, ▁the ▁activity ▁would ▁be ▁light ▁and ▁the ▁formal ▁cer emon ies ▁would ▁be ▁held ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁Saturday ▁of ▁the ▁month . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁the ▁" Open ing ▁Day " ▁practice ▁session ▁has ▁been ▁scheduled ▁either ▁three ▁weeks ▁or ▁two ▁weeks ▁prior ▁to ▁race ▁day . ▁The ▁battle ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁First ▁Driver ▁on ▁the ▁Track ▁for ▁the ▁month ▁was ▁a ▁spect acle ▁of ▁Open ing ▁Day ▁for ▁many ▁years . ▁Teams ▁and ▁drivers ▁would ▁battle ▁to ▁get ▁their ▁cars ▁pre pped ▁and ▁c rank ed ▁up ▁as ▁soon ▁as ▁officials ▁opened ▁the ▁track , ▁hoping ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁first ▁car ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁p its , ▁and ▁like wise ▁the ▁first ▁car ▁to ▁complete ▁a ▁practice ▁lap ▁for ▁the ▁month . ▁The ▁effort ▁usually ▁attract ed ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁the ▁smaller ▁teams , ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁draw ▁head lines ▁for ▁the ▁day . ▁The ▁race ▁to ▁be ▁first ▁on ▁the ▁track ▁was ▁usually ▁friendly , ▁although ▁in ▁some ▁years ▁it ▁became ▁he ated , ▁drawing ▁the ▁i re ▁of ▁the ▁officials . ▁For ▁a ▁time , ▁it ▁became ▁a ▁tradition ▁that ▁the ▁cars ▁of ▁the ▁Bry ant ▁He ating ▁& ▁C ool ing ▁Team , ▁and ▁later ▁Dick ▁Simon ▁Racing , ▁were ▁usually ▁the ▁first ▁cars ▁on ▁the ▁track . ▁In ▁recent ▁years , ▁Open ing ▁Day ▁might ▁include ▁separate ▁sessions ▁for ▁Ro ok ie ▁Ori entation ▁and ▁Ref res her ▁tests , ▁proceed ing ▁or ▁following ▁a ▁full - field