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Lucas Oil Speedway Preseason Spotlight: Cox looks to build on hot Late Model finish

WHEATLAND, MO. (Jan. 12, 2023) - Tucker Cox finished the 2022 racing season in a rush, then it was over.

Cox captured a long-sought first Late Model feature victory at Lucas Oil Speedway, along with two feature triumphs at Callaway Raceway. Now with a new season approaching, the 23-year-old from Jefferson City is eager to try and carry over the momentum.

"It was pretty good overall," Cox said of last season. "I was a little frustrated about midway through the year, but at the end we won three of the last four races. We started getting the car figured out."

Cox wound up a distant second to veteran Larry Ferris in the Lucas Oil Speedway Hermitage Lumber Late Model points chase as Ferris had a dominant season. But Cox, who's still learning the Late Model game, is planning an ambitious schedule in 2023 with 39 events planned, between Lucas and Callaway.

"With a couple of other places, we hope to run 43 total," said Cox, who said his MB Customs race car is just about ready to roll after a motor freshening and usual offseason maintenance.

Cox, the son of long-time Late Model regional racer Chris Cox, said the car started to come around when he stopped trying to throw the kitchen sink at it between his heat race and the feature. Things clicking the final Saturday night of August at Wheatland when he led all 20 laps to prevail, by 1.5 seconds over Matt Becker.

"Winning that first (feature at Lucas) meant a lot because we finally got everything going the right direction," Cox said. "We weren't really far off. Larry Ferris was really good. We just needed to not change so much from the heat race to the feature.

"That was the biggest thing. I was over-adjusting a little bit for the feature. It was more my fault than anything really. We changed a few things on the shocks and springs and that was really about it."

As for 2023 goals, Cox is ready to raise his standard. He recently told his dad he wants to win at least 10 features this season.

"I think that’s a pretty good goal," he said. "As far as the points go, I’d like to win Wheatland’s track championship as well as Callaway’s. But I’m not gonna get too worried about points. Just gonna try to win all I can and go from there."

Cox knows that Ferris will be tough to beat, but he welcomes the challenge.

"Larry and Brian Larimore worked really hard last year," Cox said. "Larry’s a really good driver and he’s been racing for a long time. It’s hard to compete with him, but I’m glad he races with us. That makes me better and everybody else better, too."

When Lucas Oil Speedway released the schedule, which finds the season opening several weeks earlier than it did a year ago, Cox smiled. That's when his idea of a busy workload, of 39 or more races, kicked in.

"I’m real excited because Wheatland is starting a little bit earlier," he said. "I like starting earlier. Hopefully if we have troubles, we get those out of the way early. Hopefully we don’t have any. The main thing is starting the season out a little stronger than last year.”

Cox said he's seeking addition sponsors or marketing partners to join a lineup that includes State Technical College, Cole County Upholstery, Extreme Racing Oil, MB Custom, Yeoman Race Engines, C&S Exteriors andAdvanced Heating and Cooling.

Season openers: Lucas Oil Speedway's schedule begins with an open Test and Tune set for March 18 followed by the Big Adventure Weekly Racing Series Weekly Opener on March 25. Classes in action include the Hermitage Lumber Late Models, Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stock Cars, and the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods. The Hermitage Lumber Late Models will be running a special 25-lap $1,000-to-win featured event.

Major event ticket reminders: Fans are reminded that reserved three-day pass renewals for the 31st annual Show-Me 100 Presented by Protecttheharvest.com, May 25-27, are now available.

Three-day pass renewals for the event are $115 and can be purchased through the Lucas Oil Speedway office by calling Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email her at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information. The renewals are available through Jan. 31. After that, the three-day reserved seats will be available for anyone to purchase. Each pass is for one reserved stadium-style seat, complete with high backs and armrests located in the top six rows of the main grandstand.

Fans also can now purchase online tickets for general admission for the Show-Me 100 and the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) race at Lucas Oil Speedway, scheduled for Aug. 17th. The SRX Thursday Night Thunder event will be the finale in the six-race series, which features some of racing's biggest names.

