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Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: Vintage Cars a perfect fit for racing veteran Clevenger

WHEATLAND, MO. (July 28, 2021) - Fans attending Saturday night’s dirt-track action at Lucas Oil Speedway might feel like they’ve taken a trip back in time when the Show-Me Vintage Racers - a special guest class - take to the speedway for their annual appearance.

SMVR President Mickey Fleehart said he expects 20-24 cars - ranging from 1930s body styles to 1970s types - to enter the action. The cars will be on the Lucas Oil Speedway midway for up-close viewing prior to the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series program.

Damon Clevenger of Parkville drives a 1939 Chevy Sedan body on a later-model Chevelle stub with a Modified chassis underneath. Powered by a Chevy 358 motor, it’s one of the faster cars in the division and always an attention-grabber for its looks.

“People like the older cars because you don’t see them much anymore,” Clevenger said. “We always get some fans who come by and take a look.”

Clevenger said the Show-Me Vintage Racers, with a 15-event schedule in 2021 with most of the events at I-35 Speedway in Winston, always enjoy visiting Lucas Oil Speedway. Clevenger won the race at Wheatland in 2019 and wound up a close second last year when Jeremy Turner passed him on the final lap in his '73 Chevelle.

“I like them because they’re more affordable than a lot of cars,” Clevenger said of the Vintage car division, adding that the limited schedule is just the right amount of racing for him to stay involved in the sport.

“I raced for several years weekly and you get burned out after a while,” Clevenger said. “When you don’t race weekly it makes it a little easier. It’s just me and my Dad working on the car and turning wrenches on it.”

Clevenger, 52, has been racing on and off since going to Lakeside Speedway and Riverside Speedway near Kansas City to watch his dad Louis and uncle Joe race as a youngster. He later drove a Ford Pinto in the 4-cylinder division and won a track championship in the 4-cylinder class at I-70 in a Ford Mustang.

“Then we put together a Super Truck and raced it until I-70 closed in about 2008,” Clevenger said. “I took a few years off and just went and watched my dad and uncle, who got back in Vintage class. We had enough parts laying around, dad put together another Vintage car. My uncle retired three years ago when he was 76.

“The car I’m in now is the one my uncle was driving. It’s been a really good car. I’m just out there having fun.”

Spending time with his Dad makes it extra special. Even better, the team has three wins in seven attempts this season.

“This is my 23rd year racing full-sized cars,” Clevenger said. “I’ve been done racing a few times and kept in it because Dad wanted to keep in it. For me, it’s the time I get to spend with Dad. That’s the biggest part of the joy I get out of racing now. We get to go out and have fun.”

For more information on Show-Me Vintage Racing, including schedule info and rules, go to smvr.net.

The Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series program on Saturday is Fan Appreciation Night Presented by the OzarksCW/O-zone. Festivities will begin with John Schneider, who played Bo Duke on the iconic television program "Dukes of Hazzard," singing the National Anthem with Schneider and his wife Alicia also racing B-Mods in the Ozarks Golf Cars USRA B-Mod division.

The Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds will be the features class, with a 25-lap, $1,000-to-win main event. O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars and ULMA Late Models will join the two modified classes and the Vintage Racers.

There will be food and drink specials throughout the evening, including $1 nachos & Cheese, $2 hot dogs and $2 soft drinks or water.

The big weekend begins on Friday with a Car Show prior to Schneider's "Bo's On The Road Extravaganza" concert and a showing of his movie "Stand On It" on the video board.

On Saturday, Day One of the Kentucky Drag Boat Association Summer Shootout will take place the morning and afternoon on Lake Lucas. Both Saturday and on Sunday, for the final half of the Summer Shootout, kids can play on a 35-foot-long wet water slide/bounce house combo that will be set up on the drag boat midway.
There also will be corn-hole boards under the beer tent.

On Sunday prior to the beginning of Day 2 of the KDBA Summer Shootout, Schneider will hold Cowboy Church services along with a pastor from Racers for Christ at Lake Lucas.

Beat The Heat in a Suite: The speedway has a limited number of VIP Suite tickets available for Saturday night's program, on the third level overlooking the front straightaway, priced at $24 apiece. All VIP Suite seats must be pre-paid and can be reserved by calling Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984.

