Wheatland, Missouri (July 14, 2021) – The biggest stars of the Late Model world are set to collide this Saturday night July 17th, at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO in the 15th Annual running of the CMH Diamond Nationals. The $15,000 to win crown jewel returns to its typical single day format after two years of adjusted formats, a result of severe storms in 2019 and a national pandemic in 2020. To go along with the cash prize, a prestigious diamond ring will await the winner on Saturday night.
Tony Jackson Jr. will lead the Lucas Oil Midwest Late Model Racing Association (MLRA) into the co-sanctioned event, while Tim McCreadie holds down the top spot on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) side of the field. Both drivers are multi-time winners at the “Diamond of Dirt Tracks”, with McCreadie being the most recent victor having won the opening night, “Cowboy Classic” during this year’s Show-Me 100 weekend in May
With just nine races remaining in the 2021 MLRA racing season, Jackson has already rolled off four wins to date as he chases down his second career MLRA title. The driver from Lebanon, MO has just one regular season MLRA finish to date outside of the top ten, that being an eleventh place run in the series second event of the season. With a guaranteed starting spot in this Saturday’s main event Jackson could blow the point battle wide open with yet another strong run. Jackson’s best Diamond Nationals to date was a 3rd place run—in 2013, the same year he last laid claim to the series title.
On the flip side, one season ago Jeremiah Hurst overcame a deficit of 145 points over the course of just four races to win his first title, and now his teammate Garrett Alberson is looking to pull off the same kind of late season heroics. Alberson will enter the weekend trailing by what looks to be a comfortable 205 point margin for Jackson, but considering he just dropped 65 points off of that figure one week ago with a pair of podium runs, it appears the door to the top is still wide open.
Driver on the Move: While Jesse Stovall might not be chasing the 2021 MLRA title, the 2016 series champion is poised to be a contender this weekend. The Billings, MO driver has a pair of series wins already on the season, and finishes of first and second respectively in his last two MLRA starts. Stovall is a six time MLRA winner in Wheatland, but the big ones have alluded him to date. With five top ten’s and a pair of top five’s in the Diamond Nationals since 2013, he looks to be one of the MLRA favorites to pull off the “W” come Saturday night.
Championship Form: Hurst, the defending MLRA champion and Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the year had a rough start to the 2021 season that put him into a deep hole in defending his title. With no stress from points chasing, the Roberts Motorsports driver is zoned in on earning his first MLRA victory. His title run from a year ago came without a win, but included six top five’s and four third place finishes. Now in the stretch run of the season, the driver of car # 41 is as hot as ever, already having logged five top five finishes in his last eight starts, including a pair of runner-up finishes. Likely the most determined MLRA driver at this point in the year, Hurst is quit possibly the next MLRA driver due for a big breakout win.
For more information on tickets or camping, please visit www.lucasoilspeedway.com
Lucas Oil Speedway: Wheatland, MO “Diamond Nationals” — Saturday 7/17/21
Gates: 4:00 PM
Racing: Hot Laps – 6:30 PM, Racing – 7:05 PM
Admission: Adults (16+) $30, Seniors (62+)/Military $27, Youth (6-15) $10, Kids (5 & Under) FREE, Family Pass $70, Pit Pass $40
Support Classes: USRA Modifieds $1,000 to win, USRA Stock Cars $750 to Win