By Jordan Kuehne
Youth Movement or Years of Experience at LEBANON I-44 SPEEDWAY
(LEBANON, Mo.) – As the season comes to a head this weekend for Central bank Night at the races at Lebanon I-44 Speedway, individual races in the Monster Energy Chase for the Cup are heating up highlighted by a duel at the top of the headlining O’Reilly Auto Parts NASCAR Pro Late Models between a pair of teenagers. With two races on the docket last weekend, 17-year-old Cole Williams survived a mishap in the first race to steal the second, while top challenger Matt Wallace scored a win in the opener and notched a podium effort with a third place finish in the second 25-lap feature. Those two will once again go at it on Saturday night at Missouri’s only asphalt oval as a full docket of NASCAR Whelen All-American Weekly Series action awaits fans.
“Many tracks would switch places in a heartbeat to have the kind of young talent we have at the top of our premier division,” Lebanon I-44 Speedway General Manager Kevin Greven said. “To have a pair of rising stars like Cole and Matt racing here on a weekly basis is a blessing, and they’re both respectful and kind young men. Let’s not forget about teenagers like Lil’ J.C. Newell, Austin Fullerton, Cole Rouse and Tucker Cory either. The youth movement is in full effect at I-44.”
While the young guns will be targeting a victory in the pro late models on Saturday, the docket will also include a mixture of young stars and veteran talent in the other four series, including the Budweiser Modifieds, Monster Energy Sportsman, Hoosier Tire Road Warriors, and Coca-Cola Chargers. Spectator gates open up at 5:00 p.m., with a full slate of NASCAR Whelen All-American Weekly Series stock car racing scheduled to get underway at 7 p.m. on the 3/8th-mile oval.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway offers an alcohol-free Monster Energy Grandstand, featuring aluminum seating with seat-backs, along with Budweiser “Wild Side” tier parking for cars, pickup trucks and RV’s where patrons may park, tailgate and view the races. A great view is also available on the grandstand side in the Budweiser “Fan Deck” area for those that would enjoy an adult beverage.
Admission prices for the Monster Energy grandstands will remain just $10 for Adults, ages 16 and older, while Adult admission on the ‘Budweiser Wild Side’ will remain just $15. 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). 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 $25, while six Adults entering in the same vehicle on tiered parking will be admitted to the ‘Budweiser Wild Side’ for $75.
“We’ll be talking about this more in the coming weeks, but this is ‘go time’ for drivers,” said Greven. “And with the action heating up, fans will get to chill on the sidelines and enjoy the races with the best bang for the buck in Mid-Missouri.”
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 the track’s 2013 ‘Kickin’ Asphalt’ racing schedule may 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).
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About Lebanon I-44 Speedway
Lebanon I-44 Speedway is Missouri’s only weekly Asphalt Racing Oval settled nearly 300 miles from any other and is Missouri’s only NASCAR sanctioned facility. Located in Lebanon, Missouri, along Interstate 44 adds easy access from any direction. Just about 45 minutes to the East 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, Tony Stewart and the late Tony Roper 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 new 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, the new Central Bank VIP Suites in the middle of the front stretch and entering turn one is the newest addition, the Budweiser Fan Deck.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway runs many special events throughout the race season as well as an exciting NASCAR weekly show that consists of Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Sportsman, Road Warriors and the Chargers with special appearances by the United States Super Truck Series, Pro National Baby Grand Cars, NASCAR racing special events and various Concerts.
For all of the latest information always visit
www.i44speedway.net
2013 Lebanon I-44 Speedway Official Partners:
NASCAR – National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing
Budweiser – Official Beer
Caddy Shack Golf Cars – Official Golf Cars
Central Bank – Preferred Banking Partner
Compliance Fire & Safety – Preferred Fire & Safety Provider
Green Earth technologies – Preferred “Totally Green” Clean Tech Company
Hampton Inn / Lebanon – Preferred Hotel
Holiday Inn Express / Lebanon – Preferred Hotel
Hoosier Tire – Official Race Tire
K&N Engineering – Preferred Performance Filter
Mercy – Official Health Care Provider
Missouri Eagle – Official Beer, Energy Drink & Tea Supplier
Monster Energy – Official Energy Drink
O’Reilly Auto Parts – Preferred Auto Parts Store
Ozarks Coca-Cola Dr. Pepper – Official Supplier: Soft Drinks, Water, Sports Drinks
Peace Tea – Official Tea
Racing Electronics – Official Communications Supplier
Safety-Kleen – Preferred Environmental Services Company
Springfield Yamaha – Official UTV & ATV Supplier
Sunoco – Official Racing Fuel
Super 8 / Lebanon – Preferred Hotel
2013 Lebanon I-44 Speedway Supporting Partners:
Advanced Electric & Communications, Auto Body Supply, Auto Meter, Commerce Bank, Cometic Gaskets, Contingency Connection, Dickies Barbecue, Emerson Climate Technologies, Energy Companies, ESPN Radio, E-Z Disposal, Graven Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Headley’s Value Tire Center, Helton’s Home Furnishings, Heritage Bank, Home Depot, Independent Stave Inc., JEGS, KZNN Superstation, Lebanon Ready Mix, Liberty Tire, Lindsay Auto Group, McGunegill Engine Performance, Missouri Tool & Automation, Owens Sandblasting, Ozarks Harley Davidson, Regional Radio – KJEL, Reliable Toyota, Rock Auto, Royal Purple, Shadel’s Colonial Chapel, Sherwin Williams, Show Me Guns, Sprint, Starnes Auto, Totally You, Toyota Motorsports, Unilever, United Insurors, US Foods, Waffle House, Whelen Engineering, Willard Asphalt, Z102.3 Radio, 107.9 The Coyote