Written by Scott Neth for the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series
After years of dreaming, short course off-road fans across the country will finally see something they’ve been wanting to see for years: a showdown race between the west coast and Midwest drivers of one of the world’s most exciting forms of motorsports. Today, it is with great pleasure that we at the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, presented by GEICO,are proud to announce the first-ever short course unification race, which will pit the drivers of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series against the drivers of the Lucas Oil Midwest Short Course League.
This event will take place at the, Lucas Oil Speedway, in Wheatland, MO,on the weekend of June 29-30, 2019, and will be a dual points race for the two series. “This is something we’ve been looking forward to: west versus Midwest; it’s something we haven’t had in a long time,” says Lucas Oil Off Road Series Director Bill Smith.
Much like the annual Lucas Oil Challenge Cup race, some races in this event will feature a staggered start, with the drivers from the Lucas Oil Midwest Short Course League, whose rules are a bit more restrictive,getting a head start on those from the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.Additionally, all drivers involved will be registered and tech inspected through the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series system, each according to their respective series’ rule book.
When it comes to payout and points, the purse will be funded and paid through Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series funds, and will be based upon each driver’s overall finishing position. However, in an attempt to avoid causing any major points upsets, each driver will score points according to his or her finishing position relative to the other drivers in his or her series.For example, if a Midwest driver wins a race but the next Midwest finisher is fourth, that fourth place driver will score second place points in his or her series, and the second and third place overall finishers in the race will score first and second place points in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. Furthermore,a great bonus for all competitors will be an extensive TV package, which will include airings on CBS, CBS Sports Network, and MAVTV- more details on this will be forthcoming. *Not all Classes will be shown on all networks.
Lucas Oil Speedway will be a wonderful backdrop for this entire event. The track itself has a little bit of everything; from high-speed,high-flying sections, to lower speed, more technical areas, this one is a driver’s track, and that makes it a favorite among the drivers. For Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Dan Robinson, it’s the perfect place to host this first-of-its-kind event. “It’s really important to bridge the gap between the two series,” Robinson says, “to bring them together. It’s a clash of the titans, and having it here, at the best meeting point for both the west and Midwest series, right here in America’s heartland, is a very proud and important moment for us.”
Not only is this track itself a very exciting one, but it also boasts many unique amenities that will make this a perfect summer family destination event. The track has recently finished up construction on new,permanent shades, which will now provide full coverage of the entire grandstand seating area. Off the track, the facility has on-site camping with both partial and full hookups, as well as some great ponds for fishing, and there’s also some great golfing to be had nearby. Saturday night will feature a race on the adjoining dirt track (after the off-road races), which those in attendance of the off-road event can also attend with the same ticket. While the dirt track race is going on, additional amenities like the Diamond Bar and the Track Treasures Gift Shop, as well as the Vendor Midway, will also be open, giving those in attendance even more to pore over. Moreover, both days will allow fans to test their own driving skills on the Slick Track, a go-kart track with both single and two-seat karts; at just $5 per race, it’s a great place for fans to race too. More details on this event will be available soon, including ticket pricing, so stay tuned to pick up the latest details.
The entire facility is beautiful, and the joining of these two series will make for an event that will certainly be a must-see, so start making your plans now to join us for this very exciting event next summer!