6/16/2022
Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: Young Beck proves a quick study in USRA Stock Cars
WHEATLAND, MO. (June 16, 2022) - Recent Skyline-Urbana High School graduate Mason Beck understands why a lot of kids grow up with a goal of driving dirt Late Models or aspiring for the highest level of NASCAR.
But the 19-year-old Beck said he is living out his dreams each weekend, behind the wheel of his USRA Stock Car.
“My goal was always to get into a Super Stock or Stock Car,” Beck said. “I like this full-body class, it’s real competitive, close. Everybody is real clean driving and it's fun.”
Beck is shining as a rookie in the O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars division at Lucas Oil Speedway, leading the points race entering Saturday night’s Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series Midseason Championships.
With a feature victory this season at Midway Speedway, Beck has yet to win at Lucas Oil Speedway but has been a mark of consistency. With finishes of second, third, sixth and seventh in the rapidly growing division, he has a 16-point lead over Lebanon’s Bryan White.
Beck also is third in USRA Stock Cars national rookie of the year standings. It’s all been a bit of a pleasant surprise for the young driver, who campaigned a Pure Stock in 2021.
“Overall, the season has gone a lot better than I expected,” Beck said. “With this being my first year in a Stock Car we didn’t think we’d be this successful this far along. Everything’s gone pretty smooth so far.”
Perhaps an omen of good things to come, Beck found victory lane at Lucas Oil Speedway last summer in a special guest appearance for the Pure Stock division. He said that win “was a huge deal for me. My dad (Phillip Beck) won the Wheatland Raceway points championship back in 2001 in that same car and 20 years later, to go back in that same car and win, it was kind of a big deal for him.”
Phillip Beck was a regular at the Wheatland Raceway in the years before it became Lucas Oil Speedway. How that particular car found its way back to victory lane there - or made it back to the track at all - is pretty amazing.
When he turned 15, Mason kept bugging his dad about getting a Pure Stock to go racing. He said they found Phillip’s old car out in the woods near the family’s home and had to cut down several trees to retrieve the vehicle.
“The frame and roll cage was all it was. Basically had to build it from the ground up,” Mason Beck said. “We got it down when I turned 16 and started racing at Dallas County and when they had special Pure Stock specials at Lucas. We went to Midway and that’s how we got started from there.”
Mason said his dad and his uncle Jerry Glor shared the car back in the day, with Glor racing it on Friday nights at Dallas County and Phillip on Saturday at Wheatland. Now his dad is serving as his mechanic and crew chief.
The move from Pure Stocks into the Stock Car division began near the end of last season when Mason got to test a Stock Car for someone looking for a prospective driver. And that’s how he has wound up driving the current car for Ethan Mackey.
“They may not be the fastest or most-desirable car to drive,” Beck said of the Stock Car class, which attracted a season-high 29 entries to Lucas Oil Speedway last week. “But with the rules and everything, they are the most-even, closest racing that you’re going to get.”
Beck, who played football and basketball in high school, said he’s still learning as he seeks his first feature win in the car at Lucas Oil Speedway.
“We went to Midway and it was our third or fourth race and we won there,” he said. “We’ve been close at Urbana, Butler and Lucas, we just haven’t got the car completely figured out. I’m still getting seat time and learning what it will do in certain situations.”
Beck said fellow Stock Car drivers Derek and Tim Brown have been instrumental with helpful advice. Team sponsors include Triad Roofing, Connight Construction, Big O’s Equipment, United Rentals, L.W. Williams Concrete, Boley’s Construction, PDA Enterprises, Urbana Stockyards, Fisher Farms, Mid Mo Splicing, McCowan Farms, Urbana Automotive, Mill Creek Munitions, The Cutting Edge and Double B Cattle Company.
The Bolivar Herald-Free Press and KIX 105.7-Townsquare Media Present the Midseason Championships with action also set in the Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, Hermitage Lumber Late Models and Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods. Look for discount admission coupons for grandstand admission in The Bolivar Herald-Free Press.
Round 3 of the Kids' Power Wheel races are scheduled during intermission on the front straightaway. Youngsters ages 3-9 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.
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.
Father's Day recliner giveaway: For Father's Day Weekend, Saturday night also marks the annual recliner giveaway Presented by Scott’s Furniture of Osceola.
Fathers can sign up at the Protect the Harvest table and a winning name will be drawn during intermission. You must be present to win.
Gates open at 4 p.m. Saturday with hot laps set for 6:30 and racing at 7:05.
Admission prices:
Advance discount tickets online only (16 and up) - $12
Adults (16 and up) - $15
Seniors (62 and over)/Military - $12
Youth (ages 6-15) - $5
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family pass (click here for more information) - $35
Pit pass - $30
To purchase tickets for any event on Lucas Oil Speedway's schedule, or to inquire about camping information, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 295-6043 or via email at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com.
CONTACT:
Danny Lorton
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Office: (417) 282-5984
DLorton@lucasoilspeedway.com
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.
2022 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
Optima Batteries
"The Official Battery" 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
Sunoco Race Fuels
"The Official Fuel" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Super Clean
"The Official Sponsor" of Lucas Oil Speedway
2022 Lucas Oil Speedway Supporters Include:
AM Pyrotechnics, Arizona Sport Shirts, Ash Grove Aggregates, 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, Comfort Inn-Bolivar,DirtonDirt.com, Dixie Chopper, eBay Motors, Eibach Springs, Evans Pipe & Steel Co., 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, Highway 54 RV Park, Hobbytime Motorsports, Hoosier Race Tires, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps, In the Garden of Eden, Kettle Treats, Keyser Manufacturing, Kluhsman Racing Components, Kona Ice, Lucas Cattle Company, Margaritaville Lake Resort, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welding, Missouri Department of Tourism, 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, 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, Simpson Racing Products, Southwest Electric Cooperative, Stillwater Resort, Sunoco Race Fuels, Sunflower Resort, TA/PETRO, US Army Corps of Engineers-Pomme de Terre, Vietti Marketing Group, Wheatland Motel, White's Marine Center, Wild Animal Safari, Woods Supermarkets, Wrisco Industries.
Article Credit: By Lyndal Scranton, Lucas Oil Speedway
