5/25/2017
RacinBoys
MLRA 'Cowboy Classic' tonight at Lucas Oil Speedway
By Trenton Berry (Wheatland, MO) -- This weekend is a big one for Dirt Late Model racing. The 25th running of the Lucas Oil Show Me 100 Presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com fires off Thursday evening, culminating with Saturday's $30,000 to win feature at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri. It is the first traditional Late Model Crown Jewel of the season.
PHOTO: Payton Looney--CREDIT: Mike Ruefer
Thursday and Friday will feature $6,000 to win events, with points accumulated throughout the weekend setting up the field for Saturday's action. Thursday's "Cowboy Classic" honors longtime Lucas Oil MLRA owner Allen "Cowboy" Chancellor. Friday is all about the history of this great event founded by Don and Billie Gibson at West Plains Motor Speedway.
Among a host of storylines are a pair of Lucas Oil MLRA rookies who are challenging Rodney Sanders for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year crown. Payton Looney and Jeremy Grady each have their sights set on the ultra tough tour this season.
Looney, a recent graduate from Missouri State University, is in his third year driving for Jeremy Atnip and family. Recently he picked up his first Super Late Model win and is thrilled to be racing full-time this season.
"The MLRA is a really good place for us," commented Looney. "Their professionalism of the staff is important and they have enough help to run the races. The tow money is good and they also do a good job in tech."
Looney began racing late in the 2013 season in the ULMA weekly Late Model Division at Lucas Oil Speedway. Since then it's been steady improvement for the second generation driver, who is charting his own path in racing.
"I really have to thank Jeremy and the Atnip family. They have provided me a tremendous opportunity to compete. Jeremy works hard to make sure we have what we need to be successful, and I appreciate that immensely."
Looney will be behind the wheel of his Scott Bailey powered yellow and white Black Diamond this weekend.
He places the utmost importance on the Show Me 100.
"There is a ton of history with this event. It would be an accomplishment just to make the race. This is my favorite weekend of the entire season!"
For Jeremy Grady, competition in Super Late Models has come via a different path. The Story City, Iowa racer is an electrician by day and oversees DDM Electric and its 15 employees. Grady is no stranger to the Lucas Oil MLRA and open motor competition, but it has been a few years since he was involved in it week to week.
Grady's history in the sport dates back to 1995 when he began in the Hobby Stock division and Marshalltown and Boone Speedways in Iowa. From there he raced Stock Cars for four years, prior to his first opportunity in a Late Model.
Grady took the 2007 IMCA Deery Brothers title in 2007 and ran the WDRL for just shy of two seasons. Once the economy tanked in 2008, he was without a ride and spent four years away from the sport. During that time he started his business, always knowing in the back of his mind he wanted to race again, and do it on his own terms.
Fast forward to 2013 and he was back on the track. For the foreseeable future he sees himself on the Lucas Oil MLRA tour.
"I'm just glad to be back racing quite a bit," Grady elaborated. "I really like the way the schedule lays out where we have some weeks off in between races. It really helps me keep my business priorities straight, as opposed to running three nights every weekend."
Currently he has two Black Diamond cars with Clements Engines in each. This weekend he will embark on his first Show Me 100.
"We really haven't performed where I felt like we should be. I'm going to unload a brand new Black Diamond, one of the new style cars. It's never seen dirt. The other car we were running just was not getting the job done for us, with all this horsepower we have. I have the best equipment I've ever had at any point in my career, we've just got to pull out of this little funk."
For complete Lucas Oil Show Me 100 event details click the corresponding links; Thursday Information, Friday Information, Saturday Information.
For all of the latest news and information fans are encouraged to visit the series website at http://www.MLRARacing.com.
Fans may also "like" the Lucas Oil MLRA Facebook page by clicking http://www.Facebook.com/lucasoilmlra or follow us on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/MLRA.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
