the .4-mile oval. “When more money is on the line, I don’t mind mixing it up a little bit within reason.”
Scott and several other South Boston Speedway regulars are coming off impressive finishes in Sunday’s Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway, the second leg of the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown. Philip Morris, who has won at South Boston eight times this year, won the Hampton Heat; South Boston points leader Peyton Sellers was second and Scott fourth.
The trio would have to be considered favorites for this Saturday night’s Italian Delight Family Restaurant Presents Frutopia Not Just Frozen Yogurt 100, but like Scott, Sellers said anything can happen when an extra $2,000 is added to the winner’s check.
“This (the bonus) makes a big difference. You take your gloves off and do what you have to do,” said Sellers, who has worked his way to the points lead by dropping to the rear of the field each race and picking up bonus “passing points.” That strategy may change Saturday night though.
“It’s enough to make me think about not going to the back of the field for points,” Sellers added.
In addition to the full night of racing … the 100-lap Late Model race, twin 25-lap Limited Sportsman races, a 30-lap Budweiser Pure Stock race, a 15-lap Budweiser Hornets race and twin 15-lap races for the Mod 4 division … there will be an induction ceremony for the latest class of the Virginia Motorsports Hall of Fame during pre-race ceremonies.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Saturday with qualifying and the green flag falling at 7. Admission is $10 for adults; children 12 and under will be admitted free.
