WHEATLAND, Mo. — After a successful test and tune last weekend, all systems are set on go as Lucas Oil Speedway fires up a new season with Saturday night’s Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series Spring Opener Presented by Benne Media.
“We had a great test and tune last Saturday and everyone is excited to get the new season underway,” Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Danny Lorton said. “Opening night always has an extra buzz in the air and this year will be no exception.”
It will be the first of 14 points programs for the Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods, O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars and Missouri Metal Buildings ULMA Late Models.
If there’s anything certain, it will be another competitive season in the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod division.
Three former USRA B-Mod national champions – JC Morton, Kris Jackson and Andy Bryant – are Lucas Oil Speedway regulars. There also are veterans like Ryan Gillmore and Eric Turner who always are threats to win and up-and-coming younger drivers such as Dillon McCowan and JC Newell.
“They’re coming up through the ranks and getting better and better each year,” Morton said of the youngsters. “It’s tough. It’s hard to get into the top five some nights. Everybody’s continually getting better.”
Morton, a two-time Lucas Oil Speedway champion, finished just five points behind Jackson in the points chase a year ago as Jackson claimed his fifth track championship.
Robbie Reed returns in pursuit of a third straight Lucas Oil Speedway Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modified title, and Cole Henson is set to defend the Missouri Metal Buildings ULMA Late Model crown after he broke Johnny Fennewald’s three-year streak as champ. The late models will be the featured class Saturday with a 25-lap, $1,000-to-win main event courtesy of HICKAMO Country Store.
Making their debut as a points division will be the O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars, which is expected to bring several new faces to the speedway along with some familiar names who competed in the Street Stock division in past years.