Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: No slowing down for Wells heading into Spring Nationals
2025-04-09 20:42
dirtFan website https://dirtfan.com/dirtfan/assets/graphics/dirtfan-200x200.jpg
WHEATLAND, MO. (April 9, 2025) - Justin Wells jokes that it's a shame a milestone birthday is in the not-too-distant future. The half-century mark can be daunting. No matter the chosen occupation, it is supposed to mean a slower pace.
But Wells, 48, instead is ready to pick up the pace in 2025. He plans a semi-regular schedule of Open Late Model racing after dominating en route to back-to-back Hermitage Lumber Late Model track championships at Lucas Oil Speedway.
The Ozarks Area Racers Foundation Hall of Famer from Aurora, a one-time force on the regional racing scene, flashed that he still had the ability last October with runs of third and fourth in the Lucas Oil MLRA Fall Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway.
"That's what we're building on," Wells said this week. "It's been a long time since we concentrated on Super Late Model racing. I've got the best cars and best motors and best of everything that I've ever owned.
"It's a shame that I'm getting close to 50," he added with a chuckle. "I want to give it a whirl before … I'm not saying that I'm ready to quit, but I don't have a ton of racing left in me. Me and my wife (Missy) talked and with my crew guys and we said, 'Let's give it all we've got and if it don't work out, that's all right. If it does, that's gonna be cool.'"
Wells is looking forward to mixing it up with an expected top-notch field at the 12th annual Lucas Oil Speedway Spring Nationals Presented by Iconic Apparel, this Friday and Saturday. With the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series off this week, defending Show-Me 100 winner Jonathan Davenport and other national-touring drivers are expected, with top prizes of $7,000 on Friday and $20,000 on Saturday.
"Everybody wants to tune up for the Show-Me 100 and I think you're going to draw a lot of good guys, like Davenport and some of them. It should be a good show for the fans," Wells said.
After winning 23 feature races in the Weekly Racing Series at Lucas Oil Speedway the last two years, Wells said he doesn't have a lot of home-track advantage because the power of the Open Late Models make it a different ballgame compared to the limited motor.
Wells is looking forward to putting his focus on the open division this season. He said he has two open motors available for his two cars - a 2006 TNT chassis that he calls "Old Faithful" that has 116 feature wins and a TNT he debuted last year by making the Show-Me 100 starting field, plus the strong Fall Nationals runs.
"Mainly that's all we're gonna do this year," he said of open racing. "We're just hit anything within about a three-hour radius and try that this year.
"The Old Faithful car, we're gonna take our open motor that we ran last year and put that in it … and we're gonna run the new ULRA Series and Revival Series and and use that car for the smaller tracks.
"These motors any more, they so high-dollar that you have to have a reason to run 'em. You can't just take it to a $1,000 or $1,500 to win show. There's got to be some money on the line where you think you have a chance to win something."
Wells broke out the newer car last earlier this spring at Springfield Raceway, but struggled with finishes outside the top 10. He figured to be better prepared for this weekend.
"We're jacked up about it," Wells said. "We didn't start off very good at Springfield, but it was mainly because we weren't really ready to go. Now we've had these three weeks off and I feel good about where we're at."
The Hickamo Super Stocks also will be in action both nights, chasing $650 to win on Friday and $1,000-to-win on Saturday. The Show-Me Vintage Racers complete the show lineups on both nights.
The first 500 fans through the gate receive a free 2025 Lucas Oil Speedway schedule magnet courtesy of City Magnet.
Pit gates and grandstands open at 4 p.m. both days with hot laps at 6:30 and opening ceremonies set for 7.
A practice session will be held on Thursday from 6-9 p.m. Pit passes are $35.
Iconic Apparel, based in Belton, Mo., is the Official Merchandise Provider for the Lucas Oil Speedway. Iconic Apparel offers fans that attend Lucas Oil Speedway events a wide selection of branded apparel and collectables. Iconic Apparel will also provide custom orders on merchandise, designs and apparel for racers, race tracks and businesses needing specific custom merchandise. To learn more about Iconic Apparel visit its website at iconicapparelkc.com.
Friday admission:
Advance Discount Tickets online only (13 and up) - $22
Adults (13 and up) - $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $22
Youth (6-12) - $10
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $60
Pit Pass - $40
Saturday admission:
Advance Discount Tickets online only (13 and up) - $27
Adults (13 and up) - $30
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $27
Youth (6-12) - $10
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $70
Pit Pass - $45
For information on tickets or camping for any Lucas Oil Speedway event in 2025, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 295-6043 or email her at nmcmillan@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.
