Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: Turner's final ride set for Rempfer Memorial Season Championship Night
2025-08-22 14:30
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WHEATLAND, MO. (Aug. 20, 2025) - One of the best-known drivers to compete at Lucas Oil Speedway and throughout the Ozarks-area over the last three decades is set to make one final run on Saturday night.
Eric Turner from nearby Hermitage is scheduled to drive the USRA B-Mod of Robbe Ewing during the Rempfer Memorial Season Championship Night Presented by Bill Roberts Chevrolet. Turner, 47, said that he will hang up the helmet afterward with no regrets.
The idea of finishing with an even number of 30 season behind the race-car wheel began last season, after Turner got attractive offers on his motor, car and then hauler. He wasn't looking to sell everything, but upon further review it seemed the perfect time to scale back.
But Turner wanted to race one more time in 2025 and the Ewing family offered up their USRA B-Mod for the Pitts Homes & Realty Weekly Racing Series finale.
"It wasn't like I was giving stuff away just to get out of racing," Turner said of the selling of his equipment. "I was like, 'I think I'm gonna hang it up.' This was a good time to go out. I'm not spending a bunch of money. All the cards just kind of fell into place.
"I just wanted to race one time because that'll be 30 years. Not that it makes a difference or means anything to anybody. But to me it seems like a good spot. If I was to race one time, it was enough that I could be personally satisfied and that I put my time in.
"The Ewings have been good friends of mine. It's been about a month since I talked to them, I guess. The year is clicking by, so I guess I needed to make a decision. The year is winding down."
Robbe Ewing will be focusing on protecting his lead in the Hermitage Lumber Late Model division in pursuit of his first track championship. It's a place where Turner won a track championship more than 20 years ago, when it looked much different as Wheatland Raceway before Ron Jenkins sold the property to Forrest and Charlotte Lucas.
Over the years, Turner has driven in most every class from his start driving what he called "an old asphalt car on the dirt" at Nevada Speedway. Ozarks Area Racers Foundation Hall of Fame member Rex Merritt was an early mentor and inspiration, beginning when he autographed a picture for a 13-year-old Turner.
"Rex called Mike Clark with Dirtworks and got me on a program and that's where it all really started," Turner recalled. "I got into a good car and eventually into a better car and it went from there."
Turner moved through the ranks and compiled more than 200 career feature wins. He became one of the region's top Modified drivers and even competed in some Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events. One of his most-memorable nights was winning in three divisions in 2007 at Wheatland - Late Models, Modifieds and Stock Cars.
"I was jumping from one car to the next and took them each through the tech barn at the end of the night," Turner said. "I don't know what the highlight of my racing career is. It's difficult when you've traveled around and run a bunch of classes. I'm grateful for all of it."
Along with Merritt, Turner mentioned Scotty Allen and Terry Phillips as key influences in his career along with Terry Pannell for financing his Late Model days. Another highlight was off the track, when he worked for Roush-Yates Racing as an ambassador to help the NASCAR-based engine company connect with dirt teams around the country.
"It's been a good time," Turner said of his racing career.
Lucas Oil Speedway will crown track champions in five divisions on Saturday night in a program named to honor Harold "Rowdy" Rempfer and his wife, Julia, who were killed in an automobile accident seven years ago. Rowdy was the mayor of Wheatland and he and Julia both worked at Lucas Oil Speedway.
Twenty-lap features are schedule for the Hermitage Lumber Late Models, Arctic Food Equipment USRA Modifieds, Clear Creek Golf Cars USRA B-Mods, O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars and Hickamo Super Stocks.
In addition, the final round of the Kids' Power Wheel Races will be held during intermission with season championships awarded to the youngsters. The kids can sign up to race at the RCR Designs Junior Fan Club on the midway prior to Saturday's action.
Pits and spectator gates open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.
Saturday admission:
Ages 6 and up - $5
Ages 5 and under - FREE
Pit Pass - $35
Camping: Daily rates (limited availability):
Dry Camping $15/Night (up to 6 people) ($5 additional a night per person)
Reserve Dry $25/Night (up to 6 people $5 additional a night per person)
Reserved Electric & Water- $40/Night (up to 6 people) ($5 additional a night per person)
For information on admission or camping for any Lucas Oil Speedway event in 2025, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-6119 or (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
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.