BATAVIA, OHIO (January 7, 2017) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series has expanded an already aggressive 2017 slate. The captivating stars of the nation’s premier dirt late model tour will invade Mansfield Motor Speedway on July 2nd for a 50-lap, $10,000-to-win event, dubbed – The Freedom 50.
The deep, rich and long history of racing in Mansfield, Ohio dates back to 1959, when the original track – Mansfield Raceway – first opened as a 3/8-mile dirt track. It was converted to an asphalt track in 1999, renamed (Mansfield Motorsports Speedway) and has remained asphalt ever since. The speedway saw its pinnacle moments from 2004-2008 where it held NASCAR Truck Series events and drew standing room only crowds of over 20,000 in attendance.
The .44-mile oval will be transformed into a dirt track in 2017, with many changes and upgrades anticipated before opening in the spring. “Dirt racing in Ohio is strong – and overall, across the country, it is in a much better situation than asphalt. Mansfield is located in the heart of some of the best racing in the country and with a venue as nice as this [Mansfield], it is a shame it has not been put back on the map like it deserves,” said Cody Sommer, President of Mansfield Motor Speedway.
“Mansfield was once nationally ranked in the top 5 of the greatest race tracks in the country and I don’t see any reason why it can not return back to that very quickly,” Sommer added. The state-of-the-art facility features a safer barrier, twelve luxury suites, a complete race control room, 7,200 aluminum bleacher seats with chair backed/ covered reserved seats for 2,000 spectators. The hillside seating option adds a unique experience for around 2,000 attendees – bringing total capacity to nearly 10,000.
Mansfield Motor Speedway (MMS) can be found online at www.MansfieldMotorSpeedway.com where a full website will be released soon. In the meantime, Mansfield Motor Speedway suggests fans connect with them directly on social media to stay up to date on special news and announcements at www.Facebook.com/MansfieldMotorSpeedway and Twitter @RaceMansfield. MMS has an information phone line at 419-465-RACE (7223). Any inquiries can also be sent via email to: info@MansfieldMotorSpeedway.com.
The updated 2017 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series tour schedule now features a record-breaking 55 events at 36 different venues, across 22 states, showcasing the talents of the nation’s elite dirt late model teams. Included among those are: Scott Bloomquist, Tim McCreadie, Josh Richards, Jimmy Owens, Earl Pearson Jr., Don O’Neal, Steve Francis, Jared Landers, Darrell Lanigan, and more!
2017 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Schedule:
| Date | Track | Event Title | Location | To Win | Laps |
| February 10 | Golden Isles Speedway | Super Bowl of Racing | Brunswick, GA | $10,000 | 50 |
| February 11 | Golden Isles Speedway | Super Bowl of Racing | Brunswick, GA | $12,000 | 60 |
| February 13 | East Bay Raceway Park | 41st Annual Winternationals | Tampa, FL | $5,000 | 25 |
| February 14 | East Bay Raceway Park | 41st Annual Winternationals | Tampa, FL | $5,000 | 25 |
| February 15 | East Bay Raceway Park | 41st Annual Winternationals | Tampa, FL | $7,000 | 35 |
| February 16 | East Bay Raceway Park | 41st Annual Winternationals | Tampa, FL | $7,000 | 45 |
| February 17 | East Bay Raceway Park | 41st Annual Winternationals | Tampa, FL | $10,000 | 50 |
| February 18 | East Bay Raceway Park | 41st Annual Winternationals | Tampa, FL | $12,000 | 60 |
| February 19 | Bubba Raceway Park | Winter Nationals | Ocala, FL | $10,000 | 50 |
| March 17 | Atomic Speedway | Buckeye Spring 50 | Chillicothe, OH | $10,000 | 50 |
| March 18 | Brownstown Speedway | 20th Annual Indiana Icebreaker | Brownstown, IN | $12,000 | 60 |
| March 30 | Duck River Raceway Park | Wheel, TN | $10,000 | 50 | |
| March 31 | Boyd’s Speedway | Ringgold, GA | $10,000 | 50 | |
