12/27/2018
Veteran Street Stock racer Barnett ready for another Lucas Oil Speedway run in 2019
WHEATLAND, Missouri - The thought a year ago was that 2018 would be the final season on the track for Bob Barnett, one of the veterans of the Ozarks' dirt-track scene with his familiar black-and-orange No. 27 Street Stock machine.
But after another ultra-consistent season, in which the 57-year-old rolled to third place in points at Lucas Oil Speedway, Barnett is ready to give it another whirl in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks division of the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series.
"We're knocking on the door," Barnett said of title contention. "We just can't quite close the deal and came up just a little bit short this year. Those other two guys (track champion David Hendrix and runner-up Brian Schutt) had it going on. But at least we won't have to deal with (Schutt) because he's retired now."
The Barnett team of Bob and his son/crew chief Jay Barnett are a familiar sight in the pits at Lucas Oil Speedway. They often arrive early to fire up the barbecue grill, making sure they and friends are well fed before the night of racing gets going.
Jay Barnett said the whole race-day experience is part of the fun that the duo hopes can be taken a step or two further in 2019, with goals of visiting victory lane and taking a run at the points title.
"We talked last year about taking some time off. It's not gonna happen," Jay Barnett said. "We're working to race and that's what we're gonna do. We have too much invested in it and love it too much to quit."
They've given the car a thorough going over well ahead of the usual offseason schedule and even are building a new chassis they hope will debut before midseason. Successful Street Stock racer Burl Woods, also of Republic, has been enlisted for some help on set-up.
"He's been one of the heavy hitters, but he's gonna help us and try to help steer us in the right direction after his car owner decided to sell out," said Bob Barnett.
In order to become a contender, Jay Barnett said a priority will be putting more emphasis on heat races next season.
"We need better starting position in the features," Jay Barnett said. "We had to fire away from the back quite a few times last year and that makes it tough.
"I think we're a lot more confident going into next year. We usually don't start working on the car until February or March. We're always running late or behind. This year, we took about three weeks off after the season and starting looking into stuff for the car, seeing what everybody else is doing to go faster."
Team sponsors include Conklin Excavating, DAP Backhoe & Trucking, Bair's Sports Bar and Grill, Midwest Sheet Metal, Schaeffer Racing Oil, Fujimo Chassis and Fabrication, Yeoman Race Engines, Helling Tire, Christi Bukaty with USA Mortgage, R&R Graphics and Tailpipers.
The season begins March 30 with an open test and tune. Opening night for the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series is set for April 6.
Gift cards for 2019, which can be used throughout any part of Lucas Oil Speedway, remain available for Christmas purchase and beyond the holidays. Also, season passes for the 2019 season are available and those who had them in 2018 can renew at a $25 discount through the end of the year.
Contact McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email her at Nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com to purchase a gift card or season pass.
Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived race recaps, previews and driver features, along with ticket information and 2019 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 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 Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series features the Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models, Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds, O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks and the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods.
2019 Lucas Oil Speedway Supporters Include:
Advanced Automotive Repair, ALPS Food Store, AM Pyrotechnics, American Broadband, American Racer Race Tires, Angler's Resort, Ash Grove Aggregates, ASI Racewear, The BarnWood Inn, Benton County Tire, Berry Tractor and Equipment Co., Best Western Plus Bolivar Hotel & Suites, Big Adventure RV, Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick, Bolivar Farmers Exchange-MFA, Bridal Cave, BWI Sanitation, Candlelight Creations-Dick's Wild Root Horseradish, Carson's Corner Napa Auto Parts, Casey's General Stores, Cherry Health Center, Chix Gear Racewear, Citizens Memorial Healthcare, Clearlight Inn, Comfort Inn-Bolivar, Crappie Hole Bar & Grill, Croft Trailer Supply, Inc.; DirtonDirt.com, Eibach Springs, Elite Auto Repair, Fast Shafts by Axle Exchange, Foley Equipment-Cat Rental Store, Frog Signs, Happy Trails RV Center, Hermitage Lumber, Hobbytime Motorsports, Hoosier Race Tires, Impact Racing, Inc.; Impact Signs Awnings Wraps, In the Garden of Eden, JH Custom Wheel & Accessory, Kenny Carroll Excavating, Kettle Treats, Keyser Manufacturing, Kluhsman Racing Components, Kona Ice, Lucas Cattle Company, Midwest Low-E Insulation, Midwest Sheet Metal, Missouri One Call System, National Wild Turkey Federation, Nemo Quarry, NMI/VMG Marketing Group, OakStar Bank, O'Bannon Bank, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Out-Pace Racing Products, Ozark Golf Cars, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper, Petro Stopping Centers, Pitts Homes, Pitts Realty, Pitts Cattle, PolyDock Products, Presto-X, RACEceiver, Racinboys.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, Rains Ice Company, Real Racing Wheels, Rod End Supply, Ron Jenkins Accounting & Tax Service, Rugged Radios, SBU Athletics, Safety Kleen, Scott Furniture, Shadow Lake Golf Course, Sidetrack RV Park, Sleep Inn-Camdenton, Southwest Electric Cooperative, Spartan Mowers, Stillwater Resort, Sunoco Race Fuels, Sunflower Resort, Tom & Jenn's Discount Cigarettes & Liquor, Travel Centers of America, US Army Corps of Engineers-Pomme de Terre, Victory Lane Track Action Race Review, Warsaw Auto Marine & RV, Wheatland Motel, Wheeler & Sons Livestock Auction, White's Marine Center, Whitetail Trophy Hunt, Wild Animal Safari.
Article Credit: Danny Lorton
