Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: USRA B-Mod points leader Williams sets sights on finding victory lane
There’s a new name atop the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod championship standings at Lucas Oil Speedway, but you won’t find Bobby Williams talking about points chasing any time soon.
Williams, a 23-year-old from nearby Hermitage, has a focus on winning races. He’s yet to do so, using five top-five finishes in six events to build a 49-point lead in the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series.
“If we can win some races, track championships and stuff like that will come,” Williams said. “Our main focus is to just try to win every night out.”
Williams’ quest resumes on Saturday when the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods are the featured class on Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper $5 Night at the Races. The B-Mods' 25-lap feature will pay $750 to win.
Racing has been a part of Williams’ life since he began driving go-karts before moving into micro-sprints. He said a bad wreck in sprints convinced him to leave open-wheel racing behind and he’s been driving B-Mods or Modifieds for about 10 years.
This has been by far the best season. Overall, Williams has 13 top-five finishes in 16 features at six different tracks.
Williams said the key to his success has been adapting to his J2 Race Car built by Kris Jackson who, ironically, is the driver Williams is trying to dethrone as the king of B-Mods at Lucas Oil Speedway. Jackson is a seven-time track champion who’s won the last four titles.
Jackson is not running for track points in 2023, clearing the way for Williams and others to stake a claim to a championship.
“Kris and everybody over there at J2 have been helping me a lot,” Williams said. “Just the feedback they give and Kris is also helping me a whole bunch with my driving, just trying to minimize my mistakes.”
Seat time has been important and a reason Williams has been trying to race as much as possible this season.
“Usually we race on Friday and Saturday and if we can find a Sunday race somewhere, we’ll go there too,” Williams said. “We’ve been trying to go three nights a week if we can, to find me some more seat time. I’ve made lots of little mistakes this year that have cost me wins. So if I can get a little more comfortable in the car, I think I can minimize those mistakes.”
Winning a feature at Lucas Oil Speedway not only would help his season championship hopes, it would achieve a long-time dream for Williams. He’s been close, with two second-place feature finishes in 2023.
“I’ve got a Silver Driller from the Tulsa Shootout from when I was a kid and that’s a pretty big win for me,” Williams said. “But to win at Lucas, my hometown track in front of my family and friends, that would be pretty amazing.”
Williams’ sponsors include White’s Marine Center, Aaron White Racing, Miller’s Body Shop, J Williams Contracting, Bear Trailers, Campbell Buildings and Metal Sales and Don Howe Gravel and Dirt.
“I also have my niece, Blakely Williams, her name is on the quarter panel,” Bobby Williams said. “She was diagnosed with down syndrome. It’s cool to have her there with us every weekend.”
The Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifeids, Hermitage Lumber Late Models and O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars also will be in action on Saturday with all grandstand tickets $5 for ages 6-and-older. Kids under six, as always, are free.
Pit gates open at 4 p.m. with grandstand gates at 5. Hot laps are set for 6:30 with racing at 7:05 p.m.
Admission prices:
General Admission (ages 6 and Up) - $5
Kids (5 and under)- FREE
Pit Pass - $35
Kids' Pit Tour: The Frogs Jr Fan Club Pit Tour, led by flagman Mike Striegel, is scheduled prior to each weekly dirt-track racing program this season, Striegel will lead the tour on a large golf cart for youngsters ages 5-12 with the youngsters signing up for a drawing each week to be a part of the tour.
Striegel will drive them through the pits and stop and visit with various drivers where the youngsters can see the race cars up close, take pictures and collect autographs.
Kids can sign up for the Frogs Jr Fan Club on the south end of the Midway after gates open at 5 p.m. for a chance to go on the pit tour.
For information about 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.
For more than two decades, the USRA has attracted more and more racetracks and dirt track racers each year through fair, logical and cost-effective rules accompanied by an organization that puts the racers, racetracks and their fans first. In the 2023 Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series, as many as 60 of America’s finest dirt ovals plan to host more than 1,000 nights of racing.
USRA competitors can register online at MyRacePass today. Alternatively, you can call (515) 832-6000 to register by phone, or submit a completed USRA License Application by email at office@usraracing.com or fax (515) 832-7958. You can download the application at usraracing.com/downloads.
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