| April 1 | East Alabama Motor Speedway | 20th Annual Bama Bash | Phenix City, AL | $12,000 | 60 |
| April 7, 8 | Batesville Motor Speedway | Bad Boy 98 | Batesville, AR | $20,000 | 98 |
| April 21 | Sharon Speedway | Steel Valley 50 | Hartford, OH | $10,000 | 50 |
| April 22 | Hagerstown Speedway | 36th Annual Stanley Schetrompf Classic | Hagerstown, MD | $12,000 | 60 |
| April 23 | Port Royal Speedway | Port Royal, PA | $10,000 | 50 | |
| April 28 | Tri-City Speedway | Budweiser 50 | Granite City, IL | $10,000 | 50 |
| April 29 | Macon Speedway | St. Louis U-Pic-A-Part 100 | Macon, IL | $12,000 | 100 |
| May 5 | Tazewell Speedway | Toyota Knoxville 50 | Tazewell, TN | $10,000 | 50 |
| May 6 | Florence Speedway | 31st Annual Ralph Latham Memorial | Union, KY | $12,000 | 60 |
| May 18 | LaSalle Speedway | Spring Shootout | LaSalle, IL | $10,000 | 50 |
| May 19 | Luxemburg Speedway | Spring Shootout | Luxemburg, WI | $10,000 | 50 |
| May 20 | Deer Creek Speedway | Spring Valley, MN | $12,000 | 60 | |
| May 23 | I-80 Speedway | Go 50 | Greenwood, NE | $10,000 | 50 |
| May 25 | Lucas Oil Speedway | 4th Annual Cowboy Classic | Wheatland, MO | $6,000 | 40 |
| May 26 | Lucas Oil Speedway | The Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson | Wheatland, MO | $6,000 | 40 |
| May 27 | Lucas Oil Speedway | 25th Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 | Wheatland, MO | $30,000 | 100 |
| June 15, 16, 17 | Magnolia Motor Speedway | Clash at the Mag | Columbus, MS | $20,000 | 100 |
| July 1 | Portsmouth Raceway Park | Independence 60 | Portsmouth, OH | $12,000 | 60 |
| July 2 | Mansfield Motor Speedway | Freedom 50 | Mansfield, OH | $10,000 | 50 |
| July 3 | Muskingum County Speedway | Zanesville, OH | $12,000 | 60 | |
| July 6 | Fayetteville Motor Speedway | Dunn-Benson Ford Wayne Gray Memorial | Fayetteville, NC | $10,000 | 50 |
| July 7 | Cherokee Speedway | 19th Annual Grassy Smith Memorial | Gaffney, SC | $10,000 | 50 |
| July 8 | Smoky Mountain Speedway | Mountain Moonshine Classic | Maryville, TN | $12,000 | 60 |
| July 14 | Tri-City Speedway | NAPA Know How 50 | Granite City, IL | $10,000 | 50 |
| July 15 | Lucas Oil Speedway | 11th Annual Diamond Nationals | Wheatland, MO | $12,000 | 60 |
| July 18 | Brown County Speedway | Bullet SportsWear Shootout | Aberdeen, SD | $10,000 | 50 |
| July 20, 21, 22 | I-80 Speedway | 7th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals | Greenwood, NE | $53,000 | 80 |
| August 10 | Florence Speedway | North/South Shootout | Union, KY | $10,000 | 50 |
| August 11, 12 | Florence Speedway | 35th Annual Sunoco North/South 100 | Union, KY | $50,000 | 100 |
| August 17, 18, 19 | Batesville Motor Speedway | 25th Annual COMP Cams Topless 100 | Batesville, AR | $40,000 | 100 |
| August 25 | Ponderosa Speedway | 14th Annual John Bradshaw Memorial | Junction City, KY | $10,000 | 50 |
| August 26 | Lawrenceburg Speedway | Whiskey City 60 | Lawrenceburg, IN | $12,000 | 60 |
| September 2 | Portsmouth Raceway Park | River Days Rumble | Portsmouth, OH | $12,000 | 60 |
| September 3 | Tyler County Speedway | 49th Annual Hillbilly Hundred | Middlebourne, WV | $25,000 | 100 |
| September 14 | Knoxville Raceway | 14th Annual Late Model Nationals | Knoxville, IA | $7,000 | 25 |
| September 15 | Knoxville Raceway | 14th Annual Late Model Nationals | Knoxville, IA | $7,000 | 25 |
| September 16 | Knoxville Raceway | 14th Annual Late Model Nationals | Knoxville, IA | $40,000 | 100 |
| September 22, 23 | Brownstown Speedway | 38th Annual Jackson 100 | Brownstown, IN | $20,000 | 100 |
| September 30 | Dixie Speedway | Dixie Shootout | Woodstock, GA | $12,000 | 60 |
| October 1 | Rome Speedway | Rome Showdown | Rome, GA | $10,000 | 50 |
| October 6,7 | Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway | 29th Annual Pittsburgher 100 | Imperial, PA | $20,000 | 100 |
| October 20, 21 | Portsmouth Raceway Park | 37th Annual Dirt Track World Championship | Portsmouth, OH | $100,000 | 100 |