7/19/2022
Lucas Oil Speedway
Midwest Mods driver Ferrara ready to experience new Field of Dreams at Lucas Oil Speedway's Midweek Madness
WHEATLAND, MO. (July 19, 2022) - Once a professional baseball prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals’ farm system, Anthony Ferrara got to pitch at one of the Ozarks’ top sports venues at Hammons Field as a member of the Springfield Cardinals.
On Wednesday night, Ferrara will compete on a different kind of field of dreams.
Ferrara, a baseball player-turned dirt-track racer, will bring his Midwest Mod to Lucas Oil Speedway’s Wednesday Night Midweek Madness. He can barely contain his excitement.
“That place is unreal,” Ferrara said. “It’s like playing in Busch Stadium.”
Midweek Madness will feature divisions that don’t normally race at Lucas Oil Speedway to the dirt oval. Joining the Midwest Mods will be Legends, Pure Stocks and USRA Tuners. All four classes will run $300-to-win main events.
Ferrara pitched seven seasons in the Cardinals organization, including parts of three for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals. He retired in 2015, just a couple of steps short of reaching the big leagues, but wound up getting married and making Springfield his home. In 2020, he bought his first race car.
A racing enthusiast as a kid, Ferrara and his family spent many Saturday nights at the legendary East Bay Raceway near Tampa, Florida, with Anthony sometimes going straight to the speedway in his baseball uniform after games. He raced a go-kart for several years, but when he got serious about baseball as a high schooler, racing went on the backburner.
But Ferrara’s love for motorsports never waned. When he left pro baseball, racing seemed a natural fit to fuel his competitive spirit. The path to the cockpit opened when Ferrara was giving pitching lessons a few years ago to the son of Dustin Mooneyham, a long-time local racer. Mooneyham encouraged Ferrera to “get a car, man. Just do it.”
“I was like, I don’t know anything about these things, but if you help me I’ll get into it,” Ferrara said. “Dustin talked me into it and now I’m hooked. I wish I could do it every day.”
Ferrara was coaching youth travel baseball in 2020 and 2021 and only raced from late summer into the fall. The 2022 season is his first as a weekly racer and he’s picked up two Midwest Mod feature wins at Springfield Raceway.
“I’ve done pretty well,” he said. “We won last year’s Turkey Bowl at Springfield. That was maybe not a shock, but I wasn’t expecting it. I’ve done OK. We’ve run second the last two weeks and won the week before.”
Ferrara credits area drivers like Mooneyham, Scott Campbell, Will Vaught and Mike Striegel for giving him the necessary knowledge on prepping the car. He genuinely feels a part of the Ozarks racing family with all the friends he's made.
“The racing community is really unique,” Ferrara said. “I’ve learned that everybody is helpful. Everybody talks and helps each other out.”
Ferrara has been to Lucas Oil Speedway as a spectator, first when Midwest Mods ran as a guest class two years ago and also to view a preliminary night of this year’s Show-Me 100. Driving at the speedway is something he’s eagerly awaited for a long while.
“I don’t know of how many dirt tracks that have jumbo trons,” he said. “The facilities are so nice. Something so simple that people might not understand, like the concrete pits, I’m so excited for that. I won’t have to be rolling around in mud trying to change and make adjustments.
“My wife, whole family is going to come. We’re pumped for it.”
He’s not sure how his car or his driving skills will translate to a track he's never driven on. Setting up the car will be like putting together an unfamiliar puzzle.
“It looks bigger from when I went and watched as a spectator,” he said in comparing Lucas Oil Speedway to Springfield Raceway. “I don’t know what the gearing is going to be like. I’ve been trying to get some feedback. I’ve asked about everybody I could. Springfield looks more banked.
“I’m just going to show up and hope I’m close.”
Gates open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and opening ceremonies at 7.
Wednesday admission prices:
Advance Discount Tickets online only (16 and up) - $12
Adults (16 and up) - $15
Seniors/Military (62 and up) - $12
Youth (6-15) - $5
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass $35 (Two adults and up to three youth)
Pit Pass - $30
Racing fans have plenty to choose from this week at Lucas Oil Speedway this week, beginning with a special Wednesday Midweek Madness program.
On Saturday during the day, UTV Short Course racers tackle the off road track. Race classes will include Pro N/A, Pro, Youth 1000, Youth 570, Youth 170 Mod, Youth 170 Stock, Sportsman, Women’s and Mini Stock Truck. Spectator gates open at 9 a.m. with practice at 10 and heat races at noon. Awards are scheduled to be concluded before 5 p.m.
Spectators purchasing Off Road tickets will get free admission to the dirt-track racing that evening.
Drivers can check out the rules & registration forms on the Driver Dashboard portion of the Lucas Oil Speedway website.
Off Road admission:
Adults GA/Pit Pass combo (16 and up) - $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military GA/Pit Pass Combo (62 and up) - $22
Youth GA/Pit Pass Combo (age 6 to 15) - $10
Kids GA/Pit Pass Combo (age 5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass GA/Pit Pass Combo - $60 (Includes admission for 2 adults and up to 3 kids ages 6-15)
Racer Pit Pass - $30
Saturday night, it's Ozarks Food Harvest Food Drive Night Presented by KY3 as the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series resumes. Fans attend free by bringing four non-perishable food items to the main admission gate or also get in free with an Off Road admission ticket.
Food items can be dropped off after gates open at 4 p.m. Hot laps begin at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.
