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Lucas Oil Off Road debut part of Renezeder farewell tour

By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- After racing trucks at high speeds, banging doors with opponents and soaring through the air for 19 years, Carl Renezeder said his decision to retire from the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series at season's end is simple.

"I've been in this sport for a long time and I just think I've kind of run my course in short-course racing," Renezeder said. "I'm ready to try some different things."

But before the nine-time national champion with 122 short-course victories calls it quits, Renezeder is eager to chase one more series title - and fly around the new off road track at Lucas Oil Speedway this weekend.

The 53-year-old southern California native is one of the star attractions as the series makes a rare appearance in this part of the country. But for those with long memories, it's not Renezeder's first time to race in south-central Missouri.

Back in 2007, the Lucas Oil World Series of Off Road Racing came to the oval track. But now it's a whole new ballgame, with a devoted, 1.3-mile course built with turns, jumps and banking that promises to challenge the sport's best drivers.

"My understanding is this is going to be a little different than other tracks we see," Renezeder said. "It's longer than what we're used to and has some different elements. It'll be interesting."

Renezeder has been thrilling fans for two decades in the unique form of racing that is most-often associated with the deserts of the southwestern United States. In fact, he got his start in desert racing, doing Baja 1000 and 500 events more than 20 years ago.

But the short-course style of off road appealed to him and he's been one of the sports stars ever since, driving in both the Pro 4 and Pro 2 divisions. He became the first driver to win championships in both the two-wheel and four-wheel divisions in the same season when he captured the 2009 Unlimited 2 and Unlimited 4 divisions in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.

This season he has one victory and is third in Pro 4 points, behind Kyle LeDuc and Rob MacCachren.

"It's the door-to-door, side-by-side type of racing that we get to do that appeals to me," Renezeder said. "We get to fly through the air and the trucks have a lot of horsepower. It's just a lot of fun."

He said the fans seeing the sport in person for the first time will literally feel the power.

"It's similar to drag racing, though not quite to that extent, but you're going to hear 12 trucks get on the gas at the start of the race and ... you feel it through your whole body," Renezeder said. "Seeing the trucks jumping through the air, on some tracks as far as 200 feet, that's something people aren't used to seeing."

With only three events remaining on the 2017 schedule after this weekend, Renezeder's days of going fast and flying high are limited. But he said it's time and is content with his decision.

"I have bucket-list items that I need to check off," Renezeder said of what's next. "I want to get back to doing triathlons again and training on my bicycle and swimming. Just doing some things that I haven't been able to do as much as I would have liked these last few years."

Practice day for the GEICO Off Road Shootout Presented by General Tire is Friday with gates opening at noon. On Saturday and Sunday, gates open at 9 a.m. with qualifying kicking off a 9:30 a.m.

Off road classes in action include Pro 4, Pro 2, Pro Lite, Pro Buggy, Production 1000 UTV and Mod Karts.

The Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series also will be in action Saturday night on the oval track, making for a full day of racing. Fans with Off Road event tickets will be admitted free to the races that night.

For ticket information either the Off Road track or dirt track program, contact admissions director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at nichole@LucasOilSpeedway.com.

Here's a rundown of the GEICO Off Road Shootout Presented by General Tire, for the practice day on Friday and races on Saturday and Sunday:

Friday
Noon - Spectator gates open.
1:30 p.m. - Session 1 practice (3 laps for each class); a 30-minute break before session 2 practice.
4:30 p.m. - Session 3 practice.

Tickets: $10 general admission/pit pass combo (ages 6 and up), FREE (ages 5-and-under). 3-day pass, GA/pit pass combo ($60 day of event, $50 in advance online at http://www.showclix.com/events/8559). Seniors (62 and up) 3-day pass $54 day of event and $44 in advance online. Youth (ages 6-15) 3-day pass $20 (day of event and online). All tickets include access to the pit area.

Saturday and Sunday
9 a.m. - Spectator gates open.
9:30 a.m. - Mod Kart qualifying, followed by Pro 4, Pro Lite, Pro Buggy and Pro 2 qualifying.
11 a.m.-1 p.m. - Break for lunch/vendor exhibit visits.
1 p.m. - Mod Kart exhibition race, UTV race.
2:30 p.m. - Opening ceremonies followed by Pro 4, Pro Lite, Pro Buggy and Pro 2 races.

Tickets: $30 general admission/pit pass combo (ages 16 and up) day of event and $25 in advance online; seniors (62 and up) 3-day pass $27 day of event and $22 in advance online. Youth (ages 6-15) 3-day pass $10 (day of event and online). All tickets include access to the pit area. FREE ages 5-and-under. Family Pass GA/Pit Pass Combo $60 Includes Admission for 2 Adults and Up to 3 Kids Ages (6-15) can only be purchased day of event at the gate; Adult Weekend (3-Day) GA/Pit Pass Combo-$60 (Day of Event) and $50 in advance online; Seniors (62 and up)/Military Weekend (3-Day) GA/Pit Pass Combo-$54 (day of event) and $44 in advance online. Youth Ages (6-15) Weekend (3-Day) GA/Pit Pass Combo-$20 (day of event and online).

For complete information on the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, please visit http://www.LucasOilOffRoad.com.

Construction on the Lucas Oil Speedway Off Road track, which is approximately 6,000 feet in length, began in the spring of 2016. It joins a vast complex that includes the dirt track which plays host to the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series, "Lake Lucas" where the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series holds two major events each year and the Slick Track where go-kart racing is held weekly and competitive quarter midget racing has been held for the first time in 2017.

For complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket info and schedules, visit http://www.LucasOilSpeedway.com.

To get ticket information on any event this season at Lucas Oil Speedway, contact admissions director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at nichole@LucasOilSpeedway.com for further information.

Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With its 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.

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