By Jordan Kuehne
(LEBANON, Mo.) – With the biggest show in over a decade at Lebanon I-44 Speedway rapidly approaching, it’s time to take a glimpse at the schedule of events and prepare for the ‘High Banks 100′ presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts. Almost 30 O’Reilly Auto Parts ASA Late Models are expected to be in attendance as $2,000 awaits the inaugural victor of the event. An intense championship battle between veteran points leader Mike Slone and 16-year-old North Carolina hotshoe Matt Wallace will headline the night – Slone currently paces Wallace by just 185 markers with double points on the line this weekend.
After last weekend’s Monster Energy Championship Night was rained out, four champions were crowned in the Budweiser Modifieds, Hardee’s Sportsman, Hoosier Tire Road Warriors and Coca-Cola Chargers. Each of those titlists – Tyler Scott, Lil’ J.C. Newell, Dustin Reeves and Paul Jepsen – will be in attendance and ready to duke it out for the chance at glory tomorrow night. Both the Budweiser Modifieds and the Hardee’s Sportsman will be running extended features with expanded purses.
Pit gates will swing open at 2 p.m. and on-track action commences with an ASA Late Models practice at 3 p.m. Spectator gates will open up at 5 p.m. and Budweiser Wild Side parking begins at the same time. Fans can look forward to the final “Budweiser Pre-Race Party” of the season as drivers in all five classes rotate practice laps and take to the 3/8th-mile asphalt oval to test setups and get a feel for the track until 6:30 p.m. Opening ceremonies precede ASA Late Models qualifying (two laps for each driver) an hour later.
After heat races for the first four classes are completed, the ASA Late Models will return to Missouri’s only asphalt oval for a series of dashes – the top eight qualifiers will compete in a 10-lap heat to set the first four rows of the ‘High Banks 100.’ All other ASA Late Model drivers will compete in a separate 10-lap dashes before a brief intermission.
After the intermission wraps up, feature racing action will begin with an extended 25-lap Hardee’s Sportsman main event. Following each feature, the class champion will be brought onto the track next to the race winner and honored for their 2012 championship campaigns. Following the opening event, the 30-lap Budweiser Modifieds headliner keeps things rolling before a 15-lap Hoosier Tire Road Warriors main event and a 12-lap Coca-Cola Chargers feature finish up the undercard for the evening.
Sometime in the late evening tomorrow, a strong contingent of ASA Late Models will roll onto the speedway and drivers will be introduced to the crowd prior to the ‘High Banks 100.’ When the green flag waves on the showcase, the field will race to the halfway mark when a competition caution will pause proceedings on lap 50. After a chance to make repairs and adjustments, drivers will return to the track to duke it out over the final 50 laps to determine both the track champion as well as the first king of the ‘High Banks 100.’
Lebanon I-44 Speedway offers an alcohol-free grandstand, featuring aluminum seating with seat-backs, along with tier parking for cars, pickup trucks and RV’s where patrons may park, tailgate and view the races. Known amongst I-44 race fans as the ‘Budweiser Wild Side’, beer may be brought in by fans to the tier parking areas, while full food and non-alcoholic beverage concessions are available in both the grandstands and tier parking, along with a souvenir and track apparel stand.
Admission prices are a bargain at $20 for Adults, ages 16 and older, in the grandstands while Adult admission on the ‘Budweiser Wild Side’ costs just $25.
Discounted admission will be offered in both locations for Military members with an ID present, as well as Seniors (ages 65 and older) and Juniors (ages 11-15), and Children (ages 10 and younger) will be admitted for free. A grandstand Family Pass for two Adults and two Juniors plus any number of Children is available for $45, while six Adults entering in the same vehicle on tiered parking will be admitted to the ‘Budweiser Wild Side’ for $120. Fans can visit any local O’Reilly Auto Parts location to pick up advance tickets at a discounted price.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway is located four miles east of the Lebanon city limit on Historic Route 66. Patrons using Interstate 44 may take Exit 135 and then drive approximately one mile east on Route 66 to the track’s main entrance. Additional information about this event, including a full schedule of events, the rules being enforced, and a purse distribution, can be found on the facility’s official website, www.i44speedway.net, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Lebanon-I-44-Speedway, and on Twitter (@i44Speedway).
24 drivers have already filed their entry for the event and more are expected within the next 24 hours. The following list features each driver that’s committed to the event thusfar.
