5/26/2021
Lucas Oil Speedway
A dozen things to know as 29th annual Show-Me 100 nears at Lucas Oil Speedway
WHEATLAND, MO. (May 26, 2021) - While everyone involved with the 29th annual Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtecttheHarvest.com does an anti-rain dance over the next few days as the stars of the Dirt Late Model world converge on Lucas Oil Speedway, here are 12 things to know entering the crown-jewel event.
1 - It’s a time to celebrate. For the first time since 2018, the Show-Me 100 is primed for its traditional three-night, Memorial Day Weekend, slot. The 2019 event was canceled after tornado-force winds damaged the speedway three days prior to the scheduled first-night action. Last year’s Show-Me 100 was postponed by the pandemic and ran as a one-day show in July.
2 - Star power, on and off the track. The excitement meter for Saturday’s final-night program will ramp up even more with three-time CMA and ACM Country Music Male Vocalist of the Year, Grammy Award winner and American Patriot Lee Greenwood serving as Grand Marshall. Greenwood will sing the National Anthem during opening ceremonies and also his iconic song "God Bless the USA," after driver introductions just prior to the green flag flying to begin the 100-lap, $30,000-to-win feature.
3 - Souvenirs for a cause. Fans attending on Saturday can walk away with a cool souvenir, while also helping a great charity. Ron Mitchell, an Ozarks Area Racers Foundation Hall of Famer as a racing photographer, will hold his annual Show-Me 100 Door Panel Auction on the hillside between the front gate and the grandstands. At least 50 door panels will be on display - including an autographed Larry Phillips door panel - and fans can place silent bids until intermission. The auction has raised more than $50,000 for the American Cancer Society since 2010.
4 - The return of Bloomquist. Scott Bloomquist, perhaps the best-known and most-successful dirt Late Model racer of all time, won his record sixth Show-Me 100 in 2018 (the first five came at West Plains Motor Speedway) and has started a record 26 of the previous 27 Show-Me 100s with six runner-up finishes to go with the six victories. The Mooresburg, Tennessee, driver missed the race for the first time at last year’s rescheduled July event.
5 - The unofficial mayor of Wheatland. That would be Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tennessee, who’s enjoyed more success on the south-central Missouri oval than anyone else. Owens has captured four of the 10 previous Show-Me 100s held in Wheatland with wins in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016. He’s also won the Diamond Nationals four times at the speedway.
6 - Is there more Show-Me State success coming? Payton Looney of Republic became only the second Missourian to win his home state’s biggest race, when he took the checkers last July to join Springfield’s Terry Phillips (1999). As Looney attempts to repeat, keep an eye on Lebanon’s Tony Jackson Jr., the Lucas Oil MLRA points leader who’s had two prior top-10 Show-Me 100 finishes.
7 - Veterans hungry for their first. With all their past success in dirt Late Model racing, current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points leader Tim McCreadie (age 47) of Watertown, N.Y., and four-time series champion Earl Pearson Jr. (49) of Jacksonville, Florida, have never won the Show-Me 100. The popular Pearson, a four-time LOLMDS champion, would especially be a sentimental choice this year after the recent passing of his father, Earl Pearson Sr.
8 - If you’re not first, you go home. The top 24 non-qualifiers for the Show-Me 100 on Saturday will get one more shot through the Midwest Sheet Metal Show-Me Challenge. The immensely popular race allows the winner to either keep the $2,500 winner's check or give it back for a chance to start the 100-lapper at the tail of the field. In 2016, Bobby Pierce won the Challenge and then nearly won the Show-Me 100 after taking a late lead.
9 - USRA Modifieds on the undercard. The popular and always-competitive Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds will serve as the support class all three nights, running for $750-to-win Thursday and Friday while accumulating points toward the 30-lap feature lineup on Saturday night which will pay $1,500 to the winner.
10 - Watch from anywhere on the planet. Fans unable to attend the Show-Me 100 in person will be able to tune in all three nights, including a live broadcast of Saturday’s program via MAVTV Motorsports Network. All three nights will be available live on the subscription-based streaming service MAVTV Plus at MAVTVplus.com or via tablets or smart phones on the MAVTV Plus app.
11 - Respect the history. Much of the magic of the Show-Me 100 is about remembering its roots. The first two nights of the event pay tribute to some major figures in Midwest dirt racing as Thursday's "Cowboy Classic" honors the late Allen "Cowboy" Chancellor, former owner of the MLRA. On Friday, the "Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson" is a hat tip to the former owners of West Plains Motor Speedway who founded the Show-Me 100 in 1993.
12 - Watch social media for weather updates. Should weather become threatening at any point during the weekend, instead of calling or messaging the speedway, fans should pay attention to Lucas Oil Speedway’s social media on Facebook or Twitter @LucasSpeedway to get updates. If severe weather threatens at the track, fans should follow directions from public address announcements or speedway public safety personnel on site.
Show-Me 100 schedule:?
Thursday and Friday
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:30 p.m. - Hot laps
7:05 p.m. - Racing begins with Late Model time trials
Saturday
3 p.m. - Grandstands open
5:30 p.m. - Hot laps
6:15 p.m. - Racing begins
The daily ticket breakdown for Show-Me 100 weekend:
Thursday: $25 general admission adults, $22 seniors (62 and up) and military; $10 youth (ages 6-15); FREE kids (ages 5-and-under); $60 family pass; $100 three-day reserved; $35 pit pass, $100 3-day pit pass.
Friday: $25 general admission adults, $22 seniors (62 and up) and Military; $10 youth (ages 6-15); FREE kids (ages 5-and-under); $60 family pass; $100 three-day reserved; $35 pit pass, $100 3-day pit pass.
Saturday: $35 general admission adults, $32 seniors (62 and up) and Military; $10 youth (ages 6-15); FREE kids (ages 5-and-under); $80 family pass; $40 pit pass.
For ticket information for any event during the 2021 Lucas Oil Speedway season, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at Nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com. Fans also can use the online ticketing system.
CONTACT:
Danny Lorton
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Office: (417) 282-5984
DLorton@lucasoilspeedway.com
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Article Credit: By Lyndal Scranton, Lucas Oil Speedway