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Lucas Oil Speedway Preseason Spotlight: Johnson embraces transition to USRA Stock Car division

WHEATLAND, MO. (March 11, 2021) - The debut of the O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Car division at Lucas Oil Speedway certainly features some unknowns, both in terms of who will be competing and how the season championship chase will play out.

Scott Johnson of Nevada, a veteran of the full-bodied Stock Car racing scene, is eager to see how he fits into the mix. Johnson has spent the winter working as much overtime as he can at the 3M plant in Nevada to have funding to put together a new, competitive car for 2021.

“I think the USRA will open a lot of doors that the other class didn’t,” said Johnson, who finished eighth in Lucas Oil Speedway Street Stocks points last season. “It will give us a lot of opportunities to do different things, to run for national (USRA) points and be able to run some tracks that I couldn’t run in the past that were USRA.”

With the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series season opener just over three weeks away, Johnson and crew chief John Waugh are putting the finishing touches on their home-brand “Sleeper” chassis.

Johnson, 45, has been racing since 1996 except for a 10-year break, from 2000-2010, following the birth of his son. While he’s dabbled in Modifieds along the way, his heart clearly is in the stock style of car.

Last season, despite missing some weeks due to work commitments, he realized a goal of finishing top-10 in Lucas Oil Speedway points. Johnson had seven top-10 finishes in nine features.

“I’ve always liked the Stock Cars because the fans can relate to the vehicles we’re racing,” Johnson said. “I’ve always liked the full-bodied car type of stuff.

“Last year was kind of an up and down season. We built a new car two years ago and kind of struggled to find the balance in that chassis. I was pretty happy with the season. We finished 8th in points and I missed a few races with work, but that’s what pays for our racing. We had a new power plant built by Eagle Machine and that’s really helped us a lot.”

Johnson said he and his dad, Mearl Johnson, and Waugh build their own chassis “because we can’t afford to buy ‘em. My dad helps out a lot. He’s at the track most weekends and he supplies us with a truck and trailer to get us back and forth of the track.”

While there was a time that Johnson would race two or three nights a week, he’s now focusing on Lucas Oil Speedway with occasionally appearances at Dallas County Speedway. If the Stock Car class has a week off at Lucas, he might look for other tracks in the region.

“I just really enjoy racing over there at Lucas and the guys we race with, as well as the staff and the facility,” Johnson said. “It’s a different feel. It seems more professional. A lot of your short-track drama is not available there, which I like.

“I like all those guys who we race with. I blew up an engine a couple of years ago and I was overwhelmed by amount of fellow racers who called me, offering me parts and the help to get back out there the next week. It was overwhelming. Just a great group of people all the way around.”

Johnson said long-time sponsors Town and Country Tire & Auto in Lockwood and Greenfield Ready Mix have been mainstays over the years. Harleman Manufacturing from El Dorado Springs has come on board this season.

As for 2021 goals, Johnson said another top-10 in points tops the list.

“I know it’s a big learning curve for a lot of people with the new rules package,” he said. “I know everybody goes out every night with the intention to win, but if you can pull off a top five or top 10 at the end of the year in points, you’ve really done something.”

Test & Tune coming up: Lucas Oil Speedway's Open Test & Tune is scheduled for 2-6 p.m. March 27 with pit passes $25. The Big Adventure Weekly Racing Series Spring Opener Presented by Benne Media is set for April 3 with the Missouri Metal Buildings ULMA Late Models in the spotlight with a $1,000-to-win main event sponsored by HICKAMO Country Store.

The Weekly Racing Series includes 14 events, from opening night through the Rempfer Memorial Season Championship on Aug. 28, which crowns season champions. Competing classes include Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, Missouri Metal Buildings ULMA Late Models, Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods and O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars.

For ticket information for any event during the 2021 Lucas Oil Speedway season, contact Admissions Director Nichole 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

Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived race recaps, previews and driver features, along with ticket information and schedules can be found by visiting 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 its 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 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

About Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway is considered by fans, drivers and industry insiders to be one of the top five racing facilities in the nation. Located in Wheatland, Missouri, approximately an hour from Springfield, Missouri, and just an hour and a half from the Kansas City metro area, the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" lives up to its title.

