12/22/2023
Lucas Oil MLRA
2024 LUCAS OIL MLRA SCHEDULE: ADDED EVENTS & BIGGER MONEY AWAITS
Wheatland, Missouri (December 22, 2023) – The Lucas Oil Midwest Late Model Racing Association (MLRA) is set to embark on their 36th consecutive season of action in 2024, and today released an exciting 25 race schedule of events.
The upcoming slate of events is a mix of old and new, which includes tour stops stretching across four Midwestern states. A total of 11 venues will host MLRA events, with two of those being first time tracks for the series.
BREAKING IT DOWN:
April is loaded with action, which will play a critical early season role in determining the contenders for the series championship. The Gundaker family’s Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, IL will bookend the 2024 MLRA season, as they play host to the season opening “Winter Meltdown” for the first time on April 4th and 5th.
Big money will be on the line the following weekend April 12th & 13th, as the MLRA makes its first of five weekend stops of the year at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri. The 11th Annual Spring Nationals, presented by Arizona Sport Shirts will feature a $7,000 to win tune-up on Friday night before the big money comes out on Saturday in the form of a $20,000 to win weekend finale.
The first new venue hits the schedule on Thursday, April 18th when the series starts off a three-night swing across the Hawkeye state with a visit to the ¼ mile Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, IA for a $5,000 to win event.
Teams will then head south for one of the most popular event weekends of the year hosted by the 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA. Friday night April 19th will feature the $5,000 to win Prelude to the Slocum, leading up to Saturday night’s $10,555 to win “Slocum 50”, presented by the Brent Slocum Foundation as they honor the life of late model racer and friend Brent Slocum.
April will conclude with a two-night Show-Me-State Showdown that begins at the ¼ mile Callaway Raceway in Fulton, MO on Friday April 26th, featuring a $5k "A" Main. This 1/4 mile track located north of Jefferson City, MO will mark the second new tour stop of the season for the MLRA. On Saturday, April 27th racing will return to the 1/3-mile Lake Ozark Speedway just outside of Eldon, MO for the 4th Annual “Battle at the Beach” paying $7,000 to win.
CROWN JEWEL SHOWCASE:
May will start off with a festive Cinco de Mayo race date on May 5th at the Adams County Speedway in Quincy, IL. The former Quincy Raceways will host the MLRA for the first time since the 2019 season when Bobby Pierce captured a pair of MLRA victories.
The 32nd Annual “Show-Me 100”, May 23rd - 25th brings teams back to the Diamond of Dirt Tracks in Wheatland, MO for the second time in 2024, and just like the first visit the stakes have increased from a year ago. Thursday nights preliminary action dubbed the “Cowboy Classic”, along with Friday’s Tribute to “Don & Billie Gibson” have both jumped to $10,000 to win, setting the stage for Saturday night’s $50,000 “Show-Me 100” finale.
SUMMER STRETCH:
July’s lone summer Saturday night of action will again come via the Lucas Oil Speedway and the 18th Annual running of the $20,000 to win CMH “Diamond Nationals” on July 13th. This event along with the Show-Me 100 will both be co-sanctioned with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS).
Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, KS makes a return to the MLRA schedule on Friday, August 23rd. Chase Junghans picked up his second career MLRA win in the series last visit in 2022.
The double header weekend will conclude with a trip across Kansas City to the pristine I-70 Speedway in Odessa, MO on Saturday August 24th for a $7,000 to win MLRA event. This will be the first MLRA appearance at I-70 since Hudson O’Neal captured the win in an MLRA/LOLMDS co-sanctioned event back in 2022.
The MLRA’s Labor Day Weekend get-a-way at the Lucas Oil Speedway continues in 2024 with the 10th Annual “Ron Jenkins Memorial” on Friday and Saturday August 30th & 31st, paying $5k and $10k respectively. Saturday night will also find special bonus money on the line for the Fast Qualifier ($500) and a $1,000 bonus to the winner, making it an $11,000 victory on behalf of Mary Jenkins Holt in memory of Ron Jenkins.
