Ernie Leftwich (Lucas Oil MLRA Competition Director) has worked really hard the last couple of seasons to tailor a schedule that works well in this region as we continue to provide our drivers desirable racing weekends which provides our fans the opportunity to take in the nation's premier dirt late model regional touring series at many great venues." commented Lucas Oil MLRA Series Director Dan Robinson. "2015 will once again see a great mix of events within a couple hours either side of Kansas City."
The 27th season of MLRA action will get underway on April 3rd and 4th at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, NE for the annual Spring Meltdown. Not only is this the first race of the 2015 MLRA season, this also begins a new element, the "Chase to the Silver Dollar Nationals". The Chase to the SDN is a race within a race for Super Late Models as qualifying will begin with the April 3rd-4th MLRA event at the Kosiski family promoted speed plant and will culminate with a special knockout style feature event on Friday, July 17th immediately after the super late model double qualifiers are complete. The event will pay $2,000 to win/$200 to start event for the top 16 qualifiers throughout the season at select I-80 Speedway SLM events. Additional details can be found at www.I-80Speedway.com.
Lucas Oil Speedway hosts the second weekend of racing action with the return of the 2nd Annual MLRA Spring Nationals on April 10th-11th which was expanded into a 2-day show in 2014. Lucas Oil Speedway has spent the early off-season hauling in hundreds of loads of new clay to improve the racing surface and reshape the racetrack as well as additional aesthetic improvements including the addition of concrete roads, improved drainage, and grass to the infield thus an open practice is also scheduled for Thursday, April 2nd as drivers take the track for the first time in 2015 in it's updated configuration.
As the temps warm up in May so does the on track action beginning with a 3-day jaunt through Iowa set for May 7th-9th with final track agreements still being finalized, but the first swing into the Hawkeye State will include the 2nd Annual Short Track Challenge at Davenport Speedway on May 8th and a visit to a Mike Van Gendren promoted facility on May 9th.
Attention shifts back to Lucas Oil Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend as the first Dirt Late Model Crown Jewel event of the season kicks off on Thursday night, May 21st with the 2nd Annual MLRA Cowboy Classic with $5,045 going to the winner followed by the 23rd Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 on Friday-Saturday. The Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com will once again pay $30,000 to the winner in the annual event co-sanctioned with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and will be scheduled for television broadcast on CBS and MAVTV.
Park Jefferson Speedway in Park Jefferson, South Dakota returns to the MLRA calendar after a brief hiatus on May 29th-30th as the 2nd Annual Carlson Clash garners MLRA sanctioning in 2015.
Five races in June are highlighted by a 3-day tour beginning at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa on June 11th followed by stops at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa on June 12th and a return visit to the Randolph County Speedway in Moberly, Missouri on June 13th. I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, NE and Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa will wind up the month on June 26th and 27th with the annual Alphabet Soup Race and the Liberty 50 respectively. The Alphabet Soup race at I-80 is scheduled to be one of the races included in the previously noted "Chase to the Silver Dollar Nationals".
An Independence Day weekend blowout on July 3rd and 4th at the Salina Highbanks Speedway for the "2nd Annual Freedom Classic" will begin the month of July after a very successful inaugural visit to the David Edwards promoted facility in 2014. The stars of the MLRA will once again team up with the stars of the LOLMDS at both Lucas Oil Speedway for the "9th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals" on July 11th followed by one of the most anticipated events of the season on July 16th-18th at the I-80 Speedway for the Silver Dollar Nationals.
The series final weekend in Nebraska is August 7th and 8th at Junction Motor Speedway for the annual "King of the Hill Challenge" at the Delmar Freisen promoted facility.
A new name will adorn the series' annual Labor Day weekend visit to Lucas Oil Speedway as the Larry Phillips Memorial gains MLRA sanctioning and will be relocated to the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks", Lucas Oil Speedway on Saturday, September 5th as part of the CBS televised Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series National event.
With a break in the schedule in September to allow MLRA competitors a chance at competing in the World 100 and the Knoxville Late Model Nationals, the 2015 Lucas Oil MLRA Champion will be crowned at the series' final event of the season, the "2nd Annual MLRA Fall Nationals" on October 8th-10th at Lucas Oil Speedway with the weekend to inlclude an open practice session followed by a $3,000 and a $5,000 to win main event on Friday and Saturday respectively.
Copies of the schedule will also be available at the Lucas Oil MLRA/Lucas Oil Speedway booth #713 at the Heartland Auto Racing Show in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday-Saturday, Nov. 21st-22nd. For more info about the show, please visit www.HeartlandAutoRacingShow.com.
For more information go to http://www.mlraracing.com/269-2015-lucas-oil-mlra-schedule-released.html
- Adam Adamson on Nov 24, 2014
- Article Date: 11/24/2014