Pursley savors first title at Lucas Oil Speedway
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Jason Pursley was the epitome of determination and perseverance in chasing a goal that he eluded him for nearly a quarter-century-long racing career.
But at long last, 2024 proved to be the magical season that the veteran Modified driver from Hermitage finally captured a Lucas Oil Speedway track championship after nine runner-up finishes.
Pursley, 48, took home the Arctic Food Equipment USRA Modified track championship with consistency paving the way. The superintendent of the Skyline School District had five top-five finishes and three other top-10s on his way to a 78-point margin over Chad Lyle.
After some time to reflect on the championship, Pursley said earlier this week that the warm feelings are carrying over into the wintertime.
“It means a lot just for the simple fact to finally check it off the bucket list after all these years, after coming in second so many times,” Pursley said. “It may not mean a lot to a lot of people, but I really wanted to check it off the list and finally win one there at Lucas. It takes a lot of dedication and perseverance type of deal to never give up.
“It kind of gets the monkey off my back. I’m pretty happy about it.”
After so many second-place points finishes - some by narrow margins and others that were pretty lopsided - Pursley admitted that he wasn’t sure that his time would ever come. But he never gave up, and that’s half the battle.
“I didn’t know if it would ever happen,” he said. “There were a few times I was a distant second, but there were a few times where I was pretty close. One time to Cutshaw (four-time champ Jeff Cutshaw) and another that was fairly close and it came down to the end. It just seems like somebody would get on a roll and they would have an awesome year, or we’d have trouble or whatever.
“But this year it finally paid off. We had a decent year. We were very consistent with our speeds. Top two, three or four several times and I just finally came together for us and paid off.”
Pursley said he was as happy for long-time car owner Tom Campbell as for himself. The two have been partners in the sport for 14 years, an unusually long time between driver and owner.
“I really wanted to get it for Tom. He spends a lot of money and a lot of time,” Pursley said. “We’ve been together a long time as far as driver and owner - a lot longer than most. Racing has its highs, but it has its lows, and a lot of times drivers and owners don’t make it as long as Tom and I have.
“You get mad at each other and aggravated at each other. The owner blames the driver, the driver blames the car and then usually you go separate ways. We both get aggravated at times. We have moments. But we always look at the big picture and try to get better, is what we do. We have a good friendship outside of racing and I think that helps.”
The Lucas Oil Speedway championship “right up there” among Pursley’s racing highlights. He lists two others - a 2005 season in which he won a combined 14 features at Springfield and Urbana to claim championships at both tracks and a USMTS race at Wheatland about a decade ago. He led 32 of 35 laps before finishing second to tour-regular Jason Krohn.
Pursley already is looking forward to the 2025 season, where he will return to Lucas Oil Speedway as the reigning champ for the first time. Along with Campbell, he gave shout-outs to long-time sponsors Ozarks Community Health Care in Hermitage and Fugate Motors, along with son Dayton who moved into the USRA Modified division in 2024 and finished fourth in points.
“Dayton helps me out, we help each other out,” Jason Pursley said. “Racing with him this year was a lot of fun. Just getting the cars ready is so time consuming."
Gift cards, season pass renewals available: Lucas Oil Speedway is offering gift cards in any amount - which can be used in various ways from tickets, to concessions to the Track Treasures Gift Shop - just in time for Christmas.
Season passes for the 2025 season, good for admission to all dirt-track events, also are available at a $50 discount for renewals through Dec. 31. Those renewals are $700 for adults and $600 for seniors (ages 62 and over). After Jan. 1, 2025, renewals will be $750 for adults and $650 for seniors (62 and over).
New season-pass buyers maybe purchase passes starting on Feb. 1, at $750 for adults and $650 for seniors. Meanwhile, renewals for Show-Me 100 three-day reserved passes will be Jan. 1st through 31st with new Show-Me 100 passes going on sale Feb. 1.
Contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 295-6043 or email her at nmcmillan@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.
Weekly racing in the Pitts Homes and Realty Weekly Racing Series will feature five divisions - Hermitage Lumber Late Models, Arctic Food Equipment USRA Modifieds, O'Reilly Auto Parts USRA Stocks, Clear Creek Golf Cars USRA B Mods and Hickamo Country Store Super Stocks.
The 2025 season is scheduled to fire up March 22nd with March Full Body Madness after Open Test & Tune on March 15th.
Awards Banquet approaching: The annual USRA Awards Banquet is Saturday, January 25, inside the 12,000-square-foot Star Pavilion at the Ameristar Casino Hotel located at 3200 N Ameristar Dr, Kansas City, MO 64161. This will once again be a joint celebration for the USRA and United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS). Tickets go on sale Nov. 29.
Entering its 25 season of dirt track racing in 2025, the United States Racing Association has attracted more and more racetracks and dirt track racers each year through fair, logical and cost-effective rules accompanied by an organization that puts the racers, racetracks and their fans first. During the 2024 Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series, more than 60 of America's finest dirt ovals hosted more than 1,000 nights of racing.
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