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$50,000 To Win "Gopher 50" Up Next For Lucas Oil MLRA

Wheatland, Missouri (July 6, 2023) – After suffering a complete 0 for 3 wash out this past weekend the Lucas Oil MLRA will aim to get back on track this weekend with three big nights of racing action at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, MN.

For the third consecutive season, this weekend’s NAPA Auto Parts “Gopher 50” will be co-sanctioned with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS). The crown jewel event will follow the same basic three day format as it did in 2022 with two complete qualifying nights on Thursday and Friday July 6th – 7th with each night paying $5,000 to win. Drivers will accumulate points based on their finishes in each of the two qualifying nights, setting the stage for Saturday nights 75 lap main event, which will pay out $50,000 to the feature winner.

This unique event enters its 44th season in 2023 and features a full weekend of action both on track and off the track for fans. Live bands will be performing following the racing action on both Thursday and Friday night, while a Corn-Hole Tournament and driver autograph session will highlight the pre-race activities on Saturday.

One year ago, Brandon Overton captured his first career Gopher 50 title in front of a record crowd. Overton had to hold off a late race charge from 12th starting Chris Madden in the closing laps, including a three lap dash to the checkered following the events third caution on lap 72. Tim McCreadie rounded out the podium in third while Mike Marlar and Ricky Weiss completed the top five.

With this past weekend’s washout, Chad Simpson will continued to carry the Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler into action this weekend, indicative of being the point leader on the Lucas Oil MLRA side of the co-sanctioned event. Simpson holds a 185 point advantage over his brother Chris Simpson, a former MLRA winner at Deer Creek from the 2021 race season. Garrett Alberson will enter the weekend 3rd, just 20 points out of the runner-up position, while rookies Dillon McCowan and Tyler Stevens round out the top five.

TURN FOUR NEWS & NOTES:

Garrett Alberson, the defending LOLMDS Rookie of the year and the 2021 MLRA series runner-up didn’t have intentions of following the full MLRA schedule coming into 2023, but timely rainouts have placed him in a potentially precarious position. As we enter the 2nd half of the season the Las Cruces, NM native has yet to miss a single event on either side of the LOLMDS or MLRA schedule. This past weekend’s rainouts on the MLRA side leaves only a Labor Day weekend schedule conflict for the driver of the Roberts Motorsports # 58.

Alberson still has some ground to make-up on the Simpson brothers over the next three MLRA events at Deer Creek Speedway, Lucas Oil Speedway, and the I-70 Motorsports Park, if he intends to contend for the MLRA Series title. If he can close the gap or get another timely rainout on either side of his potential Labor Day weekend schedule, it could make for a very interesting and unexpected title run heading into October.

I-70 Make-up Announced: MLRA teams will get another shot at the “Firecracker 40” that was claimed this past Saturday by Mother Nature. The show at the I-70 Motorsports Park just east of Kansas City in Odessa, MO now moves down the schedule a couple of weeks to Sunday night July 16th. This event will follow on the heels of the 17th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals on Saturday night July 15th at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO.

Deer Creek Speedway: Spring Valley, MN—“Gopher 50” Thursday 7/6/23
Gates: 3:00 PM
Racing: Hot Laps - 6:30 PM, Racing to follow
Admission: Adults $35, Senior 65+ & Students 13-17 $35, Kids 12 & Under $15
Support Classes: USRA Modifieds $1,000 to Win
Website: www.deercreekspeedway.com

Deer Creek Speedway: Spring Valley, MN—“Gopher 50” Friday 7/7/23
Gates: 3:00 PM
Racing: Hot Laps - 6:30 PM, Racing to follow
Admission: Adults $35, Senior 65+ & Students 13-17 $35, Kids 12 & Under $15
Support Classes: USRA Modifieds $1,000 to Win

Deer Creek Speedway: Spring Valley, MN—“Gopher 50” Saturday 7/8/23
Gates: 3:00 PM
Racing: Hot Laps - 6:30 PM, Racing to follow
?Admission: Adults $40, Senior 65+ & Students 13-17 $40, Kids 12 & Under $20
Support Classes: USRA Modifieds $5,000 to Win

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