11/7/2016
RacinBoys
Lucas Oil Speedway champs feted at Ozarks banquet
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) — A banner racing season at Lucas Oil Speedway was celebrated Saturday night with the Postseason Championship Banquet at The Lodge at Old Kinderhook in Camdenton.
About 175 people attended the festive event where the top 10 in points and the champions in each of the four Budweiser Weekly Championship Series classes – Jeff Cutshaw (Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds), J.C. Morton (Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods), Derek Brown (Carson’s Corner NAPA Street Stocks) and Aaron Marrant (ALPS Food Store ULMA Late Models) – were recognized during the annual banquet.
“It was a season to remember at Lucas Oil Speedway for the great racing on the track and the tremendous support of our fans and our sponsors,” Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Dan Robinson said. “We like to set the bar high. While this was a great season, we’ve already turned our attention to making 2017 even better.”
Lucas Oil Speedway attracted 107,518 fans in 2016, the first time the speedway has cracked 100,000 in fans through the gates during a season. Average attendance for weekly programs was 2,353 with an overall average of 3,049.
Robinson said Lucas Oil Speedway topped 5,000 fans in four events – the final night of the Show-Me 100 (6,554 fans), the Diamond Nationals (5,238), the Lucas Oil Diamond Drag Boat Nationals/Lucas Oil MLRA Larry Phillips Memorial (6,350) and the Monster Truck Nationals (7,048).
In the four weekly divisions, 424 race teams unloaded in the pit area in 2016 including 162 USRA B-Mods, 139 USRA Modifieds, 71 Street Stocks and 52 ULMA Late Models.
“The quality of our racing, whether it was during the weekly shows or our special events, stands up to any in the nation,” Robinson said.
The ultra-consistent Cutshaw, of Bolivar, won three features to go with five second-place finishes to run away with the USRA Modified championship. He wound up 178 ahead of Jason Pursley of Hermitage.
“I’d just like to thank Dan (Robinson) and the track staff. They do an awful lot for everybody,” Cutshaw said. “I also want to thank all my crew guys who work on (the car) all week long.”
Morton parlayed his Lucas Oil Speedway championship into the Out-Pace USRA B-Mod National Championship. The Springfield native finished the season in style at Lucas, making a last-lap pass on Season Championship night for his third feature win of the season.
“I just want to thank everybody that helps put this show on. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to race week to week,” said Morton, who finished 136 points clear of runner-up Tyler Brown of Richland. “I have to thank my sponsors and my family.”
Terry Schultz won a drawing for a 2015 Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster, courtesy of Lawless Harley-Davidson of Scott City, to conclude the Lucas Oil Speedway Awards Banquet.
Brown, of Stoutland, took the mystery out of the Street Stocks points chase early, winning four of five feature races in April. He finished the season with nine wins and 15 top-fives in 17 starts and was 220 ahead of Eldon’s Steve Beach when the season wrapped up.
“I’d like to thank my parents, Jim and Sally Ruble (of Ruble Race Engines) and the staff at Lucas Oil Speedway,” Brown said.
Marrant, of Richmond, was unable to attend the banquet. He took command early in the season, winning three straight ULMA Late Model races to take command of the points chase. He finished 66 points in front of Browning’s Tommy Cordray.
The tentative 2017 Lucas Oil Speedway schedule was unveiled this week. The season fires up April 1 with an open Test and Tune. The regular season begins with the first Weekly Championship Series program on April 8.
Season passes, along with Show-Me 100 three-day passes, will go on sale later this winter. Look for that information at LucasOilSpeedway.com and on Lucas Oil Speedway’s Facebook page.
Below is the tentative 2017 Lucas Oil Speedway schedule:
April 1 – Open Test & Tune
April 8 – Weekly Series Show No. 1, Presented by KOLR 10 and Z27 (USRA Modifieds, USRA B-Mods, Street Stocks, ULMA Late Models)
April 14-15 – 4th annual MLRA Spring Nationals Presented by RacingJunk.com (MLRA, USRA Modifieds, Street Stocks)
April 22 – Weekly Show No. 2, Presented by Springfield News-Leader Media Group. $uper $aver $pecial Night
April 29 – Weekly Show No. 3, $5 Dollar Night at the Races, Presented by KOLR 10 & Z 27
May 6 – 6th annual Impact Signs, Awnings & Wraps Open Wheel Showdown (ASCS Warrior/Red River Region Sprints, POWRi Midgets, WAR Sprints)
May 13 – Weekly Show No. 4, NMI Night at the Races Presented by Wild Animal Safari
May 20 – Weekly Show No. 5, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Night at the Races Presented by KOLR 10 and Z 27
May 25-27 – 25th annual Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com (LOLMDS/MLRA Late Models, USRA Modifieds)
June 3 – No racing unless otherwise scheduled
June 9-11 – 6th annual John Haas Memorial Drag Boat Classic
June 10 – Weekly Show No. 6, Presented by the Networks of Mid-Missouri
June 17 – ASCS Bob Westphal Memorial Cup Sizzlin’ Speedweek Finale (ASCS Winged Sprints, WAR Sprints)
June 24 – Weekly Show No. 7, Bolivar Herald-Free Press Mid-Season Championships
June 29 – Weekly Show No. 8, Casey’s General Store Thursday Night Thunder Presented by KY3 for Kids Night plus Fireworks
July 1 – No racing unless otherwise schedule
July 8 – Weekly Show No. 9, Veterans and Military Appreciation Night Presented by Springfield News-Leader Media Group
July 15 – 11th annual CMH Diamond Nationals (LOLMDS/MLRA Late Models, USRA Modifieds)
July 22-23 – Inaugural Lucas Oil Off Road race
July 22 – Weekly Show No. 10, National Wild Turkey Federation Race to Save the Hunt Night $uper $aver $pecial Night
July 29 – Weekly Show No. 11, Ozarks Food Harvest Food Drive Night Presented by KOLR 10 and Z 27
Aug. 5 – 8th annual USMTS Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout Presented by Foley Equipment (USMTS, Street Stocks, USRA B-Mods, Battle of the Badges)
Aug. 12 – No racing unless otherwise scheduled
Aug. 19 – Weekly Show No. 12, TA/Petro Fan Appreciation Night Presented by the Ozarks CW and Ozarks Sports Zone Night at the Races
Aug. 26 – Weekly Show No. 13, Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick Season Championship Night Presented by KYOO Your Country 99 & KPOW Power 97.7
Sept. 1-3 – 7th annual Diamond Drag Boat Nationals
Sept. 2 – MLRA Larry Phillips Memorial Presented by G2 Gemini Apparel (MLRA, USRA B-Mods)
Sept. 9 – No racing unless otherwise scheduled
Sept. 15-16 – Lucas Oil Pro Pulling Nationals
Sept. 21-23 – 7th annual Jesse Hockett/Daniel McMillin Memorial (ASCS Sprints, WAR Sprints)
Sept. 30 – No racing unless otherwise scheduled
Oct. 6-7 – 4th annual Lucas Oil MLRA Fall Nationals and Big Buck 50 Presented by Whitetail Trophy Hunt (MLRA and Street Stocks)
Oct. 14 – No racing unless otherwise scheduled
Oct. 21 – Monster Truck Nationals-Eve of Destruction
For complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket info and schedule information for the season, visit 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 it’s 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 www.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.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
