1/13/2021
Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway Preseason Spotlight: Bolivar's Dietrich pumped for USRA Stock Car competition
WHEATLAND, MO. (Jan. 13, 2021) - Lucas Oil Speedway debuts a new division in the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series this season, so there will be newcomers to the scene as the O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars take to the track.
Lyle Dietrich of Bolivar is among those planning to compete in the full-bodied class. Dietrich, 33, is not exactly new to Lucas Oil Speedway, though it’s been a while since he ran there. Over the last 17 years, Dietrich said he’s “raced a little bit of everything” at multiple Ozarks-area tracks.
“I started at 16 in Pure Stocks and ran those a couple of years, then ran B-Mods for a few years,” he said. “I’ve been in and out of racing the last 15 years or so. I ran A-Mods at Lucas for a couple of years and we were second in points in 2011. But I traveled a lot doing welding work and got rid the A-Mod.
“I even ran a Midget for about a year. Then, two years ago Dallas County Speedway was going full swing again so I got my old stock car back together and ran it as a Bomber. Then when they went to (USRA) Stock Cars, we ran that division.
“I still had my old stock car from high school. I did some changing on it and a few adjustments to meet the guidelines.”
Dietrich joked that he originally “dug the car out of the weeds” at his neighbor’s house and paid about $50 for it.
“It’s had a face-lift two or three times, but it’s still keeping up,” Dietrich said.
Dietrich won two features at Dallas County Speedway last season and wound up fifth in points.
“We won two times over there and had some decent luck,” he said. “There were some nights that didn’t go our way, but we were tweaking some things because it was a new class and just trying some things to get it figured out.”
He’s looking forward to being part of the class at Lucas Oil Speedway, where he thinks it will be well-received by drivers and fans.
“I think it’s a good, competitive class. I think it’s going to grow and be pretty popular,” Dietrich said, adding that he had watched the USRA Stock Cars in Iowa a few times and was impressed by the close competition.
“There may be a few guys out there who have a little bit of an edge, but it just seemed like a super-racy class,” he said.
Returning to Lucas Oil Speedway is a bonus for Dietrich, who said he’s been working on a new motor for the bigger oval.
“I’m excited. I always enjoyed running over there when we were in the A Mod,” Dietrich said. “It’s the big stage. Everybody wants to go there and I’m really looking forward to it.”
The 2021 Lucas Oil Speedway season is set to begin March 27 with an Open Test & Tune. The Big Adventure Weekly Racing Series opener is set for April 3 with the ULMA Late Models in the spotlight with a $1,000-to-win main event.
The Weekly Racing Series includes 14 events, from opening night through the Rempfer Memorial Season Championship on Aug. 28 crowns division champions. Competing classes include Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, Missouri Metal Buildings ULMA Late Models, Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods and O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars.
For ticket information for any event during the 2021 Lucas Oil Speedway season, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at Nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com.
CONTACT:
Danny Lorton
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Office: (417) 282-5984
DLorton@lucasoilspeedway.com
Article Credit: By Lyndal Scranton, Lucas Oil Speedway