Show-Me 100 general admission three-day tickets through Stubwire are $100 for adults, $91 seniors/military and $30 for youth. Those can be found at https://www.stubwire.com/event/31stannuallucasoilshowme100/lucasoilspeedway/wheatland/28138/

Tickets for the SRX event will be $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/

Season Passes available: Season ticket holders also can insure they have a seat for all three nights of the Show-Me 100 and the SRX event by purchasing a season pass. Those prices are:

Adults (Age 16-61) - $650 (dirt-track only), $750 (all speedway events)
Seniors (Age 62 and up) - $550 (dirt track only), $650 (all speedway events)

Contact 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
DLorton@lucasoilspeedway.com
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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.

Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With its entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks.

Click LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984. The Lucas Oil Speedway EZ Texting number is (417) 804-4141.

In addition, fans can get social with Lucas Oil Speedway by following @LucasSpeedway on Twitter, clicking "Like" at www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway

About Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway is considered by fans, drivers and industry insiders to be one of the top five racing facilities in the nation. Located in Wheatland, Missouri, approximately an hour from Springfield, Missouri, 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, POWRi Midget National Series, Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League, United States Modified Touring Series, ASCS Sprint Cars and the Lucas Oil MLRA.

In addition to the special events, the Lucas Oil Speedway Weekly Racing Series features the Late Models, USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods.

2023 Official Lucas Oil Speedway Marketing Partners

Arizona Sport Shirts
"The Official Merchandise Provider" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick
"The Official Truck" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Dixie Chopper
"The Official Mowers of Lucas Oil Speedway"

General Tire
"The Official Tire" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Lucas Oil Products
"The Official Oil" of Lucas Oil Speedway

MAVTV
"The Official Television Network" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Optima Batteries
"The Official Battery" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper
"The Official Soft Drink" of Lucas Oil Speedway

RacingJunk.com
"The Official Classifieds" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Rugged Radios
"The Official 2-Way Communications Provider" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Sunoco Race Fuels
"The Official Fuel" of Lucas Oil Speedway

Super Clean
"The Official Sponsor" of Lucas Oil Speedway

2023 Lucas Oil Speedway Supporters Include:
AM Pyrotechnics, Arizona Sport Shirts, Berry Tractor and Equipment Co., Big Adventure RV, Bill Roberts Chevrolet-Buick, Bolivar Auto Sales & Detailing, Bolivar Farmers Exchange-MFA, Boone's BBQ Barn, Boubin Tire/American Racer, Branstetter & Lightfoot LLC, Bridal Cave, BWI Sanitation, Camden on the Lake Resort, Candlelight Creations-Dick's Wild Root Horseradish, Casey's, Cedar Creek Beef Jerky, Citizens Memorial Healthcare, City Magnet, Clearlight Inn, Comfort Inn-Bolivar, DirtonDirt.com, Dixie Chopper, eBay Motors, Eibach Springs, Farmers Insurance Agent Kristy Reynolds, Fast Shafts by Axle Exchange, Foley Equipment-Cat Rental Store, Frog Signs, Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare, Hermitage Lumber, HICKAMO Country Store, Highway 54 RV Park, Hobbytime Motorsports, Hoosier Race Tires, Impact Signs Awnings Wraps, In the Garden of Eden, Kettle Treats, Keyser Manufacturing, Kluhsman Racing Components, Kona Ice, Lucas Cattle Company, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welding, Missouri Division of Tourism, MyRacePass, Nutrien Ag Solutions, OakStar Bank, O'Bannon Bank, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Ozark Golf Cars, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper, Ozarks Community Health Center, PEM, Pitts Homes, Pitts Realty, Pitts Cattle, ProThings Apparel, RACEceiver, Racinboys.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, Rains Ice Company, Real Racing Wheels, Rod End Supply, Ron Jenkins Accounting & Tax Service, Rugged Radios, Ryan E. Murphy Law Firm LLC, SBU Athletics, Safety Kleen, Scott Furniture, Simpson Racing Products, Southwest Electric Cooperative, Stillwater Resort, Summit Racing Equipment, Sunoco Race Fuels, US Army Corps of Engineers-Pomme de Terre, Vietti Marketing Group, Wheatland Motel, White's Marine Center, Wild Animal Safari, Woods Supermarkets, Wrisco Industries.

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