CONTACT:
Danny Lorton
Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager
Office: (417) 282-5984
DLorton@lucasoilspeedway.com
# # #
Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is available. With its entrance located just outside the pit gate, this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience.
For ticket and camping information and everything about the Show-Me 100 event, visit www.LucasOilSpeedway.com for all the 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 X, clicking "Like" at www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway
Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived race recaps, previews and driver features, along with ticket information and schedules can be found by visiting LucasOilSpeedway.com.
About Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway is considered by fans, drivers and industry insiders to be one of the top racing facilities in the nation. Located in Wheatland, Mo., approximately an hour from Springfield and just an hour and a half from the Kansas City metro area, the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" lives up to its title.
Twenty-One VIP Luxury Suites, HD Jumbo-Tron Screen, Stadium Style Musco Sports Lighting, a Bose Sound System, Go-Kart Slick Track, The Diamond Bar, Track Treasures Gift Shop, the best track food in the country and paved pits are a few of the spectacular amenities setting the Diamond of Dirt apart. This year marks the 12th season for the Liquid Quarter Mile Drag Racing Lake, "Lake Lucas." New for 2017 was all-purpose built Off Road facility featuring a host of regional events.
Lucas Oil Speedway's dirt oval track plays host to some of the largest and most-popular events in the Midwest with national and regional touring series appearing frequently including: The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, United States Modified Touring Series and the High Limit Sprint Racing Series, POWRi Sprint Cars and POWRi WAR Sprints.
In addition to the special events, the Lucas Oil Speedway Weekly Racing Series features the Late Models, USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods and Super Stocks.
2025 Official Lucas Oil Speedway Marketing Partners
Bill Roberts Chevrolet
"The Official Truck" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Dixie Chopper
"The Official Mowers of Lucas Oil Speedway"
Iconic Apparel
"The Official Merchandise Provider of Lucas Oil Speedway"
Lucas Oil Products
"The Official Oil" of Lucas Oil Speedway
MAVTV
"The Official Television Network" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper
"The Official Soft Drink" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Rugged Radios
"The Official 2-Way Communications Provider" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Summit Racing Equipment
"The Official Sponsor" of Lucas Oil Speedway
Sunoco Race Fuels
"The Official Fuel" of Lucas Oil Speedway
2025 Lucas Oil Speedway Supporters Include:
AM Pyrotechnics, Alliance Sport Marketing, Arctic Food Equipment, Berry Tractor and Equipment Co., Big Adventure RV, Bill Roberts Chevrolet, Bolivar Auto Sales & Detailing, Bolivar Farmers Exchange-MFA, Boubin Tire/American Racer, Bridal Cave, BWI Sanitation, Candlelight Creations-Dick's Wild Root Horseradish, Casey's, Citizens Memorial Healthcare, City Magnet, Clear Creek Golf Cars, Clearlight Inn, Dixie Chopper, Eibach Springs, Encounter Ministry Inc., FSE Fire Systems, Fast Shafts by Axle Exchange, Foley Equipment-Cat Rental Store, Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare, Henry's Towing Service, Heritage Tractor, Hermitage Lumber, HICKAMO Country Store, Hobbytime Motorsports, Iconic Apparel, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps, In the Garden of Eden, Kluhsman Racing Components, Kona Ice, Lucas Cattle Company, MD3, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welding, Missouri Division of Tourism, MyRacePass, Nutrien Ag Solutions, OakStar Bank, O'Bannon Bank, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Outerwears Performance Products, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper, Ozarks Community Health Center, PEM, Pitts Homes, Pitts Realty, Pitts Cattle, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, RCR Designs, Real Racing Wheels, Rod End Supply, Rugged Radios, Ryan E. Murphy Law Firm LLC, SBU Athletics, Safety Kleen, Scott Furniture, Sidetrack RV Park, SMSI, Southwest Electric Cooperative, State Tech, Summit Racing Equipment, Sunoco Race Fuels, Super 8 Bolivar Mo., Turn 1 Bar & Grill, US Army Corps of Engineers-Pomme de Terre, Vietti Marketing Group, Wheatland Motel, White's Marine Center, Wieland, Woods Supermarkets.