Wheatland, Missouri (May 24, 2016) – For a brief moment last year, it appeared that Jesse Stovall was primed to become only the second Missouri driver to win his state’s biggest dirt-track race.
Stovall’s daring, sliding turn-one pass of Jonathan Davenport on lap 69 of the Show-Me 100 brought the big crowd at Lucas Oil Speedway to its feet and an avalanche of cheers. But the thrill was fleeting, as Davenport regained the lead before the lap was completed and went on to win his first Show-Me 100.
Stovall wound up fifth, part of a behemoth season that found the Billings driver win 19 times in his Late Model. He returns to Show-Me 100 this week looking to regain some of that 2015 mojo.
“Just short of horrible,” Stovall said of the first two months of his 2016 season, which includes just a single victory. “I just haven’t had a good start.
“But it’s absolutely a confidence booster,” he added of running up front in last year’s Show-Me 100. “When you take the mind-set away of simply making the race and having the mind-set of winning the race … you get the hunger in you that you want to win that thing.”
The 24th annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com begins on Thursday night with the “Cowboy Classic” and continues on Friday with the Tribute of Don and Billie Gibson. Both are $6,000-to-win features that will help set the lineup for Saturday’s 100-lap, $30,000-to-win main event.
Jesse Stovall (00) races with fellow Missourian Terry Phillips (75) and Iowa’s Chad Simpson last year at Lucas Oil Speedway. (Chris Bork photo)
That’s when Stovall and other Missourians hope to change the answer to a trivia question. Veteran Springfield driver Terry Phillips (1999) is the only home-state driver to win the race. Last year, Stovall and Lebanon’s Tony Jackson Jr. qualified for the front row with Jackson finishing ninth.
Stovall said the desire to win his state’s biggest race goes deep, starting with the simple fact it’s one of the crown-jewel events in the sport.
“To be a Missouri driver to win that event – to win a crown jewel event so close to home – it just has so much history behind it,” Stovall said. “That’s more of what primes you to win it, more than just being a Missouri driver.
“All your buddies who have won it … you just to try and match hopefully what some of those guys have done and get your name checked off. It’s kind of like a bucket-list deal.”
Stovall said he knows it would be considered a monumental upset to knock off the likes of Davenport, five-time Show-Me 100 winner Scott Bloomquist or three-time winner Jimmy Owens. But having the in-it-to-win-it mentality is the only way to approach the race.
“You have to mentally prepare yourself to go and make 100 laps,” he said. “We used to go to that race to simply try to make the race. Now we’re going there to try and win it.
“No matter how bad a year I’ve had so far, I have a good race car and I know that. Maybe things will fall together and we’ll have another good run and I can win this thing. We’re going there to win the race, no matter who’s there.”
Stovall said he’s seemingly found more than his share of bad luck this year, be it flat tires or lapped cars taking him out. But he also knows things can change in an eye blink in this sport.
“In the years I’ve done this, I’ve learned you have to take the bad with the good,” he said. “Like I said over the winter, last year was so good and if we could just do half of that this year we would be great. Well, we’ve failed to do that so far.
“It’s one of those deals where you have to bit your tongue and keep going, or quit. One of the two. Quitting is not an option in my book.”
The 24th Show-Me 100 is bigger than ever, with full Late Model programs and features each of the three nights for the first time. The purse for the weekend has been increased to approximately $170,000.
Up to three B features on Saturday, lined up by average finishes on Thursday and Friday, will determine the remainder of the starting field for the Show-Me 100. The winner of the Midwest Sheet Metal Challenge also will have the option of declining the $2,500 winner’s share and riding shotgun on the Show-Me 100 field.
The Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds also will be in action with full programs the first two nights with B-Mains and a main event on Saturday.
For ticket info contact Anna Harnden at (417) 282-5984 or via email at anna@lucasoilspeedway.com.
Ticket prices for the Show-Me 100 weekend are:
THURSDAY:
Adults (16 and up) $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military $22
Youth (6-15) $10
Kids (5 and under) FREE
Family Pass $50 (Click Here for more information)
3-Day Reserved Seat Ticket $95
Pit Pass $35
3-Day Pit Pass $100
FRIDAY:
Adults (16 and up) $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military $22
Youth (12-15) $10
Kids (11 and under) FREE
Family Pass $50 (Click Here for more information)
3-Day Reserved Seat Ticket $95
Pit Pass $35
3-Day Pit Pass $100
SATURDAY:
Adults (16 and up) $30
Seniors (62 and up)/Military $27
Youth (6-15) $10
Kids (5 and under) FREE
Family Pass $60 (Click Here for more information)
3-Day Reserved Seat Ticket $95
Pit Pass $40
3-Day Pit Pass $100
Friday’s program will be part of the 2016 Free Kids Fridays promotion. Youngsters 11-and-under will be admitted free with a paid adult admission.
For complete event information, archived stories, ticket info and schedule information for the season, visit lucasoilspeedway.com
Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With it’s entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks.
Click www.LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984.
In addition, fans can get social with Lucas Oil Speedway by following @LucasSpeedway on Twitter, clicking “Like” at www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway.