November 20, 2023 | By Lyndal Scranton

Inaugural High Limit Diamond Classic coming to Lucas Oil Speedway

WHEATLAND, Mo. — Lucas Oil Speedway has unveiled its 2024 tentative schedule and, along with traditional major events, the speedway will welcome the acclaimed High Limit Racing series for sprint cars.

The Inaugural High Limit Racing Diamond Classic is scheduled for June 28-29 with many of the best in open-wheel sprint-car racing expected to compete.

High Limit Racing, founded and owned by NASCAR champion Kyle Larson and five-time World of Outlaws champion Brad Sweet, is expanding in 2024. The formerly named High Limit Sprint Car Series is adding events and increasing driver payouts while broadening its partnership with FloSports. The mid-week race series will evolve into a 50-plus race night schedule across the country and increase driver payouts to more than $5 million.

Lucas Oil Speedway will be a part of the weekend schedule for High Limit Racing. High Limit Racing will award a point fund of $1 million with the champion team and driver winning $250,000. Similar to its 2023 season, High Limit Racing will have a Midweek Money Series within the national tour awarding a separate $100,000 total point fund.

"We are excited to be a part of High Limit Racing in 2024 as part of our tentative schedule, which includes our usual mainstay events such as the Show-Me 100, Hockett-McMillin Memorial and Kentucky Drag Boat Association events on Lake Lucas," Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Danny Lorton said. "High Limit Racing is an opportunity to bring even more world-class racing to our fans and we thank Brad Sweet, Kyle Larson and their series for working with us to make it happen."

Sweet will compete in every event and pursue his first High Limit Racing championship with the Kasey Kahne Racing NAPA No. 49 team. Larson, crowned the midweek series champion earlier this month, will continue to compete in select events while also pursuing a NASCAR Cup Series championship and an Indianapolis 500 victory in 2024.

Other highlights among many special events at Lucas Oil Speedway include the 32nd annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 during Memorial Day Weekend (May 23-25) and the 18th annual CMH Diamond Nationals (July 13), both featuring the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

The MLRA Late Models are on hand three other times - for the 11th annual Spring Nationals Presented by Arizona Sport Shirts (April 12-13) with the POWRi Super Stocks and Show-Me Vintage Racers; the 10th annual MLRA Ron Jenkins Memorial Presented by Rugged Radios (Aug. 30-31) and a combined multi-day MLRA Fall Nationals and 8th annual Big Buck 50 Presented by Whitetail Trophy Hunt for Super Stocks (Oct. 3-5).

The 11th annual Summit USRA Nationals will run a bit earlier in 2024, set for Sept. 17-21 right after the 14th annual ASCS/WAR Jesse Hockett/Daniel McMillin Memorial Sept. 12-14. Open-wheel cars will be featured two other times as well, at the 13th annual Impact Signs, Awnings & Wraps Open Wheel Showdown (May 4) and the POWRi Summer Thunder (Aug. 17).

The track opens with an Open Test & Tune on March 30 and the Easter Bowl Enduro 150 is set for April 6. The Big Adventure RV Weekly Championship Series opener is scheduled for April 20.

Lorton also has announced that the speedway will sanction Hermitage Lumber Late Models under POWRi for 2024. The Hermitage Lumber POWRi Late Models will compete in the Weekly Series along with the Arctic Food Equipment Modifieds, Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods and O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars.

"I've had talks with Kenny Brown (POWRi President) and to help grow the weekly Late Model class and give drivers a national points fund, we have agreed to sanction the Late Models under POWRi," Lorton said. "POWRi will be using the 2024 speedway rules package for the Late Model sanctioning class, which will be known as POWRi Late Models."

Drag Boat racing on Lake Lucas, featuring the Kentucky Drag Boat Association, has three events set: the KDBA Summer Thunder on Lake Lucas (June 8-9), KDBA Show-Me Shootout on Lake Lucas (Aug. 2-3) and 14th annual Diamond Drag Boat Nationals (Aug. 30-Sept. 1).

One of the biggest Weekly Racing Series events on the schedule, the annual Casey's Thursday Night Thunder Kids' Night at the Races Plus Fireworks is set for Thursday, July 4th. Season champions will be determined for the Weekly Racing Series at the Rempfer Memorial Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick Season Championship Night on Aug. 24.

The popular Kids' Power Wheel races will return as well with a 24V-36V class. The races will be held during intermission during Weekly Championship Series races April 20th, May 11th, June 8th, July 27th and Aug. 24th.

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