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Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: Payton Looney eager for right mix of racing, family time in 2023

WHEATLAND, MO. (March 28, 2023) - Payton Looney is looking at the 2023 season as one of a happy medium, where he can race enough to quench his competitive thirst while being at home enough for his growing family.

“I would like to race about 15 times,” Looney said on Tuesday, while previewing this weekend’s 10th annual MLRA Spring Nationals Presented by Arizona Sport Shirts at Lucas Oil Speedway.

The season-opening MLRA doubleheader, with a $5,000-to-win feature on Friday and with a $10,000 prize on Saturday, is a chance for the 28-year-old from Republic to compete near home and on his favorite race track with his family and friends cheering.

Looney won Night Two of the Spring Nationals a year ago, but it was one of just seven outings in his Atnip Enterprises Capital Race Car in 2022. He also raced only seven times in 2021 after a grinding 25-race campaign in 2020 in which he won the Show-Me 100, but fell just short of the MLRA Series championship.

Those countless hours on the road, often taking him away from wife Emilee and two young children, is not something he wishes a return to. Son Baylor just finished his youth basketball season and is starting baseball and daughter Elliott is getting involved in gymnastics.

“I definitely miss racing, but I’m just not willing to travel up and down the road like I was before,” Looney said. “My oldest boy is starting sports and my daughter is starting gymnastics. I don’t want to miss any of that. If I can still race 10-15 times a year and still be a present father at home, that’s the goal.”

Looney said he’s looking forward to balancing his competitive fire with the fun racing has to offer through good-paying events close to home, whether at Wheatland, West Plains or Lake Ozark. The schedule, expense and stress of chasing points, as he did in 2020, is something he doesn’t miss.

“It’s a lot more fun. It’s a lot less stress, I know that,” Looney said. “Really, just racing in general, now we just do it now for fun. We still love to do it. It’s not like it used to be when we had to do it every weekend and all that type of stuff.

“We’ve had a lot of success at Lucas over the years. We won the Spring Nationals there last year. Any time I can race, it’s a good weekend.”

Looney said that it doesn’t have to be in the top-of-the-line Late Model to put a smile on his face. He filled the seat in the Moon Brothers Limited Late Model last weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway as regular driver JC Morton was out of town competing in his USRA B-Mod.

As he was advancing through the field, Looney’s car suffered a broken axle to end his night. Still, he called it a fun getaway to get to the track and only need 90 minutes to do so.

This weekend, his goal would be to win and have someone buy his race car. Looney has a new Capital on order, but needs to sell this one before completing the deal and taking aim at bigger events, such as the Show-Me 100 over Memorial Day weekend.

Looney knows he forever will be linked to the Show-Me, joining Terry Phillips as the only Missouri driver to win the crown-jewel event just three years ago.

“The Show-Me is one of my favorite weekends of the year. I love that event and have since I was a kid,” Looney said. “Being a past champion makes it even better. Really, I just love racing. Any chance I get to be there and race is fun.”

A practice session is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Thursday night, allowing drivers an opportunity to get dialed in. Practice is open to MLRA drivers, plus those in divisions scheduled to race either Friday or Saturday. Pit passes will be $25 with only the pit-side concessions open, with a limited menu.

Full programs are scheduled for both race nights. Joining the Late Models on Friday will be the Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds running for $1,000 to win and the Show-Me Vintage Racers also on hand.

On Saturday night, O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars will be in action gunning for a top prize of $750 and the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods will be in action running for a top prize of $750. SMVR also will return on Saturday with the Mickey Fleehart tribute race, paying tribute to the long-time leader of the series who passed away over the offseason.

Pit gates are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. and spectator gates at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.

Friday ticket information:
Adults (16 and up) - $20
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $17
Youth (6-15) - $10
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $50
Pit Pass - $40

Saturday ticket information:
Adults (16 and up) - $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $22
Youth (6-15) - $10
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $60
Pit Pass - $40

Enduro Easter Bowl 150 entries remain open: Drivers planning to enter the Enduro Easter Bowl 150 on April 8th also can find the entry form online and return it. Pre-entry is $100 if received by March 30 and $150 after that.

Off Road practice day added for April 8: Due to a high interest in the inaugural MidAmerica Outdoors Side-by-Side Series event set for April 28-29, Lucas Oil Speedway has scheduled a UTV Practice Day on the Off Road track on April 8th.The practice session will be held from noon-4 p.m. that day. Pit gates will open at 10 a.m. with pit passes $25. That pass also will be good for admission into the Easter Bowl Enduro 150 program on the dirt track that evening.

