Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: Schweizer finds victory lane and good fit in USRA Stock Car division
WHEATLAND, MO. — In one of the most-competitive and entertaining races of the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series, Rodney Schweizer emerged from a multi-car battle for much of the 25-lap feature. It was his first O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars win at Lucas Oil Speedway.
The triumph, while the first for Schweizer at Lucas Oil Speedway, continued Schweizer's strong showing since joining the USRA Stock Car ranks over the last two seasons.
“When you can win at Lucas against them boys down there, it’s always something,” Schweizer said, reflecting back on Saturday’s victory. He outlasted Mason Beck over the last 13 laps over the final few laps. Through the first half of the race, cars were dueling three and sometimes four-wide up front.
“It was definitely intense,” Schweizer said of the feature action. “It helps when you have a lot of good guys you race around and don’t have to worry about them beating and banging on you.”
The 14-year racing veteran from Kansas City, Kansas - who moved into USRA Stock Cars in 2022 after several years in the Modified ranks - has six wins this season at five different tracks.
Along with seven feature wins last season, it seemed only a matter of time until the 39-year-old Schweizer broke through at Wheatland.
“We always show up with the intent to win,” Schweizer said. It takes a good draw and a good heat race. We haven’t been having good draws and good heat-race runs lately. Luck was just finally on our side.”
Schweizer looks to continue the winning on Saturday for Rempfer Memorial Season Championship Night Presented by Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick and KCTV 5 Kansas City. While Beck has all but sewed up the season championship in the Stock Car division, Schweizer will be one to watch this week and later this fall when the USRA Nationals return to Lucas Oil Speedway.
“We’re just concentrating on winning races,” Schweizer said of remaining goals this season.
Schweizer, who grew up a racing enthusiast as his family attended the action at Lakeside Speedway, made the move to Stock Cars before the 2022 season after a successful career in Modifieds and B-Mods. He electing to sell his Modified equipment after getting an offer to drive for car owner Dave Holcomb.
“He owns these cars and he came to me and wanted me to drive his cars. We wound up, I sold my stuff and driving his cars now,” he said. “Last year was our rookie year and we put up seven wins. It was a learning curve, but nothing too difficult.”
Along with Holcomb, Schweizer gets crew help on the car from Patty and Chris Clark, and James Freeman. Team sponsors include Rich’s Custom Engines, Schelert House of Antiques, FiveFour Motorsports and KGN Graphics.
While three of the four divisions have clear-cut championship leaders, the battle for the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod race is coming down to the wire. Bobby Williams of Hermitage has used consistency throughout the season with eight top-five finishes and will take a 14-point lead over JC Morton into the final night.
In the other divisions, Beck is on the verge of clinching the O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars championship with an 89-points lead over William Garner. The other two track championships are locked up with Ryan Middaugh of Fulton a 195-point leader over Jason Pursley in the Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds and Aurora's Justin Wells 140.5 in front of Larry Ferris atop the Hermitage Lumber Late Models.
The championship-night program is named to honor Harold "Rowdy" Rempfer and his wife, Julia, who were killed in an automobile accident five years ago. Rowdy was the mayor of Wheatland and he and Julia both worked at Lucas Oil Speedway for many years.
Pit Gates open at 4 p.m. with grandstands at 5, hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.
Saturday admission:
Advance Discount Tickets online only (16 and up) - $12
Adults (16 and up) - $15
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $12
Youth (6-15) - $5
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $35
Pit Pass - $35
Kids' Power Wheel finale: An added attraction during intermission will be the final round of Kids' Power Wheel races of the season. For ages 3-through-9, the races will be on the front straightaway with the youngsters navigating a course outlined by orange cones.
The kids can enter their own battery-powered Power Wheel cars by signing up for
the Frogs Jr. Fan Club on the south end of the Midway prior to the races. One Kids Power Wheel class will be the 6-12 volt cars and another will be for the
24-36 volt class. No power or speed enhancement modifications will be allowed.
The youngsters can bring their Power Wheels to the Frogs Jr Fan Club sign-in, or
drop them off at the pit gate and the Power Wheels will be brought to the front
stretch at intermission.
For information on any event at Lucas Oil Speedway in 2023 contact admissions director 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
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
Summit Racing Equipment
"The Official Sponsor" 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, Alliance Sport Marketing, Arctic Food Equipment, 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, Dirt Track Specialist, Dixie Chopper, Eagle Vision Paving LLC, 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, Hobbytime Motorsports, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps, In the Garden of Eden, KC Bobcat, Kettle Treats, Keyser Manufacturing, Kluhsman Racing Components, Kona Ice, Lucas Cattle Company, MD3, 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, Pomme de Terre Resort, ProThings Apparel, RACEceiver, Racinboys.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, Rains Ice Company, Real Racing Wheels, Reed Environmental, River's End Motel & RV Park, Rod End Supply, Ron Jenkins Accounting & Tax Service, Rugged Radios, Ryan E. Murphy Law Firm LLC, SBU Athletics, Safety Kleen, Scott Furniture, Sidetrack RV Park, Simpson Racing Products, SMC, Southwest Electric Cooperative, State Tech, Stillwater Resort, Summit Racing Equipment, Sunoco Race Fuels, US Army Corps of Engineers-Pomme de Terre, Vietti Marketing Group, Wasoba Seed & Trucking, Wheatland Motel, White's Marine Center, Wieland, Wild Animal Safari, Woods Supermarkets.
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