November 13, 2023 | By Lyndal Scranton

Big Buck 50 Presented by Whitetail Trophy Hunt returns to Lucas Oil Speedway next fall, along with MLRA Fall Nationals

WHEATLAND, Mo. — One of the biggest events in the nation for Super Stocks is returning to the Lucas Oil Speedway schedule in 2024 with the 8th annual Big Buck 50 Presented by Whitetail Trophy Hunt set for next Oct. 3-5.

The Lucas Oil MLRA Fall Nationals also return to the schedule and will be run in conjunction with the Big Buck 50, making it a lucrative, action-packed weekend of Late Model and Super Stock racing at the same location.

Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Danny Lorton said he has been fielding inquiries about Super Stocks returning, possibly as a guest class a few times next season. A meeting with Craig Danuser, the race's former sponsor, led to bigger things.

"I reached out to Craig, who was the main sponsor of the Big Buck 50 and was involved in the making of the original event," Lorton said. "He seemed very interested as we talked, so we set up a meeting and after the meeting I could see he was very excited in returning and bringing back the Big Buck 50."

The eighth version of the Big Buck 50 event will be run using POWRi Super Stock rules and Lorton said officials will also work on the rules to allow the Arkansas cars that used to run the Big Buck 50. More details on rules and entry fees will come at a later date.

The Big Buck 50 will begin with practice and qualifying on Thursday night Oct. 3, qualifying heat races to help set the feature field on Friday leading into Saturday night’s 50-lap main event, in which the winner will take home $10,000. The winner also will earn a free entry, valued at $3,195.00, into the prestigious Whitetail Trophy Hunt in mid-Missouri next November.

For more information on the Whitetail Trophy Hunt, visit Whitetail.net. This year's hunt begins this weekend and it's the 35th edition for the long-sold-out event, which is limited to 220 hunters. Over $4 million in cash and prizes has been awarded in the hunt's history.

The Big Buck 50 was held on an annual basis at Lucas Oil Speedway through 2020 and was a one of the highlights on the schedule. Danuser said he's thrilled to help bring back the Big Buck 50.

"I'm excited about it and I know a lot of racers are excited about it," Danuser said. "They've been burning my phone up about it."

Danuser said the Big Buck 50 had become a destination weekend for the Super Stocks in its previous runnings, with racers and many fans spending the weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway in the campgrounds. That should get nothing but even bigger with the MLRA Late Models also a part of the action.

"So many people started making that their vacation, bringing the wives and kids because it was a three-day event," Danuser said. "I think they really looked forward to it in the five or six years we had built the race up."

Meanwhile, the Lucas Oil MLRA Fall Nationals also return to the schedule with a big two-night show paying $5,000 to win the Friday-night feature and $10,000 on Saturday.

"I know that Ernie Leftwich (MLRA Series Director) was very excited to bring back the Fall Nationals and tie it back in with the Big Buck 50 as they were both on the same weekend for several years," Lorton said. "It only seemed fitting to bring them both back together."

Lorton said the tentative 2024 Lucas Oil Speedway schedule is nearing completion and will be released in the near future.

For ticket information for the banquet or any future event at Lucas Oil Speedway contact admissions director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email her a nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.