WEST PLAINS, Mo.—This weekend will be the second free grandstand event of the season at Legit Speedway Park in West Plains, Mo., as they honor those in the Timber Industry.

Logger Appreciation Night is sponsored by a host of local businesses and will draw a crowd anticipated to be between 3,000 and 5,000 folks.

Timber is the no. 1 agricultural product in Missouri and the local Ozarks, and employs over 41,000 people statewide.

Realizing how important the timber industry is to our local communities, the Stolba’s, owners of Legit Speedway, wanted to pay special tribute to the local loggers.

There will be a “Picker Race” for the folks who want to bring their picker trucks and race to load logs into a prescribed area. There’s $200 cash and a trophy for the winner.

Also on hand to entertain the crowd Saturday evening will be Aaron Hovis. Hovis graduated in May from Three Rivers College and is a finalist in the STIHL Timbersports Competition, with the national final to be held in Central Park, New York, on June 20.

Hovis will be performing some of the timbersports events during breaks and intermission at the track. He is also part of the Timberworks Lumber Jack Show, which travels the U.S. and Canada performing lumber jack events. They may be seen at the Dixie Stampede in Branson, June 30 through July 4.

Saturday will see lots of racing, with a full night of points races on tap.

Last Saturday’s USRA-B-Mod race to the finish saw Toby Thompson of Mountain Grove out-maneuver Rustin Miller of Houston in turns 3-4 of the final lap to take the checkered flag.

Thompson and Miller are now tied for the points lead in the USRA B-Mods at 195. Carl Murphy of Caulfield, Dustin Shaw of Thomasville and Lonnie Judd of Caulfield round out the top five in the USRA B-Mod division, and just 32 points separate fifth-place Judd and the points leaders.

“We are being tough in tech because we want the races to be fair to everyone. It’s unpopular with some folks, but in the long run its going to make this a premier track” said Gary Stolba, owner of Legit Speedway.

On Thursday a group of 300 elementary school students from West Plains were on a field trip to Legit Speedway Park where they learned about the pre-race tech inspection, how the starting positions in the heat races are determined, a behind-the-scenes look at the broadcasters booth and what it will take to make Saturday’s races a success. The kids loved the outing, and were excited to see the cars and meet the owners and some of the drivers.

The gates will open a 4 p.m. on Saturday. Free tickets are available at participating sponsors. The sponsors list along with this week’s Driver Spotlight Video and other related items may be seen at www.legitspeedway.com.

“I just want to say thanks to Gary Stolba and the whole crew at LSP for bringing back one of the best tracks in the country in my opinion,” said Peyton Taylor on the Legit Speedway Park Facebook page. “Absolutely the best sponsor recognition I've seen on social media yet, along with visiting your local racers.”

There will be lots of fun for the whole family, lots of give-a-ways and a great evening of entertainment await you at Legit Speedway Park on 63 Highway south of West Plains. You may also like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/legitspeedwaypark.