Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Timeline of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt managing editor
Flo acquired the Lucas Oil Series on Dec. 11. (heathlawsonphotos.com)
A timeline of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, which on Thursday was acquired by streaming partner FloSports:
April 10, 2004: The Spencer Wilson-founded North America Racing Association hosts its first race at Florence Speedway in Union, Ky., with Scott Bloomquist winning the Spring 50. The race is taped for future telecast on ESPN2. NARA’s corporate sponsors include Lucas Oil Products.
March 2005: Shortly after becoming title sponsor of the NARA DirtCar Series, Lucas Oil purchases the tour, renaming it the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Mike Swims is named series manager with Spencer Wilson remaining as race director along with employees James Essex and Rick Schwallie (Greg Scheidecker is hired as special events manager).
Oct. 29, 2005: Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., sponsored by Lucas Oil Products, wraps up the first of four consecutive Lucas Oil Series championships.
July 22, 2006: The Lucas Oil Series has its first event at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., a state-of-the-art track in its first season after the former Wheatland Raceway was purchased and completely overhauled. Iowa’s Brian Birkhofer earned a $10,000 payday.
May 19, 2007: Former Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Racing Series official Ritchie Lewis is hired as Lucas Oil Series race director after Spencer Wilson is terminated because of a “misappropriation of funds and unauthorized business decisions.”
Sept. 28, 2007: Mike Swims dies after a seven-year battle with intestinal cancer. The former director of the Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Racing Series was 42.
May 23, 2009: The Lucas Oil Series becomes the first sanctioning body of the Show-Me 100 at West Plains (Mo.) Motor Speedway. The event is moved to Lucas Oil Speedway the following season.
Sept. 30, 2011: Lucas Oil purchases control of MavTV with plans for programming that includes Lucas Oil’s motorsports interests.
Oct. 15, 2011: The Lucas Oil Series sanctions the Carl Short-promoted Dirt Track World Championship for the first time with Don O’Neal scoring a $50,000 victory at Atomic Speedway near Chillicothe, Ohio.
April 20, 2016: Rick Schwallie is promoted to the series director role, replacing Ritchie Lewis.
June 30, 2022: FloSports announces a partnership with MavTV to become the Lucas Oil tour’s exclusive media rights holder. MavTV Plus live content, including the Chili Bowl Nationals, moves to the Flo platform.
Dec. 8, 2022: The Lucas Oil Series announces a shift to a playoff-style format instead of a traditional season-long points system. The initial Big River Steel Chase for the Championship is a one-race playoff but expands to multiple races for 2024-25.
Oct. 21-22, 2023: The Lucas Oil Series has its first race at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, with Brandon Sheppard winning the season-ending Dirt Track World Championship.
Oct. 18, 2024: FloRacing becomes the tour’s presenting sponsor, reflected in an updated logo.
Aug. 23, 2025: Forrest Lucas, founder of Lucas Oil products and longtime motorsports benefactor, dies at 83.
Oct. 18, 2025: Devin Moran captures his first Lucas Oil title and the record-setting $250,000 check for the champion.
Dec. 11, 2025: FloSports announces it has acquired the Lucas Oil Series from Lucas Oil Products with plans to continue series operations with the existing staff.
