6/28/2022
Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: Cox looks for breakthrough in Late Model portion of Thursday Night Thunder
WHEATLAND, MO. (June 28, 2022) - As the Hermitage Lumber Late Models are the headline class for a special “Thursday Night Thunder” edition of the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series, one question stands out as the second half of the season begins:
What’s it going to take for someone to beat Cole Henson or Larry Ferris?
“I think at this point, a little bit of luck,” said Jefferson City’s Tucker Cox, who sits third in the points behind the midseason co-champions in the division.
Both Henson and Ferris have two feature victories and a pair of runner-up finishes in the four previous events for the Late Models in 2022. Cox, with a pair of third-place finishes and third in points, is optimistic that his time to visit victory lane is on the horizon.
“We just have to make the right adjustments from the heat races to the feature,” Cox said. “Larry and Cole have been racing for a long time and they are really good and they have nice stuff, but so do we. We’re working hard to pick up the pace and catch up to them.”
Casey's and KY3 Present "Thursday Night Thunder." Activities also will include the annual Kids' Bicycle Giveaway during intermission and the area's biggest fireworks display to conclude the evening. Spectators can pick up $2 off coupons for grandstand tickets at participating area Casey's stores.
The Late Models will run a special 25-lap, $1,000-to-win main event courtesy of Rains Ice. The Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods and O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars also will be in action.
Cox, 22, feels like he’s gradually dialing in a new MB Customs race car a little bit more each time he takes it to the track. He acquired the car, replacing an MB Custom he purchased used two years prior. Cox won his first Lucas Oil Speedway Late Model feature in the car in mid-summer of 2020.
“They gave us a pretty good baseline setup,” Cox said of the MB headquarters in Wisconsin. “But everybody drives a little differently. They race a little different in Wisconsin. It’s about trying to adjust the car for me at Wheatland and other places around here.”
Seat time is perhaps the biggest challenge. Cox has seen his racing schedule challenged due to long days in his own business (Advanced Heating & Cooling based in Jefferson City) that he opened in 2021.
There are plans to race the Malvern Bank SLMR Series in Iowa later this summer, on weeks when Late Models aren’t scheduled to compete at Lucas Oil Speedway. His immediate goal is for a strong run Thursday in a program he looks forward to.
“I kind of like it,” Cox said of the weeknight action. “I can get away from working that one day during the week. There have been some long days lately, so it’s kind of nice to get away.”
Cox started racing in 2018, jumping right into the Late Model division and into a Victory Circle chassis ride of his dad, long-time area racer Chris Cox.
“If I work late, which I've had to a lot lately, my dad has been helping get the car ready,” Tucker Cox said. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be at most of the races.”
Team sponsors include State Tech in Linn, Cole County Upholstery, Roark Glass, Jefferson City Winair, Extreme Oil and MB Custom.
Kids' Bicycle Giveaway: Youngsters ages 5-12 can sign up with the Frogs Signs Jr. Fan Club on the south end of the midway after arriving at speedway for a chance to have their name drawn for a free bicycle, which will occur during intermission.
Speedway officials are still accepting new bicycles for the giveaway and drivers, sponsors or interested fans can bring a new boys' or girls' bicycle to the speedway office before Thursday's action or drop it off at the track this week.
For questions or more details, contact Lisa Lorton at the Lucas Oil Speedway office (417) 282-5984 or via email at Lisa@lucasoilspeedway.com. Money toward bike purchases can also be dropped off at the track office during weekday business hours.
Gates open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and opening ceremonies at 7.
Thursday admission:
Adults (16 and over) - $20
Seniors (62 and over)/Military - $17
Youth (ages 6-15) - $10
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass (two adults, up to three youth) $50
Pit Pass - $40
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
