(LEBANON, Missouri) A patriotic salute to America’s Independence, including a huge aerial fireworks display and a special 50-lap feature event for Late Models, will highlight the ASA-sanctioned stock car racing show at Lebanon I-44 Speedway this Saturday night, July 2. Spectator gates will swing open at 5:00 pm, with the five-division stock car racing program scheduled to start at 7:30 on the track’s 3/8-mile high banked asphalt oval. The aerial fireworks show will follow the final feature race of the evening, at approximately 10:30 pm.
“Our Saturday night show on Independence Day weekend is a long-standing tradition in southern Missouri,” said I-44 Speedway promoter Craig Armstrong. “People still talk about how (track founder) Bill Willard put on such great racing and fireworks shows every July 4th weekend ‘back in the day’. I can tell you that with Premier Pyrotechnics’ aerial display, and the ‘Firecracker 50’ Late Model race presented by Monster Energy, there’s going to be plenty of fireworks on the track and in the sky this Saturday night as well.”
Headlined by the fast and powerful ASA Late Model stock cars in a 50-lap feature event, their longest race of the season, Saturday’s racing card at the only operating paved oval track in the region will also feature the Modifieds, which are stock appearing racecars with open wheel front ends, the Sportsman class stock cars, the full-size, steel bodied ‘Bomber-type’ stock cars called Road Warriors, and a four-cylinder ‘subcompact’ class of cars named Chargers.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway offers an alcohol-free grandstand, featuring brand new 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 among I-44 race fans as the ‘Budweiser Wild Side’, beer may be brought in by fans in 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 booth.
According to Armstrong, regular admission prices will not be increased for the ‘Firecracker 50’ show this Saturday night, and will remain $10 in the grandstands for Adults, ages 16 and older, while Adult admission in tier parking is $12. Discounted admission for Seniors (ages 65 and older) and Juniors (ages 11-15) is offered in both locations, and Children ages 10 and younger will be admitted free. A grandstand Family Pass for 2 Adults and 2 Juniors plus any number of Children ages 10 and younger is available for $25, while six Adults entering in the same vehicle on tier parking will be admitted to the ‘Budweiser Wild Side’ for $60.
“We know there are many families around the area who would love to come out and enjoy our Independence Day weekend fireworks and racing show, but are assuming they’ll have to pay more for it,” Armstrong noted. “We’re going to keep our prices exactly the same as they have been all season, and we believe that will bring out even more folks to have fun with us this Saturday night.”
Located just four miles east of the Lebanon city limit on Historic Route 66, Lebanon I-44 Speedway is easily accessible from anywhere in southern Missouri. The most direct route for patrons is driving Interstate 44 to Exit 135, and then one mile west on Historic Route 66 to the track’s main entrance. Additional information about Lebanon I-44 Speedway’s 2011 ‘Kickin’ Asphalt’ racing schedule, events and racecar construction rules may be found on the facility’s official website, www.i44speedway.net.