WHEATLAND, MO. (July 12, 2021) – Lucas Oil Speedway plays host to its biggest race of summer on Saturday with the 15th annual CMH Diamond Nationals, featuring the stars of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and Lucas Oil MLRA chasing a $15,000 first prize plus a shiny diamond ring.
The co-sanctioning bodies under the Lucas Oil umbrella will have time trials to set the lineups for qualifying heat races, B Mains and the 50-lap Diamond Nationals main event.
Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds and O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars will be on hand as well, with Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series points on the line. The Modified feature winner will earn $1,000 with $750 going to the Stock Car feature winner.
This will be the first traditional Diamond Nationals since 2018 as two years ago it was run as a twin Diamond Nationals on back-to-back nights after cancellation of the Show-Me 100 earlier in the season due to storm damage. During the COVID-19-altered 2020 season, the Diamond Nationals ran on Sunday, a night after the rescheduled Show-Me 100.
Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., won last year’s Diamond Nationals for his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series feature triumph.
Hudson O’Neal will be looking to make it a season sweep at Lucas Oil Speedway. The 20-year-old from Martinsville, Indiana, took over on lap 68 of the 29th annual Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtecttheHarvest.com on May 29th and went on to win the crown-jewel event for the first time.
Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., leads the LOLMDS championship chase by 160 points over Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Georgia and O’Neal as those two are tied for second. Three-time series champion Davenport has been the hottest driver in the sport over the summer after struggling during the Show-Me 100 weekend with a 15th-place finish in the feature. Overall, Davenport has six feature wins since Memorial Day Weekend.
In the Lucas Oil MLRA standings, Tony Jackson Jr., of Lebanon, Missouri, holds a commanding 220-point lead over Garrett Alberson of Dubuque, Iowa. Jackson picked up three MLRA feature wins during June.
Saturday night’s action will conclude a big three-day swing for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Action kicks off Thursday night at 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa, with a $15,000-to-win event. The series shifts to Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Illinois, for $12,000-to-win on Friday.
Located in Bolivar, CMH (Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation) serves eight counties in southwest Missouri. A 2014 and 2010 Missouri Quality Award recipient, CMH is a Level III Trauma Center and has a Level II STEMI Center. CMH also has 32 primary and specialty physician clinics, seven long-term care facilities and other ancillary services. Go to CitzensMemorial.com for more information.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. Saturday with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.
Admission:
Adults (16 and over) – $30
Seniors/Military (62 and over) – $27
Youth (ages 6-15) – $10
Kids (5 and under) – FREE
Family pass (two adults and up to three youth 6-15) – $70
Pit pass – $40
For ticket information for any event during the 2021 Lucas Oil Speedway season, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at Nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com. Fans also can use the online ticketing system.