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LUCAS OIL SPEEDWAY TO HOST NATIONALLY TELEVISED CHAMPIONS TOUR 2-DAY EVENT JUNE 28-29
One of the truly great events in professional truck and tractor pulling will take place this weekend when the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League’s elite Champions Tour tackles a 300-foot dirt surface in a nationally-televised spectacle at the immaculate Lucas Oil Speedway, in Wheatland, Missouri.
Two giant sessions, comprised of five diametrically different forms of dirt-churning machinery and featuring the biggest names in the sport, will gather at the facility known as the “Diamond in the Dirt”. More than 70 vehicles are pre-entered, representing 15 contiguous United States and one Canadian province.
The Saturday night (June 28) program begins promptly at 6 p.m., with a Sunday (June 29) afternoon presentation kicking off at 2 p.m. Both showcase the divisions of Super Modified (multi-engine) Tractors, Unlimited Super Stock Tractors, Hot Rod Semi Trucks, Pro Stock Tractors, and Pro Mod 4X4 Trucks.
A total of six major cable television programs will be captured from the event and shown later in the season to more than 190-million U.S. households via tape-delayed coverage on sports giant ESPN2. Other media coverage will feature acclaimed motor sport commentators from the syndicated SpeedFreaks show.
Among the cash and contingency awards available to the top finishers, Miller Electric will provide a plasma cutter kit (valued at $1700) to each division winner.
After seven of a scheduled 16 available hooks this season, the Lucas Oil Champions Tour points chase currently finds the Pro Mod 4X4 division with Terry Hagedorn’s “Untamed Spirit” at the top (309.6 points), followed in second by Jake Zaring’s “Dixie Chopper” Dodge (287.6) and past world champion team of the Michigan-based Bosch family’s “Midnight Raider” (273.6).
Three sessions into a 20 event season, the 10-thousand pound Pro Stock Tractor class finds a familiar name at the top, past world title-holder Don Masterson, aboard his John Deere “Tinker Toy”, with 137 points. He’s closely followed by fellow Indiana farmers the Boyd Family, whose “Lucas Oil Green Streak”, also a JD, presently has 133.
Smoke-billowing Hot Rod Semis have competed thus far in two of 15 meets in 2008, with the current leader shown as Joe Metzger’s Ohio-based “Brockasaurus” (94), while fellow Buckeye, Mike Laribee’s “Shameless” Chevy, and past world champ Dana Lindsay’s “Red, Hot & Rollin’” out of Pennsylvania, are both tied at 92 apiece.
Super Modified Tractor is also just two events into the season, with two hooks available at Wheatland certain to shuffle the standings. Leading into Lucas Oil Speedway, the top three include home state favorite L.D. Nation’s turbine-powered “Indian Outlaw” (98), plus a tie for second between similar powered “Dirt Challenger” of many time world titlist Bill Leischner, of Weldon, IL, and Shawn Swearingen’s four-engine “Joker”, each with 94.
The wild, alcohol-burning category of Unlimited Super Stock Tractors is an all-Ohio affair, the three-tractor team of Larry Roberts occupying the first trio of slots. They include “The Big Toy II” ((92), “The Big Toy” (90), and “Ryan’s Toy” at 88, all three of International Harvester livery.
Lucas Oil Speedway is a “must-see” facility, and indeed one of the more revered for both competitor and spectator comfort. Attention to detail from owners Forrest and Charlotte Lucas (owners of Lucas Oil Products, and the Pro Pulling League) include MUSCO Lighting, Bose Stadium Sound System, a HD Jumbo Tron infield screen, state-of-the-art food concessions (including Diamond Bar night club), restrooms, vendor areas, plus upper-tier luxury suite availability for corporate and private hospitality.
First time and returning competitors are treated to such niceties as asphalt pit areas, complete with access to air, water and electricity.
Lucas Oil Speedway is located five blocks south of US Highway 54, on State Highway 83 in Wheatland, MO (north of Springfield). For track information, please call the facility at: 417-282-5984, or visit: www.lucasoilspeedway.com.
Television coverage of the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League in 2008 will comprise a combination of the most popular and well-respected cable networks. Videotaped and packaged by New Wave Productions, 60-plus television programs will be shown on ESPN2, Speed Channel and Versus, among others. Bolstering the ratings is the fact that at least 19 of these airings will be positioned in prime time slots.
Sponsorship of the League now boasts of nine companies under the potent business consortium known as “Team Lucas”. Recently joining the powerful enterprise is E3 Spark Plugs, plus renowned whiskey distiller and distributor, Jim Beam. In addition to flagship Lucas Oil Products, others include K&N Engineering, General Tire, R&L Carriers, Dixie Chopper, SuperClean and Fatheadz Eyewear.
Owned by Corona, Calif.-based parent company Lucas Oil Products (www.lucasoil.com), the Brownstown, Indiana-based sanctioning organization will conduct in excess of 240 truck and tractor pulling events across the U.S. in 18 states, plus Canada from a stellar participant roster now in excess of 1,300 active members.
For more information, including Lucas Oil Champions Tour and television schedules, Regional and Member State schedules, plus rules and press archives, please call: 812-216-4024, or visit the official website at: www.propulling.com.
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