6/29/2019
Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: From behind the desk to behind the wheel, Paden Phillips enjoys Modified success
WHEATLAND, Missouri - Whether it's crawling under his race car on weeknights or climbing behind the wheel on weekends, Paden Phillips couldn't imagine any better therapy from his working-for-a-living routine.
Phillips, this week's Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight Driver, spends his weekdays grinding away behind a desk as director of materials for Neosho Memorial Hospital and Medical Center in Chanute, Kansas.
"I'm in charge of any material, any product that a nurse or doctor would use in the hospital," Phillips said. "I'm in charge of ordering it, stocking it, keeping the rooms full. It's one of those behind-the-scenes roles in the hospital."
It's a job that involves a certain amount of stress. That makes getting his hands dirty on the race car downright enjoyable. Just about every night, from 6:30-9 p.m., he's working on his Modified and tinkering with ideas of how to get it a little bit better for the upcoming weekend.
"That's really an outlet," he said. "Being able to come over to the shop and just think about the race car and not about work."
Making Phillips' hobby all the more enjoyable is the success he's having. The 27-year-old from Chanute is the Midseason Champion at Lucas Oil Speedway in the Pitts Homes USRA Modified division. When the second half of the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series season begins on Saturday, Phillips will start with a 13-point lead over Robbie Reed.
The Modifieds will be the featured class on Saturday, running a 25-lap, $1,000-to-win feature. The winner also will qualify for the Summit Shootout, part of the 6th annual Summit USRA Nationals at Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa on Sept. 25-28.
Phillips said earning midseason honors meant a lot to his family oriented race team, especially because it was earned through consistency. After finishing 11th in the opening-night feature, Phillips has four top-five finishes including a third on June 15 as he jumped over Jon Sheets in the points chase.
"Our goal coming into the year was to get back to victory lane at Lucas Oil Speedway," Phillips said. "Some of the best Modified drivers around run at Lucas. I won there one time, back in the 2012, in the A Mod. It's been a long drought and that was really the main goal this year, to get back to victory lane.
"Yeah, we've been consistent, but I think if we're going to pull this out we're going to have to break into the win column. Hopefully, that will happen this weekend. If not, it would be nice at the Diamond Nationals (July 13) with a big pay day."
Phillips is a first-generation race-car driver, though his dad Neil was a fan of the sport and Paden grew up attending races around the southeast Kansas area. He started racing go-kart at the age of 7 and moved into B-Mods at 17.
"We won a ton of races and the points championship at Humboldt Speedway," Phillips said. "After that, we jumped up to A Mods. It was kind of a rude awakening of how tough it is, racing with these guys. We struggled a little bit.
"I think we've won 9 or 10 features over the last nine years and have two wins this year, at I-35 Speedway in Winston. So far, so good this year. We're just trying to maintain consistency. That's been a big focus."
The 2015 Pittsburg State University graduate with dual majors in marketing and management, got a rare opportunity to boost his racing career in 2010 when he was one of seven people from 987 applicants selected for the NASCAR driver development program. He spent time in California over the next three years learning various aspects of the sport.
"They had training classes in how to do an interview, how to collect marketing money, tips on how to drive and so forth. We have a bunch of guest speakers. I really learned a lot and it was a very cool experience.
"I ran three races in an asphalt Modified. I didn't really have the results that I needed in the races but one of the highlights was qualifying second for my first race, out of 35 Modifieds."
Eventually, Phillips ran out of necessary funds to complete the program. He returned home, went to college and focused on dirt-track racing. These days, it's a family team with crew help from Neil Phillips, mom Heather, grandfather Sam and his brother Luke Phillips, who races a B-Mod. Paden and wife Kristi have been married for seven years with a 3-year-old daughter, Graycelin.
"It really is a family deal," Phillips said of the race team.
Team sponsors include BSB Manufacturing, BillsBuilt Racecars, B2 Race Components, Jarred Gilmore & Phillips PA, Danny Crane Race Engines, Oakwood Coins and Phil's Coins.
This Saturday's program is presented by the National Wild Turkey Federation and OnMedia/DISH/DirecTV presents the program. Action also is scheduled for the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods, Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models and O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks.
Fans also can enjoy the Lake Ozark Corvette Car Club, which will have their cars displayed on the midway.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. Saturday with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.
Ticket prices:
Adults (16 and over) $12
Seniors (62 and over)/Military $9
Youth (ages 6-15) $5
Kids (5 and under) FREE
Family pass $30
Pit pass $30
For questions about tickets or camping for any event at Lucas Oil Speedway, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at Nichole@LucasOilSpeedway.com.
Kids' bicycle donations sought: With the annual Kids' Night Bicycle Giveaway coming up on Thursday, July 4, drivers who want to donate bicycles can do so at the pit office when they check in on Saturday.
The Frog's Signs Junior Fan Club giveaway is set for the July 4 Casey's General Store "Thursday Night Thunder" edition of the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series. Bicycles are being collected for youngsters, ages 5-12, who can sign up to win a bike that evening.
Fans also can drop off bikes on Saturday or at the speedway office during weekday business hours. They also can make cash donations toward purchase of the bicycles. For questions or more details, contact Lisa Lorton at the Lucas Oil Speedway office (417) 282-5984 or via email at Lisa@lucasoilspeedway.com.
CONTACT:
Danny Lorton
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Office: (417) 282-5984
DLorton@lucasoilspeedway.com
Paden Phillips and the Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds will headline Saturday's Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series program. (Kenny Shaw photo)
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Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived race recaps, previews and driver features, along with ticket information and 2019 schedule can be found by visiting 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 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 www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway
About Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway is considered by fans, drivers and industry insiders to be one of the top five racing facilities in the nation. Located in Wheatland, Missouri, approximately an hour from Springfield, Missouri, and just an hour and a half from the Kansas City metro area, the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" lives up to its title.
Twenty-One VIP Luxury Suites, HD Jumbo-Tron Screen, Stadium Style Musco Sports Lighting, a Bose Sound System, Go-Kart Slick Track, The Diamond Bar, Track Treasures Gift Shop, the best track food in the country and paved pits are a few of the spectacular amenities setting the Diamond of Dirt apart. This year marks the ninth season for the Liquid Quarter Mile Drag Racing Lake, "Lake Lucas." New for 2017 was all-purpose built Off Road facility featuring the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series as well as a host of other regional events.
Lucas Oil Speedway's dirt oval track plays host to some of the largest and most-popular events in the Midwest with national and regional touring series appearing frequently including: The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, POWRi Midget National Series, Lucas Oil Pro-Pulling League, United States Modified Touring Series, ASCS Sprint Cars and the Lucas Oil MLRA.
In addition to the special events, the Lucas Oil Speedway Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series features the Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models, Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds, O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks and the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods.
Article Credit: Lyndal Scranton