Yet another $10,000 pay day awaits the winner on Sunday night September 1st, as the MLRA takes on the entertaining race day atmosphere of the 4th Annual “Weiner Nationals” at the Moberly Motorsports Park.
FALL FINALES:
A new twist to the slate comes on September 13th & 14th when the ¼ mile Davenport Speedway in Davenport, IA exchanges their normal spring date for a double header weekend. The twin inaugural "Corn State Nationals" will feature complete shows each night paying $5,000 and $10,000 respectively.
October 4th and 5th will bring the MLRA back home one final time to the Lucas Oil Speedway for the return of the 8th Annual MLRA “Fall Nationals”. This staple event returns to the schedule in 2024 with Friday night paying $5,000 to win followed by another pay jump on Saturday with $10,000 on the line.
The 36th season of the MLRA will wrap up right where it started on October 11th & 12th as the Tri-City Speedway host the MLRA “Championship Weekend”. A $5,000 to win opener on Friday will set the stage for Saturday nights finale $7,000 to win finale and crowning of the series Champion and Sunoco Rookie of the Year.
For all of the latest news and information, including the full 2024 schedule, fans are encouraged to visit the series website at www.MLRARacing.com.
2024 MLRA WINNERS CIRCLE PROGRAM
Once again in 2024 the MLRA will continue it's "Winners Circle Program" by awarding $200 in appearance money to the top (10) in points at each venue with perfect attendance, in addition to purse money earned. For full program details contact Series Director Ernie Leftwich.
Date Track Event Location Purse
5-Apr Tri-City Speedway Winter Meltdown Granite City, IL $5,000
6-Apr Tri-City Speedway Winter Meltdown Granite City, IL $7,000
12-Apr Lucas Oil Speedway 11th Annual Spring Nationals Wheatland, MO $7,000
13-Apr Lucas Oil Speedway 11th Annual Spring Nationals Wheatland, MO $20,000
18-Apr Cedar County Raceway 1st Annual Event Tipton, IA $5,000
19-Apr 34 Raceway Prelude to the Slocum W. Burlington, IA $5,000
20-Apr 34 Raceway 16th Annual "Slocum 50" W. Burlington, IA $10,555
26-Apr Callaway Raceway 1st Annual Event Fulton, MO $5,000
27-Apr Lake Ozark Speedway 4th Annual "Battle at the Beach" Eldon, MO $7,000
5-May Adams County Speedway Inaugural Event Quincy, IL $5,000
23-May Lucas Oil Speedway "Cowboy Classic" Wheatland, MO $10,000
24-May Lucas Oil Speedway The Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson Wheatland, MO $10,000
25-May Lucas Oil Speedway 32nd Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 Wheatland, MO $50,000
13-Jul Lucas Oil Speedway 18th Annual "Diamond Nationals" Wheatland, MO $20,000
23-Aug Lakeside Speedway MLRA Event Kansas City, KS $5,000
24-Aug I-70 Motorsports Park MLRA Event Odessa, MO $7,000
30-Aug Lucas Oil Speedway 10th Annual Ron Jenkins Memorial Wheatland, MO $5,000
31-Aug Lucas Oil Speedway 10th Annual Ron Jenkins Memorial Wheatland, MO $10,000
1-Sep Moberly Motorsports Park 4th Annual "Weiner Nationals" Moberly, MO $10,000
13-Sep Davenport Speedway 1st Annual "Corn State Nationals" Davenport, IA $5,000
14-Sep Davenport Speedway 1st Annual "Corn State Nationals" Davenport, IA $10,000
4-Oct Lucas Oil Speedway 8th Annuaal MLRA Fall Nationals Wheatland, MO $5,000
5-Oct Lucas Oil Speedway 8th Annual MLRA Fall Nationals Wheatland, MO $10,000
11-Oct Tri-City Speedway MLRA Championship Weekend Granite City, IL $5,000
12-Oct Tri-City Speedway MLRA Championship Weekend Granite City, IL $7,000
Article Credit: Billy Rock
Submitted By: Billy Rock
