311 to dedicate event to fallen racer
Saturday's competition at 311 Motor Speedway, including the $10,000-to-win Schaeffer's Fall Nationals event at the Pine Hall, N.C., oval, will be dedicated to a longtime Late Model racer who died after apparently suffering a medical issue in Friday's regular-season program at the half-mile oval, the track announced.
Track owner Mike Fulp told WFMY-TV that witnesses believed Keith Jacobs of Reidsville, N.C., suffered a medical emergency while racing Friday and his Crate Late Model struck the outside wall.
"Everyone please keep the Jacobs family in your thoughts and prayers tonight as 311 Speedway has lost a legend, Indian Outlaw Keith Jacobs," the track posted early Saturday morning on its Facebook page. "Godspeed my friend."
The track planned to dedicate Saturday's racing to Jacobs with proceeds from the 50-50 tickets going to the family; Friday's race purse, about $4,300, was also going to the Jacobs family, Fulp told WFMY.
The 58-year-old Jacobs, whose racing career began in 1991, had competed in Crate Late Model divisions in recent seasons, posting two top-five finishes last year. His lone career steel-head engine Late Model victory came Nov. 2, 2002, on the undercard of a Northern Allstars and Southern Outlaw Super Series race at 311. Jacobs was a two-time street stock champion at 311 and reeled off 35 victories during his 1995-96 campaigns in that division.
