1/20/2017
RacinBoys
Meet the Staff: For Doke, it's all about the customer experience at Lucas Oil Speedway
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- Angie Doke's goal is simple when it comes to customer service for fans who visit Lucas Oil Speedway.
"The Lucas team is one of a kind. We all work together like a fine-tuned machine," Doke said. "None of us could do our jobs without each other working toward the same goal - to give our fans an amazing experience while they are here."
Doke, who manages the Diamond Bar and is preparing to begin her 11th season at Lucas Oil Speedway, also works in customer hospitality - providing housing for visiting sanctioning series and television production personnel - and with ProtecttheHarvest.com.
Angie Doke
She also does some work helping with Lucas Oil corporate retreats held in Hickory County, giving tours of the speedway and Lucas Cattle Ranch near Cross Timbers.
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Dan Robinson said Doke is one of several behind-the-scenes team members who make things run smoothly.
"Angie recently celebrated a milestone year as she wrapped up her 10th season here at Lucas Oil Speedway," Robinson said. "She has had a significant positive impact on the organization as she not only manages the World Famous Diamond Bar, but she also handles the majority of our special hospitality functions and corporate retreats for many of our largest customers.
"She is very passionate about what she does and we couldn't be happier to have her on our team."
Doke, a California native whose family moved to the Ozarks when she was five years old, wasn't necessarily a racing fan when she got involved in the sport. Shortly after graduation from Halfway High School, she went to work on the road with the National Hot Rod Association selling merchandise.
"My mom (Betty Doke) was doing hospitality for the Schumachers (Don and Tony) at the time, so she pulled me in that direction," Angie Doke said. "I worked with the Schumachers and (Don) Prudhomme doing the t-shirt trailers.
"Shortly after I got off the road with the NHRA and wanted to start staying home, I got a call from (Lucas Oil Speedway) wanting me to come here and start pouring beer."
Doke soon advanced from assistant to bar manager and that's her major chore during the season. A typical week consists of estimating and ordering the proper inventory and line up the correct amount of staffing.
Asked is she was part-time meteorologist to gage the right amount of both, Doke laughed and said she leaves the weather forecasting to Robinson.
"He doesn't lead us wrong very often," she said.
While she's pumped about the upcoming season, and specifically the opening of the Off-Road Track for the Inaugural Lucas Oil Off-Road Event there July 22-23, Doke has a big event coming up on Feb. 10. The world premier of the movie Running Wild, presented by Lucas Oil and Protect the Harvest, is scheduled at the Gillioz Theatre in Springfield.
"That's going to be really exciting," said Doke, who is helping with Protect the Harvest's role in the event and an after party at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds.
For more information on the film, check out the Gillioz Theatre website.
The 2017 Lucas Oil Speedway season begins with the Weekly Championship Series opener on April 8, followed by the 4th annual Lucas Oil MLRA Spring Nationals on April 14-15. Here is the complete schedule for 2017.
For complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket info and schedule information for the season, visit http://www.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 httpttp://://www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on hwww.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
