9/19/2017
RacinBoys
Jesse Hockett/Daniel McMillin Memorial this weekend
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- One of the country's biggest open-wheel dirt-track events of the season arrives with the 7th annual Jesse Hockett/Daniel McMillin Memorial at Lucas Oil Speedway, Thursday through Saturday.
PHOTO: Kenny Shaw
The elite of the Lucas Oil ASCS Winged Sprint Cars and the POWRi WAR Wingless Sprint Cars will be on hand with full programs each night, culminating with Saturday's $10,000-to-win feature for the ASCS Winged Sprints.
"This is a big event on so many levels as the top sprint-car drivers in the country, in both the winged and wingless divisions, will chase the prestigious Hockett/McMiillin trophy," Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Dan Robinson said. "The weather forecast looks outstanding and we can't wait to see everyone starting on Thursday."
The event is named in memory of open-wheel champion Jesse Hockett, who lost his life in a shop accident in 2010 and his cousin and crew chief, Daniel McMillin, who was killed in an auto accident in 2006.
"Jesse and Daniel impacted the sport in so many positive ways," Robinson said. "It means so much to us to honor their contributions through this event."
Sam Hafertepe Jr. of Sunnyvale, Texas, enters the weekend with a commanding lead in the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour championship race. Haftertepe has 13 wins and 19 top-five finishes in 31 starts this season and sits 239 points in front of second-place Aaron Reutzel of Clute, Texas.
Reutzel has five feature wins on the tour in 2017 and he's 104 points ahead of third-place Wayne Johnson of Oklahoma City.
Reutzel held off Hafterepe to win the ASCS Bob Westphal Memorial Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek Finale at Lucas Oil Speedway back in June.
Expanding to three days in 2016 for the first time, the field of 68 drivers from 14 states and two countries participated. Johnson held off open-wheel veteran Sammy Swindell in a thriller to capture the final-night ASCS feature to pocket $10,000.
The format will again see drivers racing all three days with a couple small changes. Where the 2016 edition saw a complete start over on Saturday with only the top-eight in event points locked in, Thursday and Friday event points will now count for last-chance qualifiers on Saturday with the top-two from each going to make up rows five through eight in the A-Feature.
Event points will also put more emphasis on the A-Mains each night.
"Last year showed us a couple places where we could improve the format," ASCS National Director Matt Ward said. "We listened to several teams and came up with what we felt was going to be best for everyone.
"Letting the qualifying nights set the Last Chance Qualifiers was the biggest thing because it makes it too easy for someone to show up on the final night and bypass everyone who had raced hard for two nights. Beyond that, it's just small changes to make the event as fair as possible for everyone who is planning on taking part."
In the POWRi WAR Sprint Cars division, Korey Weyant of Springfield, Ill., has a 110-point lead over Chris Parkinson of Gladstone, Mo., in the points chase. Weyant has five wins in 16 feature starts this season and was runner-up to Clinton Boyles at the Bob Wesphalt Memorial at Lucas Oil Speedway on June 17.
For more information including news, schedules and points standings on the Lucas Oil ASCS, visit http://www.ASCSracing.com. Go to http://www.POWRi.com for stories, schedules and points standings in the WAR Sprint Car Series.
Schedule and ticket prices:
(Thursday)
Gates open at 4 p.m., hot laps at 5:45 and racing at 6:35
Adults (16 and up) $20
Seniors (62 and up)/Military $17
Youth (6 to 15) $5
Kids (5 and under) FREE
Family Pass $40
Pit Pass $35
3-Day Pit Pass-$100
(Friday)
Gates open at 4 pm, hot laps at 5:45 and racing at 6:35
Adults (16 and up) $20
Seniors (62 and up)/Military $17
Youth (6 to 15) $5
Kids (5 and under) FREE
Family Pass $40
Pit Pass $35
3-Day Pit Pass-$100
(Saturday)
Gates open at 4 p.m., hot laps at 5:45 and racing at 6:35
Adults (16 and up) $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military $22
Youth (6 to 15) $10
Kids (5 and under) FREE
Family Pass $50
Pit Pass $40
3-Day Pit Pass-$100
Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket info and schedules can be found by visiting 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 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://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
