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Young fans a big part of Lucas Oil Speedway opening night with Kids' Power Wheel races, Pit Tour

WHEATLAND, MO. (March 20, 2023) - Over the last several seasons, Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Danny Lorton and track flagman Mike Striegel have made a priority of getting youngsters more involved in the sport in a variety of ways.

That will continue in 2023 with the second season of Kids' Power Wheel racing scheduled for intermission of Saturday's season-opening Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series program. For ages 3-through-9, the races will be on the front straightaway during intermission, navigating a course outlined by orange cones.

“Involving the kids is something that has been extremely popular and we want to continue making even bigger and better,” Lorton said. “I think this is another way to spark their interest in the sport and give them a little more fun and an early taste of being involved in the sport in a safe way.”

The youngsters can enter their own battery-powered Power Wheel cars by signing up for the Frogs Jr. Fan Club on the south end of the Midway prior to the races. Other Kids Power Wheel nights are scheduled for April 29, May 13, June 17, July 29 and Aug. 26 when a mini-season-champion will crowned along with the four regular Weekly Racing Series classes.

One Kids Power Wheel class will be the 6-12 volt cars and another will be for the 24-36 volt class. No power or speed enhancement modifications will be allowed.

The youngsters can bring their Power Wheels to the Frogs Jr Fan Club sign-in, or drop them off at the pit gate and the Power Wheels will be brought to the front stretch at intermission.

This also will mark Year Four of the Frogs Jr Fan Club Pit Tour. Prior to each dirt-track racing program this season, Striegel will lead a pit tour on a large golf cart for youngsters ages 5-12 with the youngsters signing up for a drawing each week to be a part of the tour.

Striegel will drive them through the pits and stop and visit with various drivers where the youngsters can see the race cars up close, take pictures, collect autographs and talk to the drivers.

Kids can sign up for the Frogs Jr Fan Club on the south end of the Midway after gates open at 5 p.m. for a chance to go on the pit tour.

The Hermitage Lumber Late Models will be in the spotlight of the first Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series program on Saturday, running a special $1,000-to-win 25-lap feature. Joining the Late Models will be the Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods and O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars.

Gates are scheduled to open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.

Weekly Racing Series ticket information:
Advance discount tickets (online only, ages 16 and up) - $12
Adults (16 and up) - $15
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $12
Youth (6-15) - $5
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass (two adults up to three youth) - $35
Pit Pass - $35

Drivers must register on MyRacePass: If they have not done so already, drivers must register their information on MyRacePass for the upcoming season and may do so on the Drivers' Dashboard portion of LucasOilSpeedway.com. The driver forms link will allow drivers to find both their membership and license application along with driver/owner W9 and driver medical form.

Downloading those forms and filling them out ahead of time and returning to Office Manager Laurie Looney at Llooney@lucasoilspeedway.com before opening night is preferred. The forms also can be printed and dropped by the office at the Test and Tune or prior to opening night.

Announcing crew seeks info for MAVTV telecasts: The announcing crew for Lucas Oil Speedway and MAVTV Motorsports Network need the drivers' help in gathering driver information for the upcoming season. If you plan on racing at Lucas Oil Speedway, please take a few minutes and fill in the Driver Profile Electronic form. It will help in promoting you, your sponsors, and the sport.

Enduro Easter Bowl 150 entries remain open: Drivers planning to enter the Enduro Easter Bowl 150 on April 8th also can find the entry form online and return it. Pre-entry is $100 if received by March 30 and $150 after that.

SRX roster of drivers expands, with tickets on sale: General admission tickets for the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) race scheduled for Aug. 17 at Lucas Oil Speedway remain on sale. The SRX Thursday Night Thunder event will be the finale in the six-race series, which features some of racing's biggest names.

Reigning SRX Champion Marco Andretti will defend his title, racing full-time by participating in all six events. The IndyCar legend will be joined as full-time SRX competitors by fellow IndyCar star and SRX veteran Paul Tracy along with IndyCar Series and Indy 500 champion Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Those three will join previously announced all-stars racing at Lucas Oil Speedway - Tony Stewart, Kenny Wallace, Hailie Deegan, Brad Keselowski, Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman, Helio Castroneves and Clint Bowyer. One remaining driver will be announced in the near future.

SRX will air on six consecutive Thursday nights at 8 p.m. CST on ESPN and the ESPN App, bringing back the iconic "ESPN Thursdays Night Thunder" brand.

Tickets for the SRX event will be $35 in advance and $40 at the gate (ages 16 and over). Kids (ages 6-15) will be $20 with ages 5-and-under free. Advance tickets can now be purchased via Stubwire - https://www.stubwire.com/event/srxespnthursdaynightthunder/lucasoilspeedway/wheatland/28075/ Pit passes are $50 and must be purchased the day of the event.

For more information about any event at Lucas Oil Speedway in 2023 contact admissions director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email her at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.

CONTACT:
Danny Lorton
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Office: (417) 282-5984
DLorton@lucasoilspeedway.com
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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. The Lucas Oil Speedway EZ Texting number is (417) 804-4141.

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 12th season for the Liquid Quarter Mile Drag Racing Lake, "Lake Lucas." New for 2017 was all-purpose built Off Road facility featuring a host of 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 Late Models, USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods.

2023 Official Lucas Oil Speedway Marketing Partners

Arizona Sport Shirts
"The Official Merchandise Provider" of Lucas Oil Speedway

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

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

Summit Racing Equipment
"The Official Sponsor" of Lucas Oil Speedway

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

Super Clean
"The Official Sponsor" of Lucas Oil Speedway

2023 Lucas Oil Speedway Supporters Include:
AM Pyrotechnics, Alliance Sport Marketing, Arctic Food Equipment, Arizona Sport Shirts, Berry Tractor and Equipment Co., Big Adventure RV, 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, Cedar Creek Beef Jerky, Citizens Memorial Healthcare, City Magnet, Clearlight Inn, Dixie Chopper, Eibach Springs, Farmers Insurance Agent Kristy Reynolds, Fast Shafts by Axle Exchange, Foley Equipment-Cat Rental Store, Frog Signs, Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare, Hermitage Lumber, HICKAMO Country Store, Hobbytime Motorsports, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps, In the Garden of Eden, KC Bobcat, Kettle Treats, Keyser Manufacturing, Kluhsman Racing Components, Kona Ice, Lucas Cattle Company, MD3, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welding, Missouri Division of Tourism, MyRacePass, Nutrien Ag Solutions, OakStar Bank, O'Bannon Bank, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Ozark Golf Cars, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper, Ozarks Community Health Center, PEM, Pitts Homes, Pitts Realty, Pitts Cattle, Pomme de Terre Resort, 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, Scott Furniture, Sidetrack RV Park, Simpson Racing Products, Southwest Electric Cooperative, State Tech, Stillwater Resort, Summit Racing Equipment, Sunoco Race Fuels, US Army Corps of Engineers-Pomme de Terre, Vietti Marketing Group, Wheatland Motel, White's Marine Center, Wieland, Wild Animal Safari, Woods Supermarkets.

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