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Lucas Oil Speedway
WHEATLAND, Mo. (June 13) - So what is the O'Reilly Late Model Challenge? Simply put, it is nine (9) O'Reilly Auto Parts sponsored late model sanctioning bodies coming together for the very first time to crown the O'Reilly Late Model King. And what better place to crown one, then the Diamond of Dirt Tracks, the Lucas Oil Speedway.
This event has much more on the line then simply $10,000 to win; there is a lot of pride on the line as well.
"These guys want this 'Number One' O'Reilly Late Model distinction bad," said Kevin Greven, General Track Manager. "Basically being in O'Reilly Auto Part's backyard, they all want to represent their respective sponsorships, they are all bringing their "A" game next weekend."
The top drivers from the MLRA, MARS, TORA, SUPR, BOB, MSRA, SAS, SASE and NCRA are all expected for this event. When you list the contenders like that, it looks like alphabet soup but there is a lot history behind the letters.
The SAS or O'Reilly Southern All Star Racing Series is the longest continually running dirt late model sanction in the Country. Celebrating 31 years in 2008 the Alabama based series was founded by National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer B.J. Parker.
The NCRA Late Model division is competing in its 25th year from it headquarters in Wichita, KS. SUPR has been around for 18 years in the Louisiana and Texas markets but has recently expanded into Mississippi and Tennessee. The BOB or Battle of The Blue Grass Late Models has been around for 6 years haling from Kentucky. Of course most fans in the Midwest know the MLRA and MARS quite well, not to mention the TORA series who (YES) will be running with tops for the event.
The O'Reilly Late Model Challenge is scheduled to kick off next Friday June 20th with heat races to set the top end of the field for Saturday, a past Series Champions Race, and a full "A" Modified event. Then Saturday June 21st we will run the "B" Features to set the rest of the field, the 51 lap main event to crown the O'Reilly Late Model King plus another full "A" Mod special event.
Gates open at 5 p.m. on both nights with racing to start around 7. Reserved seats for Friday are $17, Saturday they are $30 and both are available only online at LucasOilSpeedway.com
General Admission for Friday: Adults $15 - Seniors/Teens/Active Military $12 - Youth 6 to 11 $5 and age 5 and under are free. General Admission for Saturday: Adults $27 - Seniors/Teens/ Active Military $20 - Youth 6 to 11 $5 and age 5 and under are free.
Don't miss the O'Reilly Late Model Challenge, Friday and Saturday June 20th and 21st at Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO.
"O'Reilly Late Model Challenge Past Champions Race"
Day one of the O'Reilly Late Model Challenge, Friday June 20th is a very special race from a very special event. Of course you already know about the historic meeting of nine O'Reilly Auto Parts sponsored late model sanctioning bodies this next weekend. You know their names, but on Friday they put their best names forward, literally in the Past Champion's Race.
The premise of the race is to showcase the best of the best for the fans. The O'Reilly MLRA, MARS, SAS, SASE, NCRA, SUPR, TORA, MSRA and BOB will choose two past champions each to represent them in the Friday only 20 lap feature.
The expected past champions list reads like a whose who of late model racing including: Terry Phillips, Kelly Boen, Kyle Berck, Delbert Smith, Joey Mack, Ivedent Lloyd, Allen Vaughn, Al Purkey and more. When you do the math, it's nearly 100 years worth of racing champions between the nine series.
"It's going to be interesting, who gets who, to represent them," said Kevin Greven, General Track Manager. "So many of these great racers have won the championship in multiple series, it will be worth the price of admission just to see who races for whom."
See for yourself, Friday June 20th as we kick off the two-day inaugural O'Reilly Late Model Challenge at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks. For more information on the Friday or Saturday June 21st event or to reserve your seats online, go to LucasOilSpeedway.com.
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