The suite offers prime viewing from inside, where the temperature is climate-controlled, or an outside seating area. Food and drinks are not included in the ticket price, though a host/hostess will be available to take food and drink orders throughout the evening.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday:
5 p.m. - Gates Open/Car Show on Midway
6-7 p.m. - John Schneider VIP Meet & Greet
7:30 p.m. - Concert begins

Friday Concert Admission:
VIP Meet & Greet with John Schneider - $125 (Includes: 1 Friday admission price, special lanyard, a snapshot with their camera, along with an autographed item. Additional charge for additional items) 100 VIP tickets available.
Adults (16 and up) - $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $22
Youth (age 6 to 15) - $10
Kids (age 5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $60 Includes Admission for 2 Adults and Up to 3 Kids Ages (6-15)
Adult 3-Day GA/Pit Pass Combo - $75
Seniors (62 and up)/Military 3-Day GA/Pit Pass Combo - $70
Youth Ages (6-15) 3-Day GA/Pit Pass Combo - $30
All 3-Day tickets include access to the Drag Boat pit area and include entry to the dirt track event on Saturday, July 31

Car Show
Entries are $40 and they include two adult tickets for the Friday-night concert and movie, one dash plaque and one speedway t-shirt. Trophies will be award for Best of Show and Bo's Choice, per entry class. Those classes are:

Dukes of Hazzard Charger
Daisy Duke Jeep
Boss Hogg Cadillac
Uncle Jesse Ford Truck
Muscle Car (1980 and up)
Muscle Car (50s, 60s, 70s)
Street Rod
Rad Rod
Race Car

Car Show entry gate opens at 4 p.m. and cars must be set up and ready by 5.
Trophies will be presented around 7:30 p.m. Car Show entries can be purchased at the pit office the day of show.

Saturday (Lake Lucas)
Kentucky Drag Boat Association Day 1
(Tentative schedule)
7 a.m. - Registration Opens - Spectator Gates Open
9 - Round 1 Qualifying Sportsman Session
10:30 - Round 1 Qualifying Pro Session
12:30 p.m. - Round 2 Qualifying Sportsman Session
2 - Round 2 Qualifying Pro Session
Saturday Spectator Admission
Adults GA/Pit Pass Combo (16 and up) - $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military GA/Pit Pass Combo (62 and up) - $22
Youth GA/Pit Pass Combo (age 6 to 15) - $10
Kids GA/Pit Pass Combo (age 5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass GA/Pit Pass Combo - $60 Includes Admission for 2 Adults and Up to 3 Kids Ages (6-15)
Adult 2-Day GA/Pit Pass Combo - $50
Seniors (62 and up)/Military 2-Day GA/Pit Pass Combo - $44
Youth Ages (6-15) 2-Day GA/Pit Pass Combo - $20
*All tickets include access to the Drag Boat pit area.
*All Saturday and 2-Day tickets include entry to the dirt track on Saturday July 31st.

Saturday (Dirt Track)
The CW Ozarks/O-Zone Presents Fan Appreciation Night Round 12 of the Lucas Oil Speedway Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series with food and drink specials including $1 Nachos & Cheese, $2 hot dogs and $2 soft drinks or water.

4 p.m. - Gates open
6:30 p.m. - Hot laps
7 p.m. - Opening ceremonies

Dirt Track Admission
Adults (16 and up) $12
Seniors (62 and up)/Military $9
Youth (6-15) $5
Kids (5 and under) FREE
Family Pass $30
Pit Pass-$30

Sunday (Lake Lucas)
Kentucky Drag Boat Association Day 2
(Tentative schedule)
8 a.m. - Spectator gates open
9 a.m. - Eliminations

Sunday Grandstand Admission
Adults GA/Pit Pass Combo (16 and up) - $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military GA/Pit Pass Combo (62 and up) - $22
Youth GA/Pit Pass Combo (age 6 to 15) - $10
Kids GA/Pit Pass Combo (age 5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass GA/Pit Pass Combo - $60 (Includes Admission for 2 Adults and Up to 3 Kids Ages 6-15)
All tickets include access to the Drag Boat pit area.

For ticket information for any event during the 2021 Lucas Oil Speedway season, contact McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at Nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com. Fans also can use the online ticketing system.

CONTACT:
Danny Lorton
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Office: (417) 282-5984
DLorton@lucasoilspeedway.com
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