2/22/2017
RacinBoys
Dan Robinson of Lucas Oil Speedway: Promoter of the Year
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- Dan Robinson, General Manager of Lucas Oil Speedway, received one of racing's most-prestigious awards for management on Monday.
"It's one of those days that I'll never forget," Robinson said after receiving the 41st Auto Racing Promoter of the Year Award, sponsored by Racing Promotion Monthly and Charlotte Motor Speedway, in ceremonies at the Hilton Daytona Beach.
"Never in my wildest dreams could I have predicted or imagined standing in a room full of the greatest racing promoters of all time and being honored at this year's Auto Racing Promoter of the Year," Robinson said. "I am so incredibly honored and humbled.
"Thank you to everyone that had a hand in supporting me through the years. Nothing happens without great teamwork and I am blessed to have the best - both supporting me at the corporate level and working side-by-side with me day in and day out at Lucas Oil Speedway. I'm truly blessed."
Robinson was hired at Lucas Oil Speedway in 2007 and was named General Manager in 2009. The Wisconsin native - who's also Series Director for the Lucas Oil MLRA - was named 2015 "Innovator of the Year" at the Race Track Business Conference in Indianapolis and has been a finalist for the RPM Promoter of the Year four times.
The 2016 was a stellar season for the Lucas complex in south-central Missouri, which includes the dirt track with the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series along with major events including the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, ASCS Sprints, USMTS Modifieds, Monster Trucks Nationals and the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League.
There's also "Lake Lucas," which plays host to the John Haas Memorial Drag Boat Classic and Diamond Drag Boat Nationals on the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series.
The complex continues to expand. Construction began in 2016 on the Off-Road Course, which will debut July 22-23 with the Inaugural Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.
"We just had such a good year top to bottom in 2016," Robinson said. "Attendance was at 107,000, topping 100,000 for the first time. We only had one rain out, great races all year and strong car counts throughout.
"Everything just clicked this past year and now with the addition of Off Road, the sky is the limit, as they say here in Wheatland."
The 2017 Lucas Oil Speedway season begins with the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series opener on April 8, followed by the 4th annual Lucas Oil MLRA Spring Nationals on April 14-15. Here is the complete schedule for 2017.
Readers of Racing Promotion Monthly, the idea newsletter for auto racing promoters, chose Robinson from among six regional nominees. Honored as Regional Auto Racing Promoters of the Year were:
Region One, Eastern Region - Josh Vanada, Thompson (Connecticut) Speedway Motorsports Park; Region Two, Southeastern Region - Tim & Pat Bryant, Five Flags (Florida) Speedway; Region Three, Central Region - Gary & Donna Howe, Kalamazoo (Michigan) Speedway; Region Four, Northern Region - Dan and Scott Ratajczak, and Toby Kruse, 141 (Wisconsin) Speedway; Region Five, Great Plains Region - Dan Robinson, Lucas Oil Speedway; Region Six, Southwest and Western Region - Doug & Traci Hobbs, Evergreen (Washington) Speedway.
Vanada received his first nomination, the Ratajczaks and Kruse, their second, Robinson, his fourth, and the Hobbs, their third. Kruse was earlier nominated for his operation at Marshalltown (Iowa) Speedway.
Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park's World Series of Speedway Racing, which this season celebrates 55 years, received the Racing Promotion Monthly Award for Outstanding Annual Short Track Event.
The Workshops and Racing Promotion Monthly, the idea newsletter for auto racing promoters, are produced with the year-round support of K&K Insurance Group; Inc. and Hoosier Racing Tire. The 44th Workshops Series was produced with additional sponsorship support from: INEX, Chevrolet Performance, Lucas Oil Products, Moffett Productions, Simes Graphic Designs, RACEceiver, Advertising Edge, Sunoco Race Fuels, Firethorn Marketing, IMCA, MyRacePass, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and FuelTix.
For complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket info and schedule information for the season, visit lucasoilspeedway.com. Three-day passes for the 25th annual Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtecttheHarvest.com are now on sale.
Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With it's 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 http://www.LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984.
In addition, fans can get social with Lucas Oil Speedway by following @LucasSpeedway on Twitter, clicking "Like" at http://www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on http://www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
