Media Contact: Trenton Berry
trenton@racindirt.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Wheatland, Missouri (August 30, 2016) - A pair of racing icons will be remembered this weekend when the Lucas Oil MLRA swings into action.

Racing starts Friday night at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, with the running of the Clyde Ellis Memorial. Saturday action hits Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri, for the running of the Larry Phillips Memorial.

"Both night's are going to be big this weekend," commented Assistant Series Director Ernie Leftwich. "We get to remember a couple of very important people in our sport, at a pair of great tracks. The staff and drivers are ready to get after it!"

In the Kansas City area, few names in racing loom larger than the late Clyde Ellis. Owner of Seeburg Muffler, Ellis is held in the highest regard around the area and beyond. His contributions to racing throughout his life were numerous.

"There are a lot of things we would not have in the Kansas City area without Clyde's generosity," commented the RacinBoys' Kirk Elliott. "I'm not real sure Lakeside Speedway would exist today without him. When the old track closed in 1998, he was instrumental in opening the current facility. Clyde was a stabilizing force for the track early on, and a major figure in racing during his lifetime. Clyde was also special for the way he went about his business. He did a lot behind the scenes and never asked for a return."

Friday's show will pay $3,000 to win. Jesse Stovall was the winner of this race last season. Lakeside Speedway is a favorite of many of the competitors and always provides outstanding racing.

Saturday's stop at Lucas Oil Speedway will remember and pay tribute to one of the very best short track racers ever, Larry Phillips. Phillips list of accomplishments come from a range of tracks across the entire country. The one most recall from memory first is the five NASCAR Weekly National Championships, which to date has never been duplicated.

Phillips son, Terry, currently sits second in the MLRA standings, the winner of the two previous races.

Many knew Larry in one capacity or another. Rogersville, Missouri's Terry Brumley raced against Larry Phillips and worked for him for nearly a decade, while running a car he owned two of those years.

"Larry was like a big brother to me," stated Brumley, a 2009 inductee into the Ozarks Area Racers Association Hall of Fame. "When I worked for him, through most of the seventies, he expected eight hours work for eight hours pay. Larry was always thinking about how to make his car faster. When I raced for him we were always running two totally different setups at the same track, just to try and learn something to get better. Larry was one of the five most driven people I've ever been around in racing."

Brumley readily admits it was not always chipper around the shop, especially when he got the best of Phillips on a given weekend.

"When I was running for him we were really pretty even. There were plenty of times after I won, it was a challenge for me to go work in his shop the following Monday!"

Saturday's tilt pays the winner $5,075. Last season RC Whitwell captured the checkers. It was his first Lucas Oil MLRA victory.

Saturday's race also runs in conjunction with the Diamond Drag Boat Nationals at Lake Lucas. Fans are welcome to come to the speedway early and take in all or part of the day's festivities.

Jesse Stovall continues to lead the point standings. Positions two through five belong to Terry Phillips, Tad Pospisil, Dave Eckrich and Tony Jackson Jr. Including the two shows this weekend, five races remain in the 2016 season.

Lakeside Speedway Information 9/2/16
Gates: 5:00 PM
Racing: Hot Laps 7:00 PM, Racing 7:30 PM
Admission: Adults $20, Seniors/Military $17, Suites (Adult) $30, Suites (Kids 2-12) $10, Terrace $20, Pit Pass $30
Support Classes: USRA Divisions - Modifieds, B-Mods, Stock Cars and unsanctioned Factory Stocks
Website: LakesideSpeedway.net 

Lucas Oil Speedway Information 9/3/16
Gates: 5:00 PM
Racing: Hot Laps 7:00 PM, Racing 7:30 PM
Admission: Adults $20, Seniors (62 and Up)/Military $17, Youth (12-15) $5, Kids (11 and Under) FREE, Family Pass $40, Pit Pass $35
Support Class: USRA Modifieds ($1,000 to Win)
Website: LucasOilSpeedway.com  

For all of the latest news and information fans are encouraged to visit the series website at www.MLRARacing.com.
  
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