November 24, 2024 | By Lyndal Scranton

Earl Pearson Jr. named Forrest Lucas Award winner, Garner Most Popular Driver at Lucas Oil Speedway Awards banquet

WHEATLAND, Mo. — Lucas Oil Speedway honored its four track champions from the 2024 season and revealed several individual awards on Saturday night at the speedway’s annual championship banquet at Resort at Lake of the Ozarks.

Earl Pearson Jr., one of the legends of Dirt Late Model racing, was unveiled as winner of the top honor, the Forrest Lucas Lifetime Achievement Award, to conclude the festivities. The award is selected by Lucas Oil Speedway track management and goes to an individual who epitomizes excellence, character, loyalty and friendship to the sport of racing on and off the track.

Pearson, an annual competitor at Lucas Oil Speedway as part of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series since the track opened in 2006, began his racing career in his hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., inspired by family and friends already involved in the sport. Initially racing go-karts, he honed his skills and moved up to late model dirt racing in 1995, carrying his father’s number 46. winning his first Hav-A-Tampa Series National event in 1996 and Rookie of the year honors in 1997.

His early success and natural talent caught the attention of teams and sponsors. He was hired by Dunn-Benson Motorsports in 2000 to drive their dirt late model, a team sponsored by Lucas Oil Products, initially connecting Earl and Forrest Lucas. Lucas’ support was essential for Pearson's career, as the sponsorship allowed him to race consistently and reach new heights in dirt racing, earning the Stacker 2 Xtreme DirtCar Series Championship in 2004. That consistent sponsorship carried on for over two decades, a rare achievement in a national series and giving him the title as the longest sponsored athlete by Lucas Oil Products at 25 years.

Their partnership remained significant in the formation of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, symbolizing loyalty and mutual success in the sport. Pearson was there from day one, when the series was established in 2005. It emerged as a top-tier Dirt Late Model racing series in the United States, attracting the country’s best dirt racing talent.

The first four consecutive Lucas Oil championships from 2005 to 2008 were claimed by Pearson, a feat that has cemented his legacy within the series and he is the only driver that has competed every year since its inception. He found victory lane in some of the biggest dirt late model events in the country, and ranks fourth in all-time series feature wins with 40.

In addition to drawing fans, Pearson’s success attracted sponsorships to the Lucas Oil series, which has been crucial for its growth and sustainability. His association with high-profile sponsors helped pave the way for other drivers and teams to secure their own sponsorships, allowing the series to expand its reach and offer bigger purses, which in turn attracted even more talented drivers.

“We’re proud to present the Forrest Lucas Lifetime Achievement Award to Earl for not only his on-track success as a driver, but his many contributions to the sport and the first-class manner in which he has been a leader and a friend to so many,” Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Danny Lorton said.

Pearson received the award in a special presentation earlier this week at the Lucas Cattle Ranch. During a video of his remarks about the award, played at the banquet, Pearson talked about his relationship with Forrest Lucas and others.

“There are so many people to thank who have helped me through my career with 25 years of racing," Pearson said. "Forrest Lucas and the family and the company and the race track and so many people that’s have been involved with Forrest Lucas and who have helped me so much. Danny (Lorton) at the race track and all the people there, it’s a beautiful place.

“Just to be a part of so many different things Lucas Oil does. It’s not the racing, it’s the hunting. They’re family people. Me and Forrect talk all the time, even today. When he talks I just sit there and listen and learn a lot of things - whether it’s business, cattle or whatever it may be.

“There are so many people who have helped me get to this point. It ain't all the time about racing and what you do, you have to have people who are friends, just like Chris Davis, Midwest Sheet Metal ... and multiple sponsors."

Another high of the evening was announcement of the fan-voted Most Popular Driver winner. This year that went to William Garner of Lebanon, who also was recognized for his track championship in the O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars division.

“I've gotta thank everybody who voted for me on this," Garner said. "Every single one of these drivers, they're all really good people. There's no better people in the world than the racing community."

Other track champions who were honored were Justin Wells of Aurora in the Hermitage Lumber Late Models, Springfield’s JC Morton in the Clear Creek Golf Cars USRA B-Mods and Jason Pursley in the Arctic Food Equipment USRA Modifieds.

The Best Appearing Race Car Awards in each division, as selected by the Lucas Oil Speedway staff and GS Stanek Racing Photography, went to: Alan Westling (Hermitage Lumber Late Models), Mason Beck (O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars), J.T. Carroll (Clear Creek Golf Cars USRA B-Mods) and Robbie Reed (Arctic Food Equipment USRA Modifieds).

The 2025 season is scheduled to fire up March 22nd with March Full Body Madness after Open Test & Tune on March 15th.

Weekly racing in the Pitts Homes and Realty Weekly Racing Series will feature five divisions - Hermitage Lumber Late Models, Arctic Food Equipment USRA Modifieds, O'Reilly Auto Parts Super Stocks, Clear Creek Golf Cars USRA B Mods and Hickamo Country Store Stock Cars.

Contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 295-6043 or email her at nmcmillan@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information on any 2025 event or to purchase gift cards that be used in any department at the speedway.