3/6/2024
Central Missouri Speedway
Central Missouri Speedway Promoters Begin Thirtieth Year of Track Operations and Events!
Central Missouri Speedway Promoters Begin Thirtieth Year of Track Operations and Events!
Central Missouri Speedway
March 5, 2024
By Sam Stoecklin
For Immediate Release
(Warrensburg, Missouri) The 2024 race season marks 30 years of operations at the helm of Central Missouri Speedway (CMS) for track owners and promoters Earl and Susan Walls. Although much has changed over the racing landscape and at CMS over the years, there are expectations of drivers and fans that will never be compromised. These expectations include officiating an unbiased and efficiently ran race program, providing solid driver payouts, and maintaining an independent and grass-roots approach to staying connected to the dirt track racing family.
Thirty-year race promoters are counted on one hand across the nation, but as the Walls reach this rare marker of hosting drivers and fans, they have not rested on their laurels. Off-season work continued from the final checkered flag of the previous season and will not cease throughout the coming season. The Walls do not jeopardize the goal of operating their business independently and never lose sight of the big picture, which is to host a memorable night of racing for the drivers and fans who dedicate their Saturday nights and special event weekends at CMS from April to September.
The 2024 schedule is one of the most ambitious for the track in recent memory, with 22 race nights planned, including special events and weekly championship racing throughout the season. Throughout the year, weekly championship classes will participate in various class specials. Guest classes include POWRi Late Models, the Malvern Bank Super Late Model Series (SLMR), MoKan IMCA 305 Sprint Cars, Show-Me Vintage Racing (SMVR), and the Cash $ Late Model Series.
Many long-standing events return for the year with two nights of racing over Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends along with a single-night special event for Independence Day weekend for the 24th Annual Tom Wilson Memorial. Other special events include the Seventh-Annual Super Stock Showdown and the season ending, Fourth Annual Hog Roast Nationals.
Action begins on Saturday, April 13, when the annual car show takes place on the front side of the speedway on the grassy area near Highway 13. Drivers will display their cars for race fans to see up close. Participating drivers are encouraged to have handouts or treats for the young race fans. The car show begins at Noon and ends at 2 p.m.
After displaying their cars, drivers have a chance to hit the dirt for the first time this year in preparation for the following week’s season opener as the lone pre-season test and tune session takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. The pit gates will officially open at 3 p.m. with the first on-track practice session beginning at 5 p.m. The session is open to all dirt racing oval classes, regardless of whether they race at the speedway or night. All pit passes are $25. Drivers participating in the car show for the full length from Noon to 2 p.m. will only pay $10 for their pit pass. Grandstand admission on the pit-side is free. There will be limited concessions available during the practice session.
The following weekend, on Saturday, April 20, marks the first night of competition when the chase for the 2024 season championships begin in all four weekly racing classes, B-Mods, Super Stocks, Midwest Mods, and Pure Stocks.
This season’s competition is sanctioned by the POWRi group for B-Mods, Super Stocks, and Midwest Mods. The Pure Stock class will not be sanctioned by any group. During the off-season, officials and local pure stock drivers worked cohesively on the rules set in an unprecedented show of cooperation to return the class to its 20-plus cars per night heyday of 2021. Early indications are that inactive drivers will return to action and the class should experience a gain in the right direction throughout the season.
Another area that was worked on during the off-season was the track’s general race rules. Drivers and fans are highly encouraged to review the newly revised rules prior to the start of the season. Major changes include the location of the hot pit, race restarts, push-starts, yellow-flag involvement, to name a few of the revisions. Changes since the last version of the race rules are easily identifiable as they are listed in bold, italic, red font. It is each driver’s responsibility to review the rules prior to competing at the speedway.
To create an internal friendly rivalry between the two headline classes, the top class of the night (final class of the night) will be determined by the overall car count of B-Mods and Super Stocks. In case of a tie, the class who reached the highest count first prior to the close of pill draw will earn top class of the night. To even things up, CMS recently increased the Super Stock payout to match that of the B-Mods. For complete payouts, visit https://centralmissourispeedway.com/ClientFiles/images/files/Weekly_Payouts.pdf.
All four weekly race divisions will earn track points throughout the year on Weekly Racing nights while B-Mod, Super Stock, and Midwest Mod drivers will earn both track and national POWRi points throughout the year. CMS “track registration” for the year is $60. POWRi membership registration for the 2024 season is mandatory for B-Mod, Super Stock, and Midwest Mods.
Drivers will find registration information at www.myracepass.com/sanctions/1011/registrations/6909. The link to the paper POWRi Membership Form is: www.powri.com/rules. All POWRi sanctioning and fees are separate from that of CMS. Please utilize the POWRi links as mentioned here to take care of your POWRi fees. Benefits include year-end point fund and secondary medical insurance.
Susan Walls is actively building the list of 2024 sponsors for the season. Business partnerships include Large Screen LED Signboard advertising, along with class sponsorship, track signage, driver sheet sponsors, and event and race night sponsorship. Contact Susan at 816.229.1338 today, no calls after 8 p.m. please. Follow CMS on Twitter @CMSgoing_green, find CMS on YouTube at CMS Going Green! Visit and bookmark our website at www.centralmissourispeedway.net, or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Central-Missouri-Speedway. Visit the CMS MyRacePass site at centralmissourispeedway.myracepass.com.
Article Credit: Sam Stoecklin
Submitted By: Sam Stoecklin