Car # Name
O2 Brian Brown
O7 Terry Limberopoulos
2 Grant Sharp
2X Ricky Icenhower
3 Brennon Willard
5 Blake Sanford
6 Matt Wallace
9 Tucker Cory
10 Dale Roper Jr
12 Rick Sharp
14 Corey Deuser
15 J.C. Newell
21X Rodney Phillips
27 Joe Ross
30 Troy Backlund
31 Ted Minor
32 Ken Dickinson
35 Steve Holt
46 Cole Williams
51 Tony Jackson Jr.
54 Jim Reaves
66 Brian Woods
67 Jim Vanzandt
77 Mike Slone
98 Terry Smith
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About Lebanon I-44 Speedway
Lebanon I-44 Speedway is Missouri’s only weekly Asphalt Racing Oval and is settled nearly 300 miles from any other. Located in Lebanon, Missouri, along Interstate 44 adds easy access from any direction. Just about 45 minutes to the West of Springfield, Missouri on I-44 and just 2 hours East of St. Louis on I-44 as well as just 30 minutes south of Lake of the Ozarks.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway has a history of producing great racecar drivers, and some of the biggest stars in American motorsports honed their skills on our tracks high banked 3/8-mile asphalt oval. Legends such as the great Larry Phillips, the only 5-time national champion in NASCAR’s weekly racing series, along with NASCAR stars like Mike Wallace, Jamie McMurray, Carl Edwards, the late Tony Roper and Tony Stewart have either won races or even track championships over the years.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway has perhaps the smoothest racing surface of any weekly racing facility in the nation along with the newest aluminum backed Monster Energy grandstand seating, Budweiser “Wild Side” tier parking that you can pull up in your car or tailgate in your pickup and enjoy all of the racing from a great view and our latest addition is the new Central Bank VIP Suites in the middle of the front stretch.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway runs many special events throughout the race season as well as an exciting weekly show that consists of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Late Models, Budweiser Modifieds, Hardee’s Sportsman, Hoosier Tire Road Warriors and the Coca-Cola Chargers with special appearances by the United States Super Truck Series, Pro National Baby Grand Cars, ASA Racing special events and various Concerts.
www.lebanoni44speedway.net For the latest information always visit
Saturday September 8th Event Information
Pit Gates 3 pm
Spectator Gates Open 5 pm
Hot Laps 5 pm
Racing 7:30pm
Admissions Information
Monster Energy Grandstands
Adults (16 and up) $10.00
Seniors (62 and up) $7.00
Military (Any with Military ID) $7.00
Juniors (Age 11 to 15) $4.00
Kids (10 and under) FREE
Family Pass (2 Adult/2 Junior) $25.00
Budweiser Wild Side
Adults (16 and up) $15.00
Seniors (62 and up) $11.00
Military (Any with Military ID) $11.00
Juniors (Age 11 to 15) $7.00
Kids (10 and under) FREE
6 Pack (6 Adults) $75.00
Central Bank VIP Suite
Race Fan $20.00
Pit Area
Pit Pass (Adult) $30.00
2012 Lebanon I-44 Speedway Official Partners:
Budweiser – Official Beer
Caddy Shack Golf Cars – Official Golf Cars
Central Bank – Official Bank
Cintas – Official Uniform Rental Service Company
Hardee’s – Official Fast Food Restaurant
Hoosier Tire – Official Race Tire
Missouri Eagle – Official Beer & Energy Drink Supplier
Monster Energy – Official Energy Drink
Munger Moss – Official Motel
O’Reilly Auto Parts – Official Auto Parts Store
Ozarks Coca-Cola / Dr. Pepper Bottling Company – Official Soft Drink, Water & Sports Drink Supplier
Racing Electronics – Official Radio Supplier
Safety-Kleen – Official Enviromental Services Company
Sunoco – Official Race Fuel
2012 Lebanon I-44 Speedway Supporting Partners:
Commerce Bank, Contingency Connection, Dickies Barbeque, Energy Companies, E-Z Disposal, Graven Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Headley’s Value Tire Center, Helton’s Home Furnishings, Heritage Bank, Independant Stave Inc., Lebanon Ready Mix, Lindsay Chevrolet, McGunegill Engine Performance, Missouri Arive Alive Program, Missouri Tool & Automation, Rock Auto, Shadel’s Colonial Chapel, Starnes Auto, Totally You, United Insurers, Waffle House, Whelen Engineering, Willard Asphalt, 107.9 The Coyote
Lebanon I-44 Speedway
Kevin Greven
General Manager
Lebanon I-44 Speedway
24069 Route 66
Lebanon, MO 65536
Track (417) 532-2060
Cell (417) 399-5756
Fax (417) 532-7624
Lebanon I-44 Speedway
Jordan Kuehne
I-44 Speedway Public Relations Director
I-44 Speedway Writer/Trackside Announcer
Racing Online Columnist
www.racingonline.com
speedwayjordan@yahoo.com
(815)601-5673 (Cell)
jordo99 (Twitter)