Ozarks Food Harvest and Lucas Oil Speedway had its first Food Drive Night at the Races in 2008. The partnership has been annual event since 2011 with a total of more than 71,400 pounds of food donated overall. Last year’s food drive at the speedway saw attendees donate more than 7,000 pounds of food.
These donations will support The Food Bank and Hickory County C.A.R.E.S.
For more information about the Ozarks Food Harvest visit OzarksFoodHarvest.org.
The O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars will be featured in a special 25-lap, $750-to-win main event. Gates open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.
Dirt track admission:
(FREE with 4 non-perishable food items, per person; FREE with Off Road ticket)
Advance discount tickets online only (16 and up) - $12
Adults (16 and up) - $15
Seniors/Military (62 and up) - $12
Youth (6-15) - $5
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $35 (includes admission for 2 adults and up to 3 youth ages 6-15)
Pit Pass - $30
To purchase tickets for any event on Lucas Oil Speedway's schedule, or to inquire about camping information, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 295-6043 or via email at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com.
CONTACT:
Danny Lorton
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Office: (417) 282-5984
DLorton@lucasoilspeedway.com
Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived race recaps, previews and driver features, along with ticket information and schedules can be found by visiting 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 LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984. The Lucas Oil Speedway EZ Texting number is (417) 804-4141.
In addition, fans can get social with Lucas Oil Speedway by following @LucasSpeedway on Twitter, clicking "Like" at www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway
About Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway is considered by fans, drivers and industry insiders to be one of the top five racing facilities in the nation. Located in Wheatland, Missouri, approximately an hour from Springfield, Missouri, and just an hour and a half from the Kansas City metro area, the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" lives up to its title.
Twenty-One VIP Luxury Suites, HD Jumbo-Tron Screen, Stadium Style Musco Sports Lighting, a Bose Sound System, Go-Kart Slick Track, The Diamond Bar, Track Treasures Gift Shop, the best track food in the country and paved pits are a few of the spectacular amenities setting the Diamond of Dirt apart. This year marks the 12th season for the Liquid Quarter Mile Drag Racing Lake, "Lake Lucas." New for 2017 was all-purpose built Off Road facility featuring a host of regional events.
Lucas Oil Speedway's dirt oval track plays host to some of the largest and most-popular events in the Midwest with national and regional touring series appearing frequently including: The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, POWRi Midget National Series, Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League, United States Modified Touring Series, ASCS Sprint Cars and the Lucas Oil MLRA.
In addition to the special events, the Lucas Oil Speedway Weekly Racing Series features the Late Models, USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods.
2022 Official Lucas Oil Speedway Marketing Partners
Arizona Sport Shirts
"The Official Merchandise Provider" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick
"The Official Truck" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Dixie Chopper
"The Official Mowers of Lucas Oil Speedway"
General Tire
"The Official Tire" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Products
"The Official Oil" of Lucas Oil Speedway
MAVTV
"The Official Television Network" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Optima Batteries
"The Official Battery" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper
"The Official Soft Drink" of Lucas Oil Speedway
RacingJunk.com
"The Official Classifieds" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Rugged Radios
"The Official 2-Way Communications Provider" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Sunoco Race Fuels
"The Official Fuel" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Super Clean
"The Official Sponsor" of Lucas Oil Speedway
2022 Lucas Oil Speedway Supporters Include:
AM Pyrotechnics, Arizona Sport Shirts, Ash Grove Aggregates, Berry Tractor and Equipment Co., Big Adventure RV, Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick, Bolivar Auto Sales & Detailing, Bolivar Farmers Exchange-MFA, Boone's BBQ Barn, Boubin Tire/American Racer, Branstetter & Lightfoot LLC, Bridal Cave, BWI Sanitation, Camden on the Lake Resort, Candlelight Creations-Dick's Wild Root Horseradish, Casey's, Cedar Creek Beef Jerky, Citizens Memorial Healthcare, City Magnet, Clearlight Inn, Comfort Inn-Bolivar,DirtonDirt.com, Dixie Chopper, eBay Motors, Eibach Springs, Evans Pipe & Steel Co., Farmers Insurance Agent Kristy Reynolds, Fast Shafts by Axle Exchange, Foley Equipment-Cat Rental Store, Frog Signs, Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare, Hermitage Lumber, HICKAMO Country Store, Highway 54 RV Park, Hobbytime Motorsports, Hoosier Race Tires, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps, In the Garden of Eden, Kettle Treats, Keyser Manufacturing, Kluhsman Racing Components, Kona Ice, Lucas Cattle Company, Margaritaville Lake Resort, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welding, Missouri Department of Tourism, Missouri Division of Tourism, MyRacePass, Nutrien Ag Solutions, OakStar Bank, O'Bannon Bank, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Ozark Golf Cars, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper, Ozarks Community Health Center, PEM, Pitts Homes, Pitts Realty, Pitts Cattle, ProThings Apparel, RACEceiver, Racinboys.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, Rains Ice Company, Real Racing Wheels, Rod End Supply, Ron Jenkins Accounting & Tax Service, Rugged Radios, Ryan E. Murphy Law Firm LLC, SBU Athletics, Safety Kleen, Scott Furniture, Simpson Racing Products, Southwest Electric Cooperative, Stillwater Resort, Sunoco Race Fuels, Sunflower Resort, TA/PETRO, US Army Corps of Engineers-Pomme de Terre, Vietti Marketing Group, Wheatland Motel, White's Marine Center, Wild Animal Safari, Woods Supermarkets, Wrisco Industries.
Article Credit: By Lyndal Scranton, Lucas Oil Speedway
