Zack VanderBeek

USMTS returns to Lucas Oil Speedway Saturday for Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout

The Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s returns to Lucas Oil Speedway on Saturday with the 12th Annual USMTS Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout presented by Foley Equipment.

Always one of the best race programs of the season, the event pays a record $10,000 to the winner of Saturday night’s main event. The Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods and O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars also will be in action for a big night of racing.

“We always look forward to the USMTS Series coming to Lucas Oil Speedway and anticipate this year’s event to be one of the best yet,” Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Danny Lorton said. “Not only will the regulars of the USMTS be on hand, this is a great opportunity for some of our Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modified regulars to match up with the best.”

With a big $70,000 payday going to the series points champion at season’s end finds a hot battle for the top spot as the #BestoftheBest kick off a three-race swing. Events are set at Kansas dirt ovals 81 Speedway in Park City on Thursday and Humboldt Speedway on Friday prior to Saturday’s stop in Wheatland.

Jake O’Neil of Tucson, Arizona, has a series-leading five feature victories and holds a narrow 10-point lead over Dereck Ramirez of Woodward, Oklahoma, in the Summit USMTS National Championship standings. Four-time USMTS national champion Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas, is lurking just 37 points behind O’Neil.

Ramirez took the checkered flag in the Show-Me Shootout one year ago and, along with Springfield’s Terry Phillips, rates the only two-time USMTS winners at Lucas Oil Speedway. Sanders prevailed in the 2019 Show-Me Shootout.

Along with Phillips, who is seventh in USMTS points and has two victories in 2021, there are other Ozarks-area drivers to watch on Saturday. Leading the way is 17-year-old Dillon McCowan of Urbana—the USRA Modified points leader at the Lucas Oil Speedway and in Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series national points.

McCowan holds a 69-point lead in the track’s Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series over Fulton’s Ryan Middaugh and is 73 in front of Jason Pursley of Hermitage as those three hope to parlay the home track advantage into their favor. Saturday’s show is not a points event for the USRA Modifieds.

Big money for Stock Cars too: There's extra money on the line for the O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Car division. An anonymous fan has given $950 cash for the driver winning the feature, in addition to the $500 regular first-place money to make it a $1,450 night for the Stock Car winner.

Factoring in the $250 bonus money for any driver winning both Friday at Dallas County Speedway and Saturday at Lucas Oil Speedway—plus the regular prize money Friday at the Urbana bullring—the winning driver Saturday could pocket $2,100 in total prize for the two nights.

David Hendrix of Waynesville leads the way in Lucas Oil Speedway’s O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars—a commanding 163 points clear of Wheatland’s Darren Phillips.

Jackson looks to extend B-Mod streak: In the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod division, Lebanon’s Kris Jackson looks to continue his dominance. Jackson has six features victories including three straight to open a 69-point lead over Springfield’s J.C. Morton.

Track, regional and national points will be on the line for both the USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods this Saturday.

Frogs Jr Fan Club Pit Tour: Young fans arriving early are invited to sign up for the Frogs Jr Fan Club Pit Tour. Kids ages 5-12 can sign up on the midway, behind the main grandstands, before 5 p.m. with eight names drawn for a special pit-area tour at 5:15 with flagman Mike Striegel.

They will get to meet some of the drivers, see the cars up close and attend the drivers' meeting prior to returning to the midway. Each of the eight will receive a Frogs Jr Fan Club T-Shirt, checkered flag and a gift bag sponsored by RaceGear Unlimited to put items in they receive from the drivers.

Beat the heat in a suite: A limited number of VIP Suite tickets are available for Saturday night's program, on the third level overlooking the front straightaway, priced at $50 apiece. All VIP Suite seats must be pre-paid and can be reserved by calling Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com.

The suite offers prime viewing from inside, where the temperature is climate-controlled, or an outside seating area. Food and drinks are not included in the ticket price, though a host/hostess will be available to take food and drink orders throughout the evening.

Gates open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.

Admission for adults (16-61) is $25 while seniors (62+) and members of the military get in for $22. Youth (6-15) are $10 and kids 5 and under are free. A family pass is only $60 and includes entry for two (2) adults and up to three (3) youths plus one (1) free pass to the Go-Kart Slick Track and 10% off any Track Treasures gift shop purchase. Pit passes are $40.

Event tickets and camping spots can be purchased online through the track’s online ticketing system.

Lucas Oil Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located 0.2 mile south of US 54 on SR 83, then east. The physical address is 18842 Speedway Dr, Wheatland, MO 65779. 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.”

Complete Lucas Oil Speedway information can be found at LucasOilSpeedway.com. In addition, fans can get social on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

81 Speedway lid-lifter Thursday: Action gets going Thursday with the 10th Annual USMTS Sunflower Showdown at the 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas, for the first of three straight $10,000-to-win events. The three-division program will also feature HeyGlassman.com Stock Cars and Two M Motorsports Rookie Modifieds.

The pits are slated to open at 4 p.m. and grandstand gates swing open at 5. Hot laps and qualifying begin at 7:20 followed by opening ceremonies, prayer and national anthem prior to heat races getting underway at 8.

General admission tickets are $25 while members of the military and seniors (65+) are $23. Children ages 10 and under get in for free. Pit passes are $40 and kids ages 5-10 get a pit pass for $20. Children 4 and under are free in the pits.

The 81 Speedway is located north of Wichita on I-135 to exit 16, then 0.7 mile west on 77th St. The physical address is 7700 N Broadway, Park City, KS 67219.

For more information call (316) 755-1781 or visit 81Speedway.com. You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Humboldt hosts USMTS Friday: When the Humboldt Speedway hosts the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s for the 15th Annual USMTS Summer Fling on Friday it will be the 55th race for the USMTS at the 1/4-mile semi-banked bullring.

The USMTS Modifieds will share the spotlight with USRA B-Mods and USRA Tuners, plus Midwest Mods and Factory Stocks.

The pit gate opens at 2 p.m., spectator seating opens at 6 and qualifying begins at 8 p.m.

Grandstand tickets are $25 for general admission. Seniors (65+) and youth (12-16) are $20. Kids (6-11) get in for $5. Pit passes are $40 or kids (6-10) are $30. Children under 6 are admitted free of charge in the grandstands or pit area.

The Humboldt Speedway is located 0.1 mile west of US 169 at the Humboldt Exit, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east on Georgia Rd. The physical address is 1663 Georgia Rd, Humboldt, KS 66748.

Check out the track's website at HumboldtSpeedway.com and follow them on Facebook and Twitter to learn more.

Taking dirt to a new level: The 2021 campaign for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s features 36 nights of racing with the winners of those main events set to take home over $300,000 in earnings from more than $1 million in prize money earmarked for those shows.

Most race nights will pay at least $10,000 to win while the others carry a top prize of no less than $5,000. And if that weren’t enough, more than $230,000 is committed to the top ten finishers in the 2021 points standings with a record $70,000 reserved for the 2021 USMTS National Champion.

Visit usmts.com for schedules, points, photos, souvenirs, videos and more. Follow our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Click here to get USMTS news delivered to your inbox.