Martinsville, VA -- It’s an instant crown jewel event for Modified racing in America. The Pace-O-Matic King of the Modifieds will pay a minimum of $20,000 to the winner of the 125-lap event on Saturday, March 23, at South Boston Speedway in Virginia for the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic.

As rumblings moved through the Modified community in recent weeks, it has sparked an interest from Modified teams from north and south. The event will be a five-tire race for what will be one of the most lucrative purses of 2024. More details regarding the event will be announced soon.

“The SMART tour is very excited to create a crown jewel event at the iconic South Boston Speedway, one of the premiere racing facilities in the country. We have been working towards holding this race for a few years. and now with the extraordinary help from Senator (Bill) Stanley (VA), our primary sponsor Pace-O-Matic and some new local Virginia sponsors, we can now showcase the power, greatness and history of both Modified race cars and their drivers with this upcoming event,” said Chris Williams, Series Director. “It’s also an honor to have this race in southern Virginia, where so many great modified drivers have made their mark in racing; it is therefore both proper and fitting to name this race the ‘King of The Modifieds.”

Dating back to its inception in the late 1950s, South Boston Speedway has been an epicenter of Modified racing. And now, it will host one of the largest events in the United States for this genre of stock car racing.

“We’re kicking our 2024 season off with a brand new crown jewel. The King of the Modifieds is going to be a can’t-miss event,” said Brandon Brown, General Manager of South Boston Speedway. “Every driver and team is going to want to win this race — especially in its inaugural year. It’s going to give our fans an incredible show, and you all know what a show the SMART Modifieds put on here at South Boston Speedway. I can’t wait until race day.”

The SMART Modified Tour is scheduled to release an entry blank for the event soon. The 36-car field will be determined through single-car qualifying and a last-chance race. The top-18 in SMART Modified points, who attended the first two events of 2024, are guaranteed starters in the Pace-O-Matic King of the Modifieds event at South Boston Speedway on Saturday, March 23.

In 2024, SMART fans will be treated to 15 races at 13 different facilities in the tri-state region of North and South Carolina, as well as Virginia. The 2024 campaign kicks off when the 600-horsepower Modifieds tackle Florence Motor Speedway in Timmonsville, SC for the Peanut Patch 99 on Saturday, March 2. The season commences at the famed North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina on Saturday, October 19.

All races can also be seen on FloRacing, the official streaming broadcast partner of the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic

Burt Myers captured the 2023 championship for the SMART Modified Tour in the season’s final race in October. The contest at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC was won by Pace-O-Matic driver Bobby Labonte. OCS will host a race with the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic on Saturday, April 6.

To see the entire schedule for the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic, as well as all the latest news and information, please visit the series website at www.smartmodtour.com, and be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_).

By Bob Dillner - Twitter: @shorttracklife_