"NASCAR on bicycles" is how promoter Mike Vandy describes the Carolina Speedway Series that runs this weekend at Orange County Speedway. In the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday events, up to 75 bicycle racers will pedal around what is billed as "America's fastest 3/8ths track."

The track, just across the Durham-Orange county line near Rougemont, averages 50 feet wide and is banked at 16 degrees on the straightaways and 19 degrees on the turns. Bicyclists will top speeds of 35 mph on finishing sprints.

Vandy, 40, a Cary construction products salesman, spoke to The Durham News about the racing series, which is in its first season. Competitors pay an entrance fee. The public is admitted for free.

BACK STORY: Vandy raced bikes out of Washington from the early 1980s to 1993. After nearly a decade-long hiatus, he resumed in 2002. He competes in up to 40 events a year, most of which are road races.

WHAT IS CAROLINA SPEEDWAY SERIES? "It's a criterium event. Racers compete for a set time. The racer with the highest number of laps wins. There are eight events each day, with races for women, children, beginners and pro-am competitors. The races range from 25 minutes to one hour."

WHY HERE? "With so many NASCAR-sanctioned tracks in the Carolinas, I thought it would be a great idea for them to host bicycle races. You would be inside the oval and eliminate all the traffic problems and volunteers you need for a road race."

WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE? "This is the second weekend of the series. Feb. 9 at Orange County we had more than 100 racers and 50 spectators. That exceeded our expectations. Feb. 10 we were in Rockingham.

"Our Web site (www.freewebs.com/vandy365) gets about 50 hits a day now. Interest seems to be growing. We'll crown an overall champion at the end [of the season] in three categories."

THE FUTURE? "Right now, we don't have a whole lot of ins with other tracks. My intention is to move around to different speedways to hit different markets. See which demographic gives us our best pull.

"We have a Twilight Series of four races on Wednesday nights at Orange County, June 4 and 18, and on July 2 and July 16. There is a summer series with dates to be determined. We'll have two in the fall. We're not trying to profit. We're trying to grow the sport of cycling."