Story By: DEVIL’S BOWL SPEEDWAY – WEST HAVEN, VT – The 2024 Fabian Earth Moving Vermont 200 is finally here, and this year, the 200-lap, $10,000+ -to-win race will feature some changes to its pit stop procedures.
From its inception in 2018, the Vermont 200 has contained a halfway break for fuel and adjustments. The caution flag has come out on lap 100, freezing the field in their running order, sending everyone down pit road for 10 minutes to fuel and make any adjustments necessary. At the end of the 10 minutes, the cars return to the track in the same, frozen order, and resume the race for the last 100 laps, but not anymore.
This year, track management has decided to do something a little bit different from many of the other year-end, extra-distance races.
If a caution flag falls between lap 75 and lap 100, pit road will be open. This will be stop #1 of the 200. Anyone will have the option to come down pit road and take fuel only. No other adjustments will be permitted during stop #1 for safety reasons. The duration of stop No. 1 will be five caution flag laps by cars choosing to stay out. The lap clock will not start until all cars pitting have stopped in their pit stalls.
If no caution falls naturally in the lap 75-100 window, stop #1 will occur with a competition caution on lap 100.
Stop #2 will occur under yellow flag conditions between lap 140 and 150. This stop is intended for adjustments and tires. NO fuel is to be taken during stop #2, again for safety reasons. Stop #2 will also be five caution laps, starting when all pitting cars have stopped in their pit stalls. Again, if no caution falls naturally between 140 and 150, a competition yellow will come out for stop #2 on lap 150.
Both stops are completely optional. Cars not pitting during stop #1 or #2 will advance positions around cars that do pit. All cars that do pit during the scheduled stops will line up in the order that they come off pit road with other cars and return to the racetrack behind the cars that stayed out.
Fuel may be taken any time under caution, except during stop #2. Drivers will stay in their cars during pit stops. Crews are permitted to use dry-erase or chalkboard signs to communicate with their drivers. No radios are permitted at all, except for the one-way raceceiver from the tower.
The first car one lap down will be placed back on the lead lap under every caution (Lucky Dog). Caution laps will count from 1-175. No more than three caution laps will be counted per caution period.
Any cars exiting the track and returning to the “cold pit” will not be permitted to re-enter, all pit stops will be done in the infield.
The changes to this year’s format are expected to add a layer of complexity to the race, spurring teams to make different strategic choices based on track position, number of cars on the lead lap, tire wear and fuel consumption, among other factors.
The Fabian Earth Moving Vermont 200 is Sunday, September 1, starting at 6PM. Group time trials will set the field for heat races with a re-draw for top starting positions in the feature. The race pays $10,000 to win with a $2,500 bonus for any Devil’s Bowl or Airborne Park 100% regular attendance racer to win. Every lap is sponsored, with money going to the leader. Lap 100 is a $500 lap, with a $250 prize to the top-running Devil’s Bowl regular on that lap. The total lap leader bonus money tallies over $7,000, meaning that a driver could leave West Haven on Sunday with nearly $20,000.
General admission is $25 for the entire weekend. Infield tailgating is $40 for the entire weekend. Dry camping is $30 for the whole weekend. Camping is open Friday from 3-7PM and reopens at 9am on Saturday. Pit passes are $45 for the entire weekend this includes Saturday Bbq. There is a mandatory driver pre-entry form, $75 if submitted before August 28, $100 if submitted after.
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