Twenty-One VIP Luxury Suites, HD Jumbo-Tron Screen, Stadium Style Musco Sports Lighting, a Bose Sound System, Go-Kart Slick Track, The Diamond Bar, Track Treasures Gift Shop, the best track food in the country and paved pits are a few of the spectacular amenities setting the Diamond of Dirt apart. This year marks the ninth season for the Liquid Quarter Mile Drag Racing Lake, "Lake Lucas." New for 2017 was all-purpose built Off Road facility featuring the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series as well as a host of other regional events.

Lucas Oil Speedway's dirt oval track plays host to some of the largest and most-popular events in the Midwest with national and regional touring series appearing frequently including: The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, POWRi Midget National Series, Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League, United States Modified Touring Series, ASCS Sprint Cars and the Lucas Oil MLRA.

In addition to the special events, the Lucas Oil Speedway Weekly Racing Series features the ULMA Late Models, USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods.

2021 Official Lucas Oil Speedway Marketing Partners

Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick
"The Official Truck" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Dixie Chopper
"The Official Mowers of Lucas Oil Speedway"

General Tire
"The Official Tire" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Lucas Oil Products
"The Official Oil" of Lucas Oil Speedway

MAVTV
"The Official Television Network" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Optima Batteries
"The Official Battery" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper
"The Official Soft Drink" of Lucas Oil Speedway

RacingJunk.com
"The Official Classifieds" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Rugged Radios
"The Official 2-Way Communications Provider" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Sunoco Race Fuels
"The Official Fuel" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Super Clean
"The Official Sponsor" of Lucas Oil Speedway

2021 Lucas Oil Speedway Supporters Include:
Advanced Automotive Repair, AM Pyrotechnics, Angler's Resort, Arizona Sport Shirts, Ash Grove Aggregates, Ball Tree Service, Benton County Tire, Berry Tractor and Equipment Co., Big Adventure RV, Big O Tires, Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick, Bolivar Auto Sales & Detailing, Bolivar Farmers Exchange-MFA, Boone's BBQ Barn, Boubin Tire/American Racer, Branstetter & Lightfoot LLC, Bridal Cave, BWI Sanitation, Camden on the Lake Resort, Candlelight Creations-Dick's Wild Root Horseradish, Casey's General Stores, Cedar Creek Beef Jerky, Central Life Sciences, Citizens Memorial Healthcare, City Magnet, Clearlight Inn, Comfort Inn-Bolivar,DirtonDirt.com, Dixie Chopper, Eibach Springs, Evans Pipe & Steel Co., Farmers Insurance Agent Kristy Reynolds, Farmer's State Bank, Fast Shafts by Axle Exchange, 54 Buildings and More, Foley Equipment-Cat Rental Store, Frog Signs, Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare, Hermitage Lumber, HICKAMO Country Store, Highway 54 RV Park, Hobbytime Motorsports, Hoosier Race Tires, Impact Racing, Inc.; Impact Signs Awnings Wraps, In the Garden of Eden, Kettle Treats, Keyser Manufacturing, Kluhsman Racing Components, Kona Ice, Lucas Cattle Company, McClaren, Merck Animal Health, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welding, Missouri Metal Buildings, Missouri One Call System, Missouri Welding Institute (MWI), MyRacePass, Nemo Quarry, NMI/VMG Marketing Group, OakStar Bank, O'Bannon Bank, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Ozark Golf Cars, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper, Ozarks Community Health Center, PFI Western Store, Pitts Homes, Pitts Realty, Pitts Cattle, ProThings Apparel, RACEceiver, Racinboys.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, Rains Ice Company, Real Racing Wheels, Rod End Supply, Ron Jenkins Accounting & Tax Service, Rugged Radios, Ryan E. Murphy Law Firm LLC, SBU Athletics, Safety Kleen, Schlesselman Fencing, Scott Furniture, Sidetrack RV Park, Southwest Electric Cooperative, Stillwater Resort, Stover Milling, Sunoco Race Fuels, Sunflower Resort, Superior Products, TA/PETRO, US Army Corps of Engineers-Pomme de Terre, Wheatland Motel, Wheeler Livestock Auction, White's Marine Center, Wild Animal Safari, Windsor Livestock Auction, Woods Supermarkets, Wrisco Industries.

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