The upcoming slate of events is a mix of old and new, which includes tour stops stretching across four Midwestern states. A total of 11 venues will host MLRA events, with two of those being first time tracks for the series.

April is loaded with action, which will play a critical early season role in determining the contenders for the series championship. The Gundaker family’s Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, IL will bookend the 2024 MLRA season, as they play host to the season opening “Winter Meltdown” for the first time on April 4^th and 5^th.

Big money will be on the line the following weekend April 12^th & 13^th, as the MLRA makes its first of five weekend stops of the year at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri. The 11^th Annual “Spring Nationals”, presented by Arizona Sport Shirts will feature a $7,000 to win tune-up on Friday night before the big money comes out on Saturday in the form of a $20,000 to win weekend finale.

The first new venue hits the schedule on Thursday, April 18th when the series starts off a three-night swing across the Hawkeye state with a visit to the ¼ mile Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, IA for a $5,000 to win event.

Teams will then head south for one of the most popular event weekends of the year hosted by the 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA. Friday night April 19^th will feature the $5,000 to win Prelude to the Slocum, leading up to Saturday night’s $10,555 to win “Slocum 50”, presented by the Brent Slocum Foundation as they honor the life of late model racer and friend Brent Slocum.

April will conclude with a two-night Show-Me-State Showdown that begins at the ¼ mile Callaway Raceway in Fulton, MO on Friday April 26th featuring a $5k “A” Main. The 1/4 mile track located north of Jefferson City, MO will mark the second new tour stop of the season for the MLRA.  On Saturday, April 27^th racing will return to the 1/3-mile Lake Ozark Speedway just outside of Eldon, MO for the 4^th Annual “Battle at the Beach” paying $7,000 to win.

May will start off with a festive Cinco de Mayo race date on May 5^th at the Adams County Speedway in Quincy, IL. The former Quincy Raceways will host the MLRA for the first time since the 2019 season when Bobby Pierce captured a pair of MLRA victories.

The 32^nd Annual “Show-Me 100”, May 23^rd – 25^th brings teams back to the Diamond of Dirt Tracks in Wheatland, MO for the second time in 2024, and just like the first visit the stakes have increased from a year ago. Thursday nights preliminary action dubbed the “Cowboy Classic”, along with Friday’s “Tribute to Don & Billie Gibson” have both jumped to $10,000 to win, setting the stage for Saturday night’s $50,000 “Show-Me 100” finale.

July’s lone summer Saturday night of action will again come via the Lucas Oil Speedway and the 18^th Annual running of the $20,000 to win CMH “Diamond Nationals” on July 13^th. This event along with the Show-Me 100 will both be co-sanctioned with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS).

Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, KS makes a return to the MLRA schedule on Friday, August 23^rd. Chase Junghans picked up his second career MLRA win in the series last visit in 2022.

The double header weekend will conclude with a trip across Kansas City to the pristine I-70 Speedway in Odessa, MO on Saturday August 24^th for a $7,000 to win MLRA event. This will be the first MLRA appearance at I-70 since Hudson O’Neal captured the win in an MLRA/LOLMDS co-sanctioned event back in 2022.

The MLRA’s Labor Day Weekend get-a-way at the Lucas Oil Speedway continues in 2024 with the 10^th Annual “Ron Jenkins Memorial” on Friday and Saturday August 30^th & 31^st, paying $5k and $10k respectively. Saturday night will also find special bonus money on the line for the Fast Qualifier ($500) and a $1,000 bonus to the winner, making it an $11,000 victory on behalf of Mary Jenkins Holt in memory of Ron Jenkins.

Yet another $10,000 pay day awaits the winner on Sunday night September 1^st, as the MLRA takes on the entertaining race day atmosphere of the 4^th Annual “Weiner Nationals” at the Moberly Motorsports Park.

FALL FINALES:

A new twist to the slate comes on September 13^th & 14^th when the ¼ mile Davenport Speedway in Davenport, IA exchanges their normal spring date for a double header weekend. The inaugural “Corn State Nationals” will feature complete shows each night paying $5,000 and $10,000 respectively.

October 4^th and 5^th will bring the MLRA back home one final time to the Lucas Oil Speedway for the return of the 8^th Annual MLRA “Fall Nationals”. This staple event returns to the schedule in 2024 with Friday night paying $5,000 to win followed by another pay jump on Saturday with $10,000 on the line.

The 36^th season of the MLRA will wrap up right where it started on October 11^th & 12^th as the Tri-City Speedway host the MLRA “Championship Weekend”. A $5,000 to win opener on Friday will set the stage for Saturday nights $7,000 to win finale and crowning of the series Champion and Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

**2024 MLRA WINNERS CIRCLE PROGRAM**

Once again in 2024 the MLRA will continue it’s “Winners Circle Program” by awarding $200 in appearance money to the top (10) in points at each venue with perfect attendance, in addition to purse money earned. For full program details contact Series Director Ernie Leftwich.