8/8/2020
RacinBoys
USRA, Lucas Oil Speedway sign 3-year deal to bring Summit USRA Nationals to Wheatland
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- Every fall, America's best grassroots dirt track racers showcase their talents against one another at the Summit United States Racing Association (USRA) Nationals powered by MyRacePass and when the final checkered flag waves at this year's 7th annual event one chapter will close while another begins.
GS Stanek Racing Photography
Slated for October 1-3 at the Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa, the mega-event for Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series competitors will have a new home for the eighth running as the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri, will host the event for at least three years beginning in 2021.
"We've been blessed to partner with the best dirt tracks in every state where the USRA has a presence and there is no facility in America that can match the amenities of the Lucas Oil Speedway," said USRA president Todd Staley. "We are just super pumped to partner with Lucas Oil Speedway and give our USRA racers the opportunity to have their national event at the best of the best."
The three-year agreement will keep the event at the state-of-art "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" through the 2023 season at least. The dates are Oct. 7-9, 2021; Oct. 6-8, 2022 and Oct. 5-7, 2023.
As part of this week's announcement, officials from Lucas Oil Speedway also announced that American Racer USRA Stock Cars will be a regular fixture during the track's Saturday night Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series programs beginning in 2021 for at least three years, along with the Modifieds and B-Mods under USRA sanctioning. The B-Mods and Modifieds already have been under the USRA umbrella.
"We think this is the right move as the USRA Stock Cars are a growing and affordable class of grassroots racing," Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Danny Lorton said. "Knowing we are sanctioning three classes with USRA, we have a solid three-year plan in place."
Lucas Oil Speedway and USRA officials worked together to formulate a transition rules package that current Lucas Oil Speedway Street Stock competitors can use next season. Drivers must, however, be in full compliance with the USRA rules to be eligible to run the USRA Nationals in the fall of 2021.
Street Stock drivers can find a link to the new transition rules package on the Lucas Oil Speedway website.
Dan Robinson, Director of Racing Operations for Lucas Oil, said he appreciates all the drivers who have raced in the Street Stock division over the years at Lucas Oil Speedway.
"They've been a good class and they deserve a big thank you, but the costs have continued to escalate," Robinson said. "We believe this will be a great long-term solution and will encourage more people to race under a common, affordable rules package - while also giving those drivers a chance to run for a national points championship."
In recent years, Lucas Oil Speedway regulars Kris Jackson, JC Morton and Andy Bryant have won USRA B-Mod National Championships, while track champion Darron Fuqua claimed the USRA Modified National Championship in 2018.
The USRA was formed with three primary goals: (1) fostering competitor participation through cost-effective rules that do not hinder creativity, (2) building fan attendance at sanctioned tracks and (3) developing marketing partnerships that benefit both our competitors and member track owner/promoters.
The USRA currently sanctions eight divisions - Modifieds, Stock Cars, Late Models, B-Mods, Factory Stocks, Limited Mods, Hobby Stocks and Tuners - at many of the best of the best dirt-covered speedways in America.
Nearly 300 drivers are competing for national USRA Stock Car points with nearly 3,000 drivers competing nationally in USRA divisions at nearly 50 tracks.
More information about the USRA, including schedules, point standings, archived news and a list of particiatping tracks can be found at USRAracing.com.
The United States Racing Association's annual fall classic will feature USRA Modifieds, American Racer USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods, Mensink Racing Products USRA Hobby Stocks and USRA Tuners.
The event is typically the finale for the Stock Cars and B-Mods of the Christie Door Company Iron Man Challenge built by Medieval Chassis.
Beginning in 2014, the first three Summit USRA Nationals took place at the Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, and then moved to Mike and Kyle Johnson's I-35 Speedway in Winston, Missouri, for the 2017 and 2018 events before finding its way to the Hamilton County Speedway in 2019.
Past Summit USRA Nationals Champions:
2019 - Brandon Davis, Hayfield Minn. (Modifieds); Kyle Falck, Decorah, Iowa (Stock Cars); Dan Hovden, Decorah, Iowa (B-Mods); Eric Stanton, Carlisle, Iowa (Hobby Stocks); Oliver Monson, Clear Lake, Iowa (Tuners).
2018 - Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa (Modifieds); Mitch Hovden (Stock Cars); Kris Jackson, Lebanon, Mo. (B-Mods); Tyler Schlumbohm, Sioux Falls, S.D. (Hobby Stocks); Dakota Girard, Moberly, Mo. (Tuners).
2017 - Rained out.
2016 - Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn. (Modifieds); Brett Heeter, Kansas City, Kan. (Stock Cars); Chad Clancy, Polo, Mo. (B-Mods); Weston Koop, Rockwell, Iowa (Hobby Stocks).
2015 - Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan. (Modifieds); Elijah Zevenbergen, Ocheyedan, Iowa (Stock Cars); Logan Martin, West Plains, Mo. (B-Mods); Cory Yeigh, Sioux Falls, S.D. (Hobby Stocks).
2014 - Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas (Modifieds); Dillon Anderson, Decorah, Iowa (Stock Cars); Mike Higley, Kansas City, Mo. (B-Mods); Eric Stanton, Hartford, Iowa (Hobby Stocks).
For ticket questions or information for any event at Lucas Oil Speedway, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email her at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
