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Some drivers to watch at Lucas Oil Speedway's Big Buck 50 Presented by Whitetail Trophy Hunt

By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- It’s Big Buck 50 week, which means it’s time for some of the nation’s best Street Stock drivers to go hunting for a big prize at Lucas Oil Speedway.

The 7th annual Big Buck 50 Presented by Whitetail Trophy Hunt begins with practice and qualifying on Thursday night and leading to Saturday night’s 50-lap main event, in which the winner will take home $10,000 and a free entry, valued at more than $3,000, into the prestigious Whitetail Trophy Hunt in mid-Missouri this November.

PHOTO: Lucas Oil Speedway track champion Derek Brown (11) and past track champ Toby Ott (27) are two of the drivers to keep an eye on at this week's Big Buck 50 Presented by Whitetail Trophy Hunt.--CREDIT: GS Stanek Racing Photography

Last year’s event attracted 107 entries and another big field is expected. Here are some drivers to keep an eye on:

Peyton Taylor of Batesville, Arkansas is the defending champion and always a big-money racer from a state known as a hotbed for Street Stock racing. Taylor took over the lead from David Hendrix just past the halfway point of last year’s race and led the rest of the way.
Derek Brown of Stoutland has been “the man” in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks at Lucas Oil Speedway in 2020. Brown cruised to the track championship after winning the season’s first three features. He finished with six wins and four second-place finishes in 12 events. Brown was third in the Big Buck 50 a year ago and runner-up in 2017.
Hometown driver Toby Ott always is a threat to win at Lucas Oil Speedway, earning track championships in 2017 and 2019. Ott had one feature victory there in 2020 and 10 top-five finishes.
Taylor Carver of Lockesburg, Arkansas made the nearly nine-hour haul to Wheatland twice this season to test and tune for the Big Buck. He became one of the few drivers to knock off Derek Brown with a feature win on June 6.
Kevin Salter, like Peyton Taylor, hails from Batesville, Arkansas. He came to Lucas Oil Speedway and took the feature win on July 25, stating that it was meant as a test for the Big Buck 50.
Johnny Fennewald is known more for his Late Model success. But the three-time ULMA Late Model track champion drove fellow Appleton City resident Colton Bourland’s Street Stock a couple of times late in the season and parked it in victory lane once.
Tim Brown won the Big Buck 50 in 2016 and is a threat to win any time he races at Lucas Oil Speedway. Derek Brown’s dad had four top-three finishes in just seven attempts at the track in 2020.
Kyle Slader of Muskogee, Oklahoma, plans to bring his car No. 327 back to Lucas Oil Speedway, where he doesn't run often but when he does usually is a contender.

Pre-enter and save $25: Drivers can download the Big Buck 50 entry form and submit before Thursday for a $100 entry fee and save $25 on the entry. Payout for the race will be: 1st - $10,000; 2nd - $5,000; 3rd - $2,500; 4th - $1,500. 5th - $1,250. 6th - $1,000. 7th - $900. 8th - $850. 9th - $800. 10th - $750. 11th - $700. 12th - 650. 13th - $600. 14th - $550. 15th -24th - $500. Non-transfers $200.

Practice is set for Thursday night for both Street Stocks and ULMA Late Models from 5-8 p.m., plus time trials for the Street Stocks from 8-9 p.m. Grandstand admission will be free with pit passes $25. A beer trailer will set up in the pits next to the tech building, with sales opening after qualifying and the band Comancheros will play in the pits following the time trials.

Once again this year, Tony Jackson Jr. and TJR Motorsports from Lebanon again will provide $500 for the Fast Time Bonus to the driver quickest in time trials.

Qualifying heat races are set for Friday, along with dashes for the top two finishers in each heat to set the field for the first 16 position of Saturday’s feature. Alphabet mains on Saturday will finalize the field for the main event.

Two Lucas Oil Speedway provisional starters will be added to the field, based on final 2020 track points.

The ULMA Late Models will run full programs with $1,000-to-win features on both Friday and Saturday. The Lucas Cattle Company ULMA National Champion will be crowned on Oct. 3. Lucas Oil Speedway 2020 track champion Cole Henson of Russellville has a 32-point lead over Nevada’s Larry Ferris in ULMA national points with Tucker Cox of Jefferson City 46 behind.

More about the Whitetail Trophy Hunt: The only way to now gain entry in the 2020 Whitetail Trophy Hunt is to win the Big Buck 50 as this year’s hunt has long been sold out. Visit whitetail.net for info on the 2021 hunt, which is set for Nov. 13-15 of 2021.

This fall marks the 32nd anniversary of the Whitetail Trophy Hunt at Lake of the Ozarks. Event dates will be Nov. 14-16. This tremendously popular hunt brings in participants from all over the United States and abroad. Entries are limited to a maximum of 220 hunters.

Past Street Stocks Big Buck 50 winners:
2019 - Peyton Taylor, Batesville, Arkansas
2018 - Rained out
2017 - Tony Anglin, Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
2016 - Tim Brown, Stoutland, Missouri
2015 - Jeremy Russell, Jonesboro, Arkansas
2014 - Terry Schultz, Warrensburg, Missouri

Thursday's schedule
3 p.m. - Gates open
5-8 p.m. - Open practice
8-9 p.m. - Street Stocks qualifying

Friday's schedule
4 p.m. - Gates open
6:30 p.m. - Hot laps
7:05 p.m. - Racing begins

Saturday's schedule
3 p.m. - Gates open
5:30 p.m. - Hot laps
6:05 - Racing begins

Thursday's admission:
Grandstands free
Pit passes $25

Friday's admission:
Adults (16 and over) $15
Seniors (62 and over)/Military $12
Youth (ages 6-15) $5
Kids (5 and under) FREE
Family pass $35
Pit pass $35

Saturday's admission:
Adults (16 and over) $20
Seniors (62 and over)/Military $17
Youth (ages 6-15) $10
Kids (5 and under) FREE
Family pass $50
Pit pass $40

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.

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