5/26/2021
RacinBoys
Jackson leads MLRA into Show-Me 100 weekend
By Billy Rock (Wheatland, MO) -- The 29th Annual running of the Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com roars back to life this weekend at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. The After two consecutive years in which unthinkable obstacles either cancelled or altered the running of the crown jewel event, things will look to get back to normal this weekend with a return to a traditional three-day format.
The stars of the Lucas Oil MLRA series will again go toe-to-toe with their national counterparts from the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) in the co-sanctioned event. MLRA standout Payton Looney from Republic, Missouri, shocked the late model world one year ago by winning the Show-Me 100 in a modified single day format.
PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Ruefer
Lucas Oil MLRA point leader Tony Jackson, Jr. enters the weekend riding high, having already notched his first MLRA win of the season while recording three podium finishes in the series first six events. After finishing a disappointing 26th in the Show-Me a year ago, he is ready to erase those memories and write a better ending to this year’s chapter.
“Last year I felt like we were prepared, so we went and ran at a race track the night before and had a rear end go out during practice,” explained Jackson. “We kind of felt like that was maybe a good thing that it went out the night before the Show-Me and that we lucked out. Then we ended up blowing up the next night in hot laps, so it was kind of a disaster the whole time.”
As the MLRA point leader, Jackson will have a guaranteed spot in Saturday night’s big show, which he acknowledges can help set aside some of the stress during the week. “When your locked in and have a provisional, you seem to race up to that point way better because you know that no matter what your in there. It seems like when you’re not worried you always run considerably better getting to that point. We have had lots of good luck at Wheatland, we just need everything to fall our way once and to put ourselves into position. We have before, we just didn’t capitalize on the moments when we needed to, so we are looking forward to that opportunity again.”
Drivers will battle it out in complete $6,000 to win qualifying shows on Thursday night May 27th and Friday May 28th, accumulating points each night to set the starting line-up for Saturday nights $30,000 to win Show-Me 100. Both nights of qualifying action will pay tribute to influential people that have laid the ground work for the MLRA series along with the Show-Me 100.
The 8th Annual “Cowboy Classic” takes center stage on Thursday night as a tribute to longtime MLRA owner and promotor, Allen “Cowboy” Chancellor. Scott Bloomquist has twice claimed victory in the 45 lap tribute event, winning the inaugural event in 2014 along with the most recent back in 2018.
Friday nights action continues with the running of the “Tribute to Don & Billee Gibson”. The Gibson’s were long time owners of West Plains Motor Speedway, the original home of the Show Me 100 held at the former West Plains, Missouri facility. With $6,000 on the line and $600 to start, Friday night will serve as the final chance for drivers to lock into Saturday’s finale without having to race in via a last chance event.
Jackson is a multi-time MLRA winner at the “Diamond of Dirt Tracks” in Wheatland, his most recent coming in the 2019 season finale. "I know you want to win every race but the Show-Me has always been big for me,” proclaimed the driver from nearby Lebanon, MO. “The qualifying nights-- no doubt that would be huge to win being a co-sanctioned Lucas (LOLMDS) race, but the Saturday night show is what all your focus is on. The Thursday and Friday shows you obviously want to run as good as you can and win, but you also want to learn things to that point to get yourself into a position to have a chance to win the main race.”
Saturday nights action will give drivers a couple of final chances to race their way into the Show-Me 100. Racing will begin with “B” features to fill out the field, followed by the annual non-qualifiers feature, the “Midwest Sheet Metal Show-Me Challenge” . The winner of the Show-Me Challenge will have the opportunity to walk away with a $2,500 pay day, or deny the check and start shot-gun on the field in the Show-Me 100 with the opportunity to chase the $30,000 top prize.
Lucas Oil Speedway: Wheatland, MO (“Cowboy Classic”) -- Thursday 5/27/21
Gates: 4:00 PM
Racing: Hot Laps - 6:30 PM, Racing - 7:05 PM
Admission: Adults(16+) $25, Seniors (62+)/Military $22, Youth (6-15) $10, Kids (5 & Under) FREE, Family Pass $60, Three Day Reserved $100, Pit Pass $35
Support Classes: USRA Modifieds $750 to Win
Website: www.LucasOilSpeedway.com
Lucas Oil Speedway: (“Tribute to Don & Billee Gibson”) -- Friday 5/28/21
Gates: 4:00 PM
Racing: Hot Laps - 6:30 PM, Racing - 7:05 PM
Admission: Adults(16+) $25, Seniors (62+)/Military $22, Youth (6-15) $10, Kids (5 & Under) FREE, Family Pass $60, Pit Pass $35
Support Classes: USRA Modifieds $750 to Win
Lucas Oil Speedway: (29th Annual “Show-Me 100”) -- Saturday 5/29/21
Gates: 3:00 PM
Racing: Hot Laps - 5:30 PM, Racing - 6:15 PM
Admission: Adults(16+) $35, Seniors (62+)/Military $32, Youth (6-15) $10, Kids (5 & Under) FREE, Family Pass $80, Pit Pass $40
Support Classes: USRA Modifieds $1,500 to Win
For all of the latest news and information fans are encouraged to visit the series website:
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
