Lucas Oil sets rich Chase for Championship
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship race will undergo a major overhaul for 2023, debuting a new elimination-style format designed to reward the “worthiest, battle-tested driver at the end of the season” while adding more than $470,000 to the points fund to push the cash awards for the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship presented by ARP to more than $1 million. | Complete PRI coverage
Under the new model, the field will be whittled down through four rounds of eliminations throughout the season to a Final Four of drivers who will compete in Oct. 20-21’s season-ending Dirt Track World Championship at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, with an equal chance to win the championship. The first driver among the final quartet to cross the finish line in the DTWC will be crowned the 2023 Lucas Oil Series champion and receive a record $200,000, up $50,000 from this year’s title prize.
Four elimination rounds will gradually reduce the number of contenders, with all remaining drivers following each round receiving cash bonuses:
• The top 15 drivers in the standings will split $16,000 ($2,500 to first, $500 for 15th) upon completion of the Sunoco Road to Wheatland, which ends with May 27’s Show-Me 100 at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.
• A dozen drivers will make up the Summit Racing Equipment Super Twelve and divide $16,000 ($5,000 to first, $1,000 to 12th) after July 15’s Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway.
• The top eight drivers after Aug. 26’s Rumble by the River at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway will comprise the UNOH Great Eight and share $16,000 ($7,500 for first, $1,500 for eighth).
• The Big River Steel Big Four drivers will be left standing after Sept. 30’s Pittsburgher at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway and head to the DTWC having split another $16,000 in bonuses ($10,000 for first and $2,000 to each of the other three).
Drivers will continue to earn points at every event throughout the season based on the traditional championship point structure. For the DTWC, however, the points for Final Four drivers will be consolidated to put them on even footing to determine the season’s champion by finishing position.
In a press release announcing the new program, Lucas Oil Series director Rick Schwallie (pictured right) noted that just twice in tour history has the championship been contested at the season finale.
“Not only will the crown jewel (event at Eldora) pay $100,000-to-win, but now the race-inside-the-race is worthy of the persona that is the Dirt Track World Championship,” Schwallie said. “For us to be proud of this program there were two key factors. First, the event needed to be contested at the speedway that Dirt Late Model racing racing calls home — Eldora. Second, the four finalists contending for a national title needed to be well compensated for their efforts all season. The unwavering dedication of Lucas Oil, our exclusive broadcast partner FloRacing and our great marketing partners allow us to (offer the new program).”
The top 12 drivers in the final points standings will share in a $935,000 points fund starting at $200,000 to the champion and continuing down to $150,000, $125,000, $100,000, $75,000, $60,000 through sixth place. Seventh through 12th pays $50,000, $45,000, $40,000, $35,000, $30,000 and $25,000. The $66,000 in elimination-round bonuses pushes the total 2023 points payout to $1,001,000.
