NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious Late Model Stock Car race, the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on October 4 at Martinsville Speedway, will have a new format in 2015.

After years of stopping the feature race at half-way and again with 10 laps to go, the race will only stop once, at lap 150, setting up a 50 lap shootout to the finish, Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell announced today.

“With the level of competition being tight, lately the restarts with 10 to go have caused a lot of problems and torn up race cars,” Campbell said. “Now that the drivers will have the final 50 laps to settle who’s best, I’m sure we’ll see an exciting race to the checkers.

“I won’t be surprised to see numerous cautions in the last few laps, but it will be because of the aggression of the drivers wanting so badly to win this prestigious event.”

Longtime sponsor of the halfway award, Clarence’s Steakhouse, will now sponsor an end-of-the-race award given to the winner.

The day starts with four 20 lap heat races to set the field, a 20 lap “last-chance” race and then the 200 lap feature race.