WHEATLAND, MO. (May 11, 2023) – Considering where Ryan Middaugh and his team were in the pre-dawn hours of March 18th – on the side of the highway in central Missouri, their truck and trailer totaled – things are going amazing well on the track so far in the 2023 racing season.
It was on the drive home to Fulton after a disappointing night at Tulsa Speedway when a strong wind gust sent the vehicles off the road and into a ditch, jolting the occupants but amazingly not injuring anyone. The truck and trailer were not as fortunate, declared as totaled. Tires, tools and other equipment were strewn inside the trailer with the USRA Modified, already dinged from the race a few hours prior.
“It beat the car to heck,” Middaugh said. “Fortunately we had some good friends come down and pick up the car. I figured our season was gonna be way behind after that, but we pushed ahead and got the car fixed that week and borrowed a trailer and we were at Wheatland that next Saturday.”
One feature win and three top-five finishes later, Middaugh leads Lucas Oil Speedway’s Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modified points. Including three feature wins at his hometown Callaway Speedway, he’s also atop the most-recent USRA Modified National standings.
Middaugh will be looking to protect his Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modified lead on Saturday night as the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series resumes. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.
While he’s ready to put the highway accident in the rear-view mirror, Middaugh’s ability to overcome the adversity has been impressive. He had to borrow trailers to make it to the track as insurance claims were sorted out before purchasing a new toter and trailer.
“I’ve not been home a lot since, trying to get everything sorted back out,” Middaugh said. “My family has been super understanding. We persevered and kept pushing through it.”
And in the bigger overall picture, he’s simply thankful no one was hurt in the accident, which occurred around 4 a.m. as the group traveled through the Lake of the Ozarks area.
“Dad, my crew guy Randy and his wife were sleeping in the back on couches,” Middaugh said. “They wound up on the floor. We got some pretty good air time hitting that ditch. It ripped back door of the trailer off. Fortunately everybody was OK.”
Middaugh gave shout-outs to Jordan Martin, his cousin and a B-Mod racer, along with former B-Mod competitor Jason Watson for loaning his trailers to get him through a one-month period before he located a trailer. Just before his April 22 victory at Wheatland, he made a trip to West Virginia for a replacement truck.
Now he’s looking for normalcy, the chance to focus solely on winning races and perhaps chasing down his first Lucas Oil Speedway track championship.
“We’ll keep plugging away, taking it race by race,” Middaugh said. “If you start points racing, you’re not gonna be at your full potential. We’re just gonna go out and try to win every race and ultimately put ourselves in position. A championship at Lucas is one of our goals. We have several good guys we’re going up against. Hopefully we can be there at the end.”
Middaugh takes a 13-point lead over two-time Lucas Oil Speedway track champion Robbie Reed into Saturday’s action.
Hermitage Lumber Late Model drivers will shoot for a $1,000 first prize in a 25-lap feature to headline Saturday night’s action. They’ll also run for bonus money in the heat races ($100 for first, $75 for second, $50 third and $25 fourth) thanks to sponsors Wosoba Trucking & Seed, Reed Environmental and Dirt Track Specialist.
Round 5 of the Weekly Racing Series is Vietti Marketing Group Night at the Races and all Mothers will be admitted free to celebrate Mother’s Day Weekend.
The Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods and O’Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars also will be in action. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. with grandstands at 5. Hot laps are set for 6:30 p.m. with racing getting underway at 7:05.
Kids’ Power Wheel races: An added attraction during intermission will be the third round of Kids’ Power Wheel races of the season. For ages 3-through-9, the races will be on the front straightaway with the youngsters navigating a course outlined by orange cones.
The kids can enter their own battery-powered Power Wheel cars by signing up for the Frogs Jr. Fan Club on the south end of the Midway prior to the races. Other Kids Power Wheel nights are scheduled for June 17, July 29 and Aug. 26 when a mini-season-champion will crowned along with the four regular Weekly Racing Series classes.
One Kids Power Wheel class will be the 6-12 volt cars and another will be for the 24-36 volt class. No power or speed enhancement modifications will be allowed.
The youngsters can bring their Power Wheels to the Frogs Jr Fan Club sign-in, or drop them off at the pit gate and the Power Wheels will be brought to the front stretch at intermission.
Dirt Track Admission:
(FREE with Drag Boat ticket or two-day drag boat admission)
(All Mothers FREE for Mother’s Day courtesy Vietti Marketing Group Night at the Races)
Advance Discount Tickets online only (16 and up) – $12
Adults (16 and up) – $15
Seniors (62 and up)/Military – $12
Youth (6-15) $5
Kids (5 and under) – FREE
Family Pass – $35
Pit Pass – $35
KDBA Spring Opener on Lake Lucas: Earlier on Saturday, some of the world’s fastest boats return for the Kentucky Drag Boat Association-sanctioned KDBA Spring Opener on Lake Lucas. Ten divisions, headlined by the 200 miles-per-hour Top Alcohol Hydro boats, will be in action competing for a minimum prize purse of $33,200.
Action fires up on Saturday with qualifying and continues with eliminations throughout the day on Sunday. Gates open at 8 a.m. with racing tentatively set for 9 a.m. both days.
Drag boat tickets on Saturday or those with two-day passes will be admitted free to the Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series action on the dirt track Saturday night.
For more information on the Kentucky Drag Boat Association, including full schedule, points and entry information, click KDBA.net.
Drag Boat Saturday Admission:
(All tickets include access to the Drag Boat pit area)
Adults GA/Pit Pass combo (16 and up) – $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military GA/Pit Pass combo (62 and up) – $22
Youth GA/Pit Pass combo (age 6 to 15) – $10
Kids GA/Pit Pass combo (age 5 and under) – FREE
Family Pass GA/Pit Pass combo – $60 (includes admission for two adults and up to three kids ages 6-15)
Adult 2-Day GA/Pit Pass combo – $40
Seniors (62 and up)/Military 2-Day GA/Pit Pass combo – $34
Youth Ages (6-15) 2-Day GA/Pit Pass Combo -$15
(All Saturday and 2-Day tickets include entry to the Dirt Track Event on Saturday night)
Drag Boat Sunday Admission:
(All tickets include access to the Drag Boat pit area)
Adults GA/Pit Pass combo (16 and up) – $15
Seniors (62 and up)/Military GA/Pit Pass combo (62 and up) – $12
Youth GA/Pit Pass combo (age 6 to 15) – $5
Family Pass GA/Pit Pass Combo = $35 (Includes admission for two adults and up to three kids ages 6-15)
Kids GA/Pit Pass combo (age 5 and under) – FREE
SRX tickets remain on sale: General admission tickets for the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) race scheduled for Aug. 17 at Lucas Oil Speedway remain on sale. Some of the biggest names in racing will be on hand as the SRX Thursday Night Thunder event will be the finale in the six-race series.
Drivers announced for the Wheatland event include Tony Stewart, Kenny Wallace, Hailie Deegan, Brad Keselowski, Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman, Helio Castroneves, Clint Bowyer, reigning SRX Champion Marco Andretti, Paul Tracy and Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Tickets for the SRX event are $35 in advance and $40 at the gate (ages 16 and over). Kids (ages 6-15) will be $20 with ages 5-and-under free. Advance tickets can now be purchased via Stubwire – https://www.stubwire.com/event/srxespnthursdaynightthunder/lucasoilspeedway/wheatland/28075/ Pit passes are $50 and must be purchased the day of the event.
For information about any event at Lucas Oil Speedway in 2023 contact admissions director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email her at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.
CONTACT:
Danny Lorton
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Office: (417) 282-5984