OKTAHA — Outlaw Motor Speedway came to life Saturday for a final day of practice before the season starts for real next Friday evening.

Over the course of the four hours the track was available, about 50 drivers tested their vehicles. Among them were a 50-year-old rookie driving a race car for the first time in lis life, a 16-year-old high school junior trying to refine his driving skills after his rookie year last season, and many veteran drivers testing cars after winter-long rebuilding sessions.

Former Modified track champion Mike Withrow (2007) was surveying the proceedings in street clothes.

“My car is not ready,” the Muskogee veteran said. “We’re about two weeks away.”

Oil leaks, engine misfiring, throttle problems, spin-outs, and a few scrapes with the concrete wall were norms on this day.

Jason Ward of Tahlequah, who made a run at the Hobby Stock Championship last season, was among those who had oil problems.

“We probably had too much oil in the car,” Ward said. “It spilled over on the engine and we were smoking pretty bad. There was no damage. We’ll be ready for next week.

Gary McClenan, the 50-year-old rookie, was like a kid in a candy store as he took in his surroundings while preparing for a second run in his 360 Modified (formerly the Economy Modified division).

“Isn’t this great?” he asked with a big grin on his face. “My car is ready, we could race today.”

McClenan of McAlester built his car late last season at the suggestion of his wife Jamie. The retiree raced it a few times at Outlaw as the season was winding down.

Fort Gibson’s Greg Williams encountered a brush with the wall and it won.