1/23/2018
RacinBoys
Lucas Oil Speedway class sponsors return in 2018
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- With the 2018 season just over two months away, Lucas Oil Speedway has finalized its Weekly Racing Series sponsors with the entire lineup returning.
"Our Weekly Racing Series is the backbone of what we do at Lucas Oil Speedway and we're proud to have all our sponsors back on board," Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Dan Robinson said. "We couldn't do what we do without each of them and we're proud to welcome them back for 2018."
For the second straight year, Big Adventure RV will be the title sponsor for the Weekly Racing Series, which begins on April 7. Meanwhile, the lineup again finds Warsaw Auto Marine and RV-NAPA Auto Parts (ULMA Late Models), Pitts Homes (USRA Modifieds), Ozark Golf Cars (USRA B-Mods) and Big O Tires (Street Stocks) as the division sponsors.
"We appreciate what all of those people do for our weekly racers in elevating it to what we believe is the premier weekly series in the country," Robinson said. "Their support is vital to the quality of weekly racing that we strive to put on. We hope everyone will take some time to recognize them and support those businesses who support us."
Lucas Oil Speedway's Weekly Racing Series averaged 105 cars and 2,400 fans last season. Robinson said weekly shows will be bigger and better than ever in 2018 with the support of people like the Pitts Family who own and operate Big Adventure RV and Pitts Homes.
"The Pitts family is a tremendously loyal supporter of dirt-track racing and specifically the Lucas Oil Speedway and we're proud to have Big Adventure RV as our Weekly Racing Series sponsor and Pitts Homes returning as the USRA Modified sponsor," Robinson said. "Meanwhile, we're pleased to have Big O Tires and Warsaw Auto Marine and RV back with us and to and welcome back Ozarks Golf Cars for their third year as the USRA B-Mod sponsor."
Big Adventure RV is located on Highway 254 South in Hermitage. Big Adventure RV has a complete line of recreational vehicles, travel trailers, fifth wheels, toy travel trailers and toy fifth wheels. They also do repair services and consignments. For more information, log onto BigAdventureRV.com or call (417) 745-6840 or 1-800-658-0356.
"Everybody here loves to go to the speedway," Billy Pitts of Big Adventure RV and Pitts Homes said. "We've been there since they started with the A Mods and since starting the RV side of our business, we decided to do the weekly sponsorship, too."
Big Adventure RV opened in early 2017 and often displays some of its inventory at the speedway so racing fans can get an up-close look.
"It's long term," Billy Pitts said of connecting with race fans. "It's not like they're going to go to the race track and say 'dad-gum, I'm going to buy that right now.' But when they are ready or their friends or family are ready, they can say 'we remember seeing some campers up at the race track' and they'll come and find us."
Pitts Homes was founded in 1971 by Maurice Lee Pitts and Jane Pitts and now, with five locations (Bolivar, Strafford, Hermitage, Clinton and Warsaw) it has become one of the leading retailers of modular and manufactured housing in the state of Missouri.
Visit PittsHomesInc.com or call any of the locations listed on the website for further information.
Warsaw Auto Marine and RV-NAPA Auto Parts assumed sponsorship of the ULMA Late Models last season. Located in Warsaw, the company opened in March of 2015 and continues to serve its community as a leading automotive parts retailer. Call (660) 438-2829 or visit them on Facebook for more information.
"We're excited to keep our sponsorship this year," Brett Heiser of Warsaw Auto Marine and RV said. "The big thing we enjoy about it is how big a part of the community that Lucas Oil Speedway has become, as far as keeping jobs local and offering new job opportunities for local people We're proud to be a part of that."
NAPA Auto Parts was founded in 1925 as a way to improve distribution of auto parts for people and business that needed a reliable source for parts. Visit GettheGoodStuff.net for more information on stores in Hermitage and Warsaw.
Returning for the third year as class sponsor for the USRA B-Mods is Ozarks Golf Cars. Owner Spencer King started the business in 2005 and has developed an extensive inventory to supply almost any golf car rental in southwest Missouri or the surround area and one of the largest Yamaha dealers in southwest Missouri.
"I've been up there for the last six or seven years (as a spectator) and we do a lot of business renting golf cars up there," King said. "It's worked out good mutually to sponsor the B-Mod class. It's a great relationship between the track and our business together."
Race teams and fans are able to rent golf carts during race events throughout the season. King said he's found the racing community to be loyal to the sport and to the sponsors.
"We are getting our name out there more and more every year and people are calling us for their golf car needs and we're renting more and more carts up there every year," King said.
King provides free golf cart delivery within 75 miles of Ozark and his crew will travel anywhere within the region to fix a cart. Go to OzarkGolfCars.com or call 1-866-846-7970 for additional info.
Big O Tires enters year two of sponsoring the Street Stocks. The Osage Beach store at 4712 Jayhawk Street offers a wide range of diagnostic, repair and routine maintenance services, backed by one of the best national services warranties in the business. Call (573) 348-4600 or go online to BigOTires.com.
Kyle Uchtmann of Big O Tires said his staff at the Big O Stores in the Lake of the Ozarks area are good friends with Street Stocks racer Kenny Carroll and enjoy the partnership with the speedway.
"Lucas is a really big deal and I get a lot of messages from the local racers who say they appreciate our involvement," Uchtmann said. "All of our people like going out there to the races."
Following an open Test & Tune on March 31, the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series begins April 7 with the Spring Opener Presented by Fox 5 KRBK. The Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models will be the featured class, shooting for a $1,000-to-win feature prize.
The Lucas Oil MLRA Series has taken over administration of the ULMA Late Models this season with Lucas Oil Speedway serving as the flagship track. The ULMA Series utilizes a unified set of rules at various venues throughout the Midwest aimed to provide a national-caliber type of points series for drivers who cannot afford to compete with Super Late Model touring series.
Meanwhile, both Modified divisions at Lucas Oil Speedway again will be under USRA administration and earn points toward USRA national championship standings. Two years ago, JC Morton parlayed his Lucas Oil Speedway track championship into a USRA B-Mod national title.
This season also will find additional television exposure on the MAVTV Motorsports Network for the weekly racers. Several times during the season, the weekly classes will be spotlighted on "Lucas Oil Speedway Saturday Night" while running in support of major shows. In addition, full Weekly Racing Series programs on June 9 and June 23 will be shown and additional weekly races may be added to the production schedule during the season.
For ticket information, including season passes for the 2018 season, contact admissions director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or by email at Nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com.
Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket information and tentative 2018 schedule 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 http://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 http://www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on http://www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott