4/6/2017
RacinBoys
12 things to know as Lucas Oil Speedway season begins
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- On the heels of the best season in Lucas Oil Speedway history, in which a record 107,000 fans came through the gates, there's no resting on past laurels.
"We had a tremendous season in 2016," Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Dan Robinson said. "But now we're on a mission to make 2017 even better."
That mission launches on Saturday with the season opener for the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:35.
Before the first green flag flies in a few days, here are 12 things to know headed into the new Lucas Oil Speedway season:
1 - Silver Edition Show-Me 100: One of the nation's crown-jewel dirt Late Model events celebrates its 25th running over Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27. If the 25th annual Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtecttheHarvest.com is anything like last year's rendition, it'll leave fans buzzing.
Jimmy Owens won a thriller - the Tennessee driver's fourth Show-Me 100 triumph - after a late-race duel with Scott Bloomquist and young phenom Bobby Pierce had the crowd of nearly 7,000 on its feet. Local favorite Jesse Stovall wound up third in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series major.
Complete programs with features are set for each night, helping set the field for the Show-Me 100 lineup on Saturday. Thursday's feature is the "Cowboy Classic" Presented by Hot Rod Processing, named in honor of long-time MLRA owner/promoter Allen "Cowboy" Chancellor. Friday's Late Model feature is the "Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson," the former owners of West Plains Motor Speedway who started the Show-Me 100 in 1993.
Only a few hundred three-day Show-Me 100 passes remain. Contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillian (417) 282-5984 or email nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for info for those or general admission, daily tickets.
2 - Off Road Rumbles: A new version of racing for this part of the country of debuts July 22-23 when the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series visits the new Off Road track. Associated with the West Coast, off road short-course racing will find six divisions - Pro 4, Pro 2, Pro Lite, Pro Buggy, Production 1000 UTV and Mod Karts - competing over the two days on the 6,000 foot track in the inaugural GEICO Off-Road Shootout Presented by General Tire.
The new off road course also will play host to the AMA Pro-Am Motocross, Sept. 29-Oct. 1. Promoter Jay Reynolds said hundreds of riders will participate in pro and amateur divisions with UTV racing also is on the schedule. Camping spots will be at a premium that weekend, so get those reservations in now.
3 - On the water, too: Diversity is the name of the speed game at Lucas Oil Speedway with the third major course on the complex a liquid version. "Lake Lucas" returns for two more weekends for the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series - the 6th annual John Haas Memorial Drag Boat Classic June 9-11 and the 7th annual Diamond Drag Boat Nationals Sept. 1-3.
Featured will be the Top Fuel Hydros, including "Nitrochondriac" in which Bryan Sanders piloted to a world-record 268.40 miles-per-hour last weekend in Chandler, Arizona.
4 - New name, same game: Big Adventure RV is the new title sponsor for the Weekly Racing Series, a 13-race program that leads to track champions being crowned after the season championships on Aug. 26. Competing divisions will be the Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models, Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds, Big O Tires Street Stocks and Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods.
5 - Cutshaw goes for four: Veteran Bolivar driver Jeff Cutshaw in his familiar No. 98 has been nothing short of a dynasty in the USRA Modified division, winning the last three Lucas Oil Speedway championships. Cutshaw's ultra consistency turned the points chase into a runaway last season as he posted three feature wins and five runner-up finishes, winding up 178 points ahead of Jason Pursley.
Other reigning track champs are Derek Brown (Street Stocks), Aaron Marrant (ULMA Late Models) and J.C. Morton (USRA B-Mods).
6 - Midseason cash up for grabs: Weekly Racing Series drivers will have some extra incentive to be atop the points chase at the conclusion of the midseason championship program on June 24. Victory Lane "Track Action Review" which is distributed to fans free each week is donating $1,000 (with that figure matched by the speedway) to the midseason champs, meaning each will take home an extra $500.
7 - Stovall looks for MLRA repeat: Billings' Jesse Stovall begins defense of his Lucas Oil MLRA title at the 4th annual MLRA Spring Nationals Presented by RacingJunk.com, April 14-15. The speedway plays host to the MLRA series four more times - as co-sanctioning body with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for the Show-Me 100 May 25-27 and the Diamond Nationals on July 15, for the Larry Phillips Memorial on Sept. 2 and the 4th annual Fall Nationals Oct. 6-7.
8 - Street Stocks Spotlight: The Big Buck 50 Presented by Whitetail Trophy Hunt has quickly become one of the top Street Stocks races in the nation. Last year nearly 100 Street Stocks entered with more than 100 expected for the Oct. 6-7 event, held in conjunction with the MLRA Fall Nationals. Timothy Brown of Stoutland took home the $5,000 winner's share last fall, along with a free entry into the prestigious Whitetail Trophy Hunt in central Missouri.
9 - Open-wheel action: Some of the nation's premier open-wheel stars return for the ASCS Bob Westphal Memorial Cup Sizzlin' Speedweek Finale on June 17. The Lucas Oil ASCS Winged Sprints and Lucas Oil POWERi WAR Sprints will be in action. Another must-see for open-wheel fans is the 7th annual Jesse Hockett/Daniel McMillin Memorial for the ASCS and WAR Sprints, Sept. 21-23. The ASCS feature winner on the final night will collect $10,000.
10 - More racing diversity: For the first time, the "Slick Track" behind the main dirt-track grandstand, which is home for go-kart racing, will play host to quarter-midget racing. The Southwest Missouri Quarter Midget Association will hold events on the track April 8, April 22, June 24 and Aug. 26. Go to facebook.com/SMQMA for more info. The USAC Central States Quarter Midgets will race on the track May 5-6.
11 - Top Mods: The nation's top Modified series makes it lone visit to Lucas Oil Speedway on Aug. 5 for the 8th annual USMTS Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout Presented by Foley Equipment. Part of the Hunt for the USMTS Casey's Cup, the Mods will be joined by the Ozarks Golf Cars B-Mods, Big O Tires Street Stocks and the always popular "Battle of the Badges" for Missouri law enforcement officers, raising money for charity.
12 - Trucks that will shock and awe: The Lucas Oil Pro Pulling Nationals returns Sept. 15-16 with four divisions of powerhouse pullers. The season will end with a bang on Oct. 21 with the Monster Truck Nationals Eve of Destruction, an event that drew about 7,000 fans last fall as over 60,000 pounds of Monster Truck Thunder wowed the spectators.
(Bonus) - Campers welcomed: The Lucas Oil Speedway campground includes state-of-the-art bathrooms and a shower house with 400,000 BTUs of propane heat capacity, which debuted in 2016. That means no more cold showers. There are 42 RV spots with power and water and five RV spots with power only as well as acres of dry camping for both RVs and tents. Call (417) 282-5984 for reservations.
(Bonus 2) - Speed and Sauce: Professional barbecue teams from throughout the Midwest will converge on Lucas Oil Speedway for the inaugural "Red White Blue & Que" on July 8-9. The Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event will include an opportunity for fans to taste test and vote for their favorite barbecue before the races on Saturday night. The pros will compete for cash and KCBS points on Sunday. For more info on contest details follow the Tailgate Guys Radio or the Ozarks BBQ Alliance pages.
For complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket info and the 2017 racing schedule, visit http://www.LucasOilSpeedway.com.
Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With it's entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks.
Click http://www.LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984.
In addition, fans can get social with Lucas Oil Speedway by following @LucasSpeedway on Twitter, clicking "Like" at http://www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on http://www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
