2/7/2018
RacinBoys
Friebe, Riggs join beefed-up Lucas Oil Speedway announcing team
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- As Lucas Oil Speedway continues to grow it's national racing television profile, it's stable of talented announcers also is expanding.
Veteran Ozarks-area radio and television announcers Corey Riggs and Shane Friebe will be joining Lucas Oil Speedway as play-by-play voices for the 2018 season.
"We're pleased to add two talented announcers in Corey and Shane, who not only are well-respected in the broadcasting community but also have a love for dirt-track racing," Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Dan Robinson said. "I'm thrilled that they have agreed to join our team and I'm confident that our fans will enjoy their work."
Riggs and Friebe will join long-time Lucas Oil Speedway voices Kevin Fletcher and Doug Neff as the television schedule on MAVTV and LucasOilRacingtv.com keeps growing. Several times during the season, the weekly classes of the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series will be spotlighted on "Lucas Oil Speedway Saturday Nights" while running in support of major shows.
In addition, full Weekly Racing Series programs on June 9 and June 23 are on the television production. Additional weekly races may be added to the production schedule during the season.
Robinson said that with Riggs and Friebe handling the majority of the play-by-play duties, Fletcher and Neff will be freed up to focus on public address duties before and between races. They will also continue to handle play-by-play on select events.
Riggs is a graduate of Webb City High School and Missouri State University. He's been Senior Production Manager at Mediacom in Springfield since 2004 and has produced more than 1,000 different shows and events, while also serving as a play-by-play or color analyst on Mediacom sports since 1999.
In recent years, Riggs has been on Fox Sports Midwest with MSHSAA football and basketball state championship broadcasts and on ESPN3 coverage of Missouri State football, basketball, baseball and softball.
"I am a lifelong racing fan, growing up going to NASCAR races at Texas and Kansas, NHRA drags in Topeka and the Chili Bowl in Tulsa," Riggs said. "I could not be more excited for this opportunity. April can't get here fast enough for me."
The name Friebe is familiar to long-time Ozarks racing fans. Shane Friebe's dad, Lester Friebe, won dozens of championships during his racing career and he is a member of the Ozarks Area Racers Foundation Hall of Fame and Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame.
Shane Friebe is sports director at The Courts in Springfield and he's also an NCAA Division I and D-II college baseball umpire, twice serving on the crew for the D-II national championship. The Lebanon High School and Missouri State University graduate has been in sports broadcasting since 1994. Included was a stint as public address announcer at Lebanon I-44 Speedway and Bolivar Speedway from 1997-99.
"I'm excited to be back at the track on a Saturday night," Friebe said. "After being raised on racing, it's something I've missed for the last few years and I'm looking forward to the opportunity Lucas Oil Speedway is giving us."
Riggs and Friebe have shared host duties on the Missouri State radio network football and basketball network studio shows the last four years, with Missouri State Sports Properties and Learfield.
The Lucas Oil Speedway 2018 season begins April 7 with the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series opener. An open test and tune is scheduled for March 31.
For ticket information, including season passes for all events, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984.
Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket information and tentative 2018 schedule can be found by visiting http://www.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 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
