1/26/2023
Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway Preseason Spotlight: After narrow miss, Rob White sets sights on track championship
WHEATLAND, MO. (Jan. 26, 2023) - The cliche answers for most drivers when asked about upcoming season goals are to “just go out and try to win races and let the points take care of themselves" or something to that effect.
Rob White is an exception. The veteran driver from Lebanon is specific about his mission in the O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Car division at Lucas Oil Speedway.
“I want to win the Lucas championship and that’s what I’m gonna focus on this year,” White said.
Why is that so important?
“It’s the Diamond of Dirt Tracks," White said. "I really want to win the championship there.”
White is hopeful the old adage “the third time is the charm” applies. He’s finished runner-up in the chase for the track championship each of the last two seasons, including a narrow eight-point deficit in 2022. At least it stayed in the family, however, as his son Bryan White won the title last season.
Bragging rights also went to the younger White. As they did at Dallas County Speedway where Rob White finished four points behind William Garner in the points battle. He referred to Garner as “like another son” who has gone to the races with the Whites since he was a youngster.
Rob White said he joked with both Bryan and William before the final points races of last season about a possible “arrangement.”
“I told ‘em if they’d let me win those points championships that I’d go retire and they could go have fun. They wouldn’t do it,” Rob White said with a laugh.
So his quest in the highly competitive and rapidly growing division will resume in mid-March when the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series kicks off at Lucas Oil Speedway.
Rob White, who’s raced on and off for three decades in various dirt-track divisions, said the USRA Stock Car class is the most fun he’s ever had.
“It’s real competitive. Everybody gives everybody room and respect,” he said. “That means a lot. It’s hard to get away from anybody at all. It makes it exciting.”
It also makes it a bit stressful when racing against his son. The final night of last season was a prime example as Rob needed to finish three spots in front of Bryan to overtake him for the points title. While Rob finished a strong second, Bryan came home in third.
“I was keeping an eye on that scoreboard,” Rob White said. “I seen when he got to third, that it was over then. Racing with him is stressful. You pay attention to where he’s at and quit paying attention to what you’re doing. Then the competitive side kicks in and you start racing.”
Rob said he’s proud of Bryan, along with son Jakob White, who won two features in the Pure Stock division last season at Dallas County.
“I don’t think you can get much more of a proud dad than I am,” he said. “Both my boys, they’ve both had real good success.”
As for how he hopes to wrest away the Lucas Oil Speedway championship this season, Rob White said it’s all about consistency.
“The third time’s the charm, I hope,” he said. “It’s just consistency. You’ve got to be good in your heat races so it gets you lined up good in your features.”
Rob White said his sponsor list includes Norris Logging, Bowman Bail Bonds, Price Enterprise, The Butcher Shop of Camdenton, Garner and Smith Insurance, The Burger Basket and Mid-State Machine.
Season openers: Lucas Oil Speedway's schedule begins with an open Test and Tune set for March 18 followed by the Big Adventure Weekly Racing Series Weekly Opener on March 25. Classes in action include the Hermitage Lumber Late Models, Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars, and the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods. The Hermitage Lumber Late Models will be running a special 25-lap $1,000-to-win featured event.
Major event ticket reminders: Fans are reminded that reserved three-day pass renewals for the 31st annual Show-Me 100 Presented by Protecttheharvest.com, May 25-27, are now available.
Three-day pass renewals for the event are $115 and can be purchased through the Lucas Oil Speedway office by calling Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email her at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information. The renewals are available through Jan. 31. After that, the three-day reserved seats will be available for anyone to purchase. Each pass is for one reserved stadium-style seat, complete with high backs and armrests located in the top six rows of the main grandstand.
Fans also can now purchase online tickets for general admission for the Show-Me 100 and the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) race at Lucas Oil Speedway, scheduled for Aug. 17th. The SRX Thursday Night Thunder event will be the finale in the six-race series, which features some of racing's biggest names.
Show-Me 100 general admission three-day tickets through Stubwire are $100 for adults, $91 seniors/military and $30 for youth. Those can be found at https://www.stubwire.com/event/31stannuallucasoilshowme100/lucasoilspeedway/wheatland/28138/
Tickets for the SRX event will be $35 in advance and $40 at the gate (ages 16 and over). Kids (ages 6-15) will be $20 with ages 5-and-under free. Advance tickets can now be purchased via Stubwire - https://www.stubwire.com/event/srxespnthursdaynightthunder/lucasoilspeedway/wheatland/28075/
Season Passes available: Season ticket holders also can insure they have a seat for all three nights of the Show-Me 100 and the SRX event by purchasing a season pass. Those prices are:
Adults (Age 16-61) - $650 (dirt-track only), $750 (all speedway events)
Seniors (Age 62 and up) - $550 (dirt track only), $650 (all speedway events)
Contact Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email her at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.
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.
2023 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
2023 Lucas Oil Speedway Supporters Include:
AM Pyrotechnics, Arizona Sport Shirts, 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, 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, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welding, 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, Summit Racing Equipment, Sunoco Race Fuels, 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
