Missouri

All-Time Favorite Missouri Track:

Lion’s Park – Russellville

Current lifetime trackchasing state rank: 1

Best Memories:

I grew up in Illinois. The state of Missouri borders Illinois. Nevertheless, as a young man we never went to Missouri to see racing. Mainly, when we traveled we saw racing in Iowa and for “big-time” stock car racing we went to Milwaukee for the USAC stock car races. Milwaukee featured IndyCar racing as well. However, we were stock car fans and seeing an IndyCar type race was as likely for us to visit as a trip to the moon.

I saw my first race in Missouri at the St. Charles Speedway. One of my memories from that night was hearing Kenny Schrader interviewed by the track announcer. The famous Don Klein (above) in the #28 won the feature that night as he did for years at that track. I never did get to see any of the big ASA stock car shows at I-70 during the 70s. When I made my first visit there in 1982 the track surface had changed to dirt and Sammy Swindell was the winner.

Then, in the early 2000s I began to pick off the state’s permanent oval tracks one by one. Honestly, none made a big impression on me. In 2006 Carol and I made it to the Taj Majal of short track dirt racing, the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland. On that night we saw racing on their oval configuration and then their figure 8 track. With a zero chance of rain, it began to rain and they canceled the show at intermission. Nevertheless, the Lucas Oil Speedway might be the best short track dirt facility in the country.

In recent years I’ve discovered the figure 8 racing offered up by J&B Promotions and their owner Gary Jones. I’ve long said that Iowa, Nebraska and Michigan have the best “big car” F8 racing. Now I would tell you that the state of Missouri has the best small car figure 8 racing. That’s how Lion’s Park in Russellville became my favorite Missouri track, an honor not often given to a figure 8 track.  J&B starts 15-20 F8 cars in their feature (most F8 tracks might have five or six cars in their main) and really go at it. In 2019 I discovered the Hillbilly Speedway. They offer “po-boy” racing. It’s bump n run racing for poor boys!

If you see a track link in the above list simply click on it to be transferred to my Trackchaser Report. Here you will be able to read about my adventure at this particular track. Not only will you learn about my time at the track but you’ll hear about all of the interesting people, places and things I encountered during the entire trip, coming and going, to that speedway. Most of my Trackchaser Reports will also include a photo album and YouTube video. Check it all out. Don’t be afraid to use the “search” box in the upper right corner of my website’s home page. Just type in the track name or whatever and you’ll be directed to the place you want to be.

Below is a key to surface types and track configurations so you can understand the above list just a little bit easier.

Surface types:  D-dirt; P-paved; M-mixed

Configuration types:  O-oval; RC-road course; F8-figure 8 track