Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: Minnesota transplant Gudmonson making a USRA Modified impact
2025-06-19 18:38
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WHEATLAND, MO. (June 18, 2025) - One of the new names on the Arctic Food Equipment USRA Modified scene in 2025 at Lucas Oil Speedway is Troy Gudmonson, a Minnesota native who's re-located to southwest Missouri.
Gudmonson works for Terry Phillips, one of the biggest names in Missouri racing. The 23-year-old, driving a Bloodline Race Car by Phillips, has put together three top-10 runs in four events this season to rank fourth in track points.
"It's been going pretty good. Every time I've gone out it's gotten better and better," Gudmonson said. "I got myself a Bloodline over the winter after having a GRT last year. Every time I go out I keep learning stuff and I kind of keep progressing."
Gudmonson grew up in Savage, Minn., about 30 minutes south of Minneapolis and started driving quarter midgets at the age of six. He climbed behind the wheel of a Modified for the first time at 14. While he's a first-generation race-car driver, Gudmonson said the passion for motorsports in his family runs deep.
Both his dad and grandfather have been dirt-track fans for years and Troy's parents even spent their honeymoon taking in the Knoxville Nationals in Iowa. The streak of attending the Knoxville Nationals is at about 23 years, the same as Troy's age.
The connection with Phillips was sparked when Phillips posted some used tires for sale on Facebook marketplace. The Gudmonson team bought about 30 of them and picked them at Cedar Lake Speedway when Phillips was racing there.
"That's when I got my feet wet a little bit, asking (Phillips) what it was like working on race cars full time," Gudmonson said. "At that time I was about 16 and didn't know what I wanted to do after high school. Terry told me to contact him after high school. He's pretty strict on schooling.
"I turned 18 and the summer after graduation he gave me a call and said, 'Hey, I need a crew guy.' It kind of went from there."
Gudmonson moved to Springfield at 18 and worked in Phillips' shot the summer after he graduated. But after a year and a half, he moved back home.
"Then in May of last year I moved back here and I'm completely relocated now," Gudmonson said.
Phillips has been like a college professor, teaching Gudmonson various aspects of racing. One especially stands out to the young student.
"That first time around I learned a lot," Gudmonson said. "But this second time around I've learned a lot more about set-up and being able to translate it. You could say that I learn something every day.
"Terry and his whole family treat me like family and that's something I'm grateful for."
Gudmonson's sponsors include Terry Phillips Racing and Bloodline Race Cars, Charlson Body Repair, Hanson Farms and High Side Welding. He also gave a special shout-out to Dan Wheeler and Teresa Duda from Minnesota, who were instrumental early in his Modified career.
"I was really green when I got into Modified racing and (they) helped me tremendously," Gudmonson said. "All of those people, I consider them like family."
The Arctic Food Equipment USRA Modifieds will run a special 25-lap, $1,000-to-win feature on Saturday to highlight Pitts Homes and Realty Weekly Racing Series Round 7. The Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods, O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars, Hickamo Super Stocks and Hermitage Lumber Late Models also will be in action.
Fans can enjoy a free night at the races while helping out their neighbors in need during the annual Ozarks Food Harvest Food Drive Night at the Races. Usual grandstand admission is $5, but fans will be admitted free by bringing four non-perishable food items to the front gate.
Pit gates and grandstands open at 4 p.m., with hot laps at 6:30 and opening ceremonies at 7.
Dirt track Saturday admission:
*General admission (6 and up) - $5
General admission (5 and under) - FREE
Pit pass - $35
* General admission FREE with four non-perishable food items
Bicycle donations sought: The biggest night of the racing season for kids is just a couple of weeks away at Lucas Oil Speedway and track officials need assistance in making some dreams come true for the youngsters.
Casey's Thursday Night Thunder Kids' Night at the Races is set for July 3rd with a big post-race fireworks display capping the night of racing. But perhaps the biggest highlight will occur during intermission with the annual kids' bicycle giveaway on the midway.
The speedway is rounding up new bicycles and is asking fans, drivers and sponsors for help in either donating bikes for kids up to age 12 or money that can be used to purchase the bicycles. Youngsters ages 5 through 12 can sign up at the RCR Designs Jr Fan Club table before intermission for a chance to enter a drawing for the new bicycles of various sizes.
For more information about the bicycle giveaway and how to donate, contact the speedway office at (417) 282-5984.
RCR Junior Fan Club: The RCR Junior Fan Club Kids' Pit Tour continues this Saturday. Youngsters can sign up on the midway for the fan club before 5 p.m. and be a part of a drawing to join flagman Chris Loberg on a golf-car tour of the pits to meet drivers.
Ticket or camping questions: For information on admission 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
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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., US Army Corps of Engineers-Pomme de Terre, Vietti Marketing Group, WacoBill.com, Wheatland Motel, White's Marine Center, Wieland, Woods Supermarkets.