SRX roster of drivers expands, with tickets on sale: General admission tickets for the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) race scheduled for Aug. 17 at Lucas Oil Speedway remain on sale. The SRX Thursday Night Thunder event will be the finale in the six-race series, which features some of racing's biggest names.

Drivers previously announced for the Wheatland event include Tony Stewart, Kenny Wallace, Hailie Deegan, Brad Keselowski, Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman, Helio Castroneves, Clint Bowyer, reigning SRX Champion Marco Andretti, Paul Tracy and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Tickets for the SRX event will be $35 in advance and $40 at the gate (ages 16 and over). Kids (ages 6-15) will be $20 with ages 5-and-under free. Advance tickets can now be purchased via Stubwire - https://www.stubwire.com/event/srxespnthursdaynightthunder/lucasoilspeedway/wheatland/28075/ Pit passes are $50 and must be purchased the day of the event.

For information about any event at Lucas Oil Speedway in 2023 contact admissions director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email her at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.

CONTACT:
Danny Lorton
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Office: (417) 282-5984
DLorton@lucasoilspeedway.com
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Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived race recaps, previews and driver features, along with ticket information and schedules 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. The Lucas Oil Speedway EZ Texting number is (417) 804-4141.

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 12th season for the Liquid Quarter Mile Drag Racing Lake, "Lake Lucas." New for 2017 was all-purpose built Off Road facility featuring a host of 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 Weekly Racing Series features the Late Models, USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods.

2023 Official Lucas Oil Speedway Marketing Partners

Arizona Sport Shirts
"The Official Merchandise Provider" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick
"The Official Truck" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Dixie Chopper
"The Official Mowers of Lucas Oil Speedway"

General Tire
"The Official Tire" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Lucas Oil Products
"The Official Oil" of Lucas Oil Speedway

MAVTV
"The Official Television Network" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper
"The Official Soft Drink" of Lucas Oil Speedway

RacingJunk.com
"The Official Classifieds" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Rugged Radios
"The Official 2-Way Communications Provider" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Summit Racing Equipment
"The Official Sponsor" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Sunoco Race Fuels
"The Official Fuel" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Super Clean
"The Official Sponsor" of Lucas Oil Speedway

2023 Lucas Oil Speedway Supporters Include:
AM Pyrotechnics, Alliance Sport Marketing, Arctic Food Equipment, Arizona Sport Shirts, Berry Tractor and Equipment Co., Big Adventure RV, Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick, Bolivar Auto Sales & Detailing, Bolivar Farmers Exchange-MFA, Boone's BBQ Barn, Boubin Tire/American Racer, Branstetter & Lightfoot LLC, Bridal Cave, BWI Sanitation, Camden on the Lake Resort, Candlelight Creations-Dick's Wild Root Horseradish, Casey's, Cedar Creek Beef Jerky, Citizens Memorial Healthcare, City Magnet, Clearlight Inn, Dirt Track Specialist, Dixie Chopper, Eibach Springs, Farmers Insurance Agent Kristy Reynolds, Fast Shafts by Axle Exchange, Foley Equipment-Cat Rental Store, Frog Signs, Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare, Hermitage Lumber, HICKAMO Country Store, Hobbytime Motorsports, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps, In the Garden of Eden, KC Bobcat, Kettle Treats, Keyser Manufacturing, Kluhsman Racing Components, Kona Ice, Lucas Cattle Company, MD3, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welding, Missouri Division of Tourism, MyRacePass, Nutrien Ag Solutions, OakStar Bank, O'Bannon Bank, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Ozark Golf Cars, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper, Ozarks Community Health Center, PEM, Pitts Homes, Pitts Realty, Pitts Cattle, Pomme de Terre Resort, ProThings Apparel, RACEceiver, Racinboys.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, Rains Ice Company, Real Racing Wheels, Reed Environmental, Rod End Supply, Ron Jenkins Accounting & Tax Service, Rugged Radios, Ryan E. Murphy Law Firm LLC, SBU Athletics, Safety Kleen, Scott Furniture, Sidetrack RV Park, Simpson Racing Products, Southwest Electric Cooperative, State Tech, Stillwater Resort, Summit Racing Equipment, Sunoco Race Fuels, US Army Corps of Engineers-Pomme de Terre, Vietti Marketing Group, Wasoba Seed & Trucking, Wheatland Motel, White's Marine Center, Wieland, Wild Animal Safari, Woods Supermarkets.

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