(LEBANON, Missouri)  The longtime owners of Lebanon I-44 Speedway announced Wednesday that veteran motorsports executive Craig Armstrong has been retained to promote and operate their 3/8-mile, high-banked paved oval track in southern Missouri.  Armstrong, through his promotions and communications company Armstrong Motorsports Entertainment, will oversee all aspects of the track’s operation beginning on Monday, April 4.

“We are all very excited to have Craig on board with our family to take I-44 Speedway beyond the goals that Grandpa established 28 years ago,” said Brennon Willard, grandson of track founder Bill Willard. “The 2010 season was a success for us, bringing asphalt racing back to the area, and we are very excited to build on our success and momentum from last season.  We are looking forward to having someone with Craig’s experience and knowledge in every aspect of the sport, and we believe that will be very beneficial for all of our fans, drivers, and marketing partners alike.”

Armstrong, who until this past December was Vice President at Iowa Speedway in Newton, began his career in racetrack promotion at the quarter and half-mile tracks of Portland Speedway in Oregon, and served as General Manager for the facility from 1987 to 2002.  Armstrong was recruited by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) to manage and promote their Atlanta Dragway track, where he was General Manager from 2002-2005.  After assisting a start-up dragstrip and oval track facility in South Georgia in 2005-2006, Armstrong joined the Iowa Speedway staff as Vice President & General Manager.  When his position was eliminated at the end of 2010, Armstrong took some time to assess the options in the motorsports entertainment industry before contacting the Willard family about Lebanon I-44 Speedway.

“In the world of weekly short track racing, there is such a stark difference of attitudes among track owners,” Armstrong stated.  “The Willard family, given their long history of commitment to the betterment of auto racing in southern Missouri, has the right attitude.  They know they cannot continue to effectively promote their racetrack and still maintain their successful core businesses.  There are simply not enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done.  But the Willard’s want their family’s legendary speedway to succeed, and I am both proud and humbled that they have placed their trust in Armstrong Motorsports Entertainment and me.”

Lebanon I-44 Speedway served as home to three of racing legend Larry Phillips’ five national NASCAR titles, and hosted some of the best Saturday night racing crowds in the nation.  Nationally recognized drivers such as Tony Stewart, Steve Butler, Rich Vogler and Steve Carlson found the Speedway to their liking as well, while NASCAR stars Mike Wallace, Jamie McMurray and Carl Edwards used the track to help vault their racing careers.  In fact, over 25% of the Daytona 500 field in 2005 had raced at one time or another at Lebanon I-44 Speedway.

The Speedway was built by Bill Willard and opened in May of 1983 as a dirt track, remaining dirt surfaced through the 1988 season.  In 1989 the track was paved and became a member of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series family, continuing with pavement racing until after the 2002 season.   The track surface was again converted to dirt in 2003, and was maintained as such through the 2008 racing season.  In February of 2009, crews began the first phase of dirt removal and asphalt repaving.  When the facility opened for the 2010 season as an ASA Member Track, it was once again touted as one of the finest asphalt racing facilities in the Midwest.

Lebanon I-44 Speedway’s 2011 racing season kicks off on Saturday night, May 7 with a five division ASA-sanctioned event, including Late Models, open-wheel Modifieds, Sportsman stock cars, pure stock Road Warriors, and “tuner-type” Chargers.  A special OMSRA Mini-Stock program is also on the card, with spectator gates opening at 5:00 PM and racing beginning at 7:30 PM.  Additional information about Speedway events, classes, rules and schedules are available on the track’s website, www.i44speedway.net.