Lake Cumberland Speedway
1 Racetrack Road
Burnside, Kentucky

MAC Metals Lake Cumberland Classic Goes October 21, 22 at Lake Cumberland Speedway

by Michael Despain
Burnside, KY-October 9, 2011- Lake Cumberland Speedway track promoter Brandon Hardgrove is set to present the biggest event in the track’s history when the 3/8 mile semi-banked clay oval presents the 21st Annual MAC Metals Lake Cumberland Classic on Friday and Saturday October 21 and 22, with the Super Late Models racing for $10,000 to win in a 100 lap main event.

The event will see the ground pounding Super Late Model division compete in a 100 lap main event that will pay the winner $10,000 for their efforts.  Also in competition that weekend will be Open Wheel Modifieds racing a 30 lap main event for $1,200 to win, Outlaw Super Dirt Stocks racing for $500 to win in a 20 lap feature race, and Front Wheel Drives racing for 20 laps and $500 to win.

This two-day racing spectacular will see activities begin on Friday October 21 with practice and time trials for all four divisions, followed by qualifying heat races and B-Main events for the Open Wheel Modifieds, Outlaw Super Dirt Stocks, and Front Wheel Drives.  There will be a live band performing after the racing is completed on Friday evening.

The racing weekend concludes on Saturday October 22 with qualifying heats, B-Mains, and the 100 lap, $10,000 to win 21st Annual MAC Metals Lake Cumberland Classic, along with a possible non-qualifiers feature event for the Super Late Models if there are 45 or more Super Late Models entries.  Also, the feature events for the Open Wheel Modifieds, Outlaw Super Dirt Stocks, and Front Wheel Drives will be contested on Saturday October 22.  There will also be fireworks during the evening and race fans will want to arrive early, as there will be a driver autograph session in the general admission area at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

Activities on Friday October 21 will see the pit area and general admission area open at 4:00 p.m., with a mandatory drivers meeting taking place at 7:00 p.m., followed immediately by practice, time trials, and preliminary action for the Open Wheel Modifieds, Outlaw Super Dirt Stocks, and Front Wheel Drives.

Activities on Saturday October 22 will see the pit area and general admission area open one hour earlier at 3:00 p.m., with the drivers meeting set for 5:45 p.m. on Saturday evening, immediately followed by racing action beginning with the Super Late Model qualifying heats to begin to set the field for the 21st Annual MAC Metals Lake Cumberland Classic.

Ticket prices for the weekend of action on Friday October 21 in the general admission area will be $15 for adults, with children ages 10 and under free with a paid adult, while a pit pass will be $30.  Ticket prices on Saturday October 22 in the general admission area will be $25 for adults, with children ages 10 and under free with a paid adult, while a pit pass will be $40.  Two-day ticket packages will be available, with a two-day adult general admission price set for $35, while a two-day pit pass will be $60.  Those patrons who would like to camp at the track can do so at no charge, but there are no electric hook-ups.

The Super Late Model payoff for the 21st Annual MAC Metals Lake Cumberland Classic will be as follows (100 laps):  1st- $10,000, 2nd-  $5,000, 3rd- $2,500, 4th- $1,800, 5th- $1,600, 6th- $1,400, 7th- $1,200, 8th- $1,000, 9th- $900, 10th- $850, 11th- $800, 12th- $775, 13th- $750, 14th- $725, 15th through 22nd- $700 to start.  There will be a $100 entry fee for Super Late Models.

The Open Wheel Modified payoff for this event will be as follows (30 laps):  1st- $1,200, 2nd- $600, 3rd- $400, 4th- $300, 5th- $250, 6th- $200, 7th- $175, 8th- $150, 9th- $125, 10th through 20th- $100 to start.  There will be no entry fee for the Modified, Outlaw Super Dirt Stock, or Front Wheel Drive divisions.

The Lake Cumberland Classic first appeared on the Lake Cumberland Speedway schedule in 1986 with the inaugural event being won by Jeff Purvis of Clarksville, TN.  Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN would win the event in 1987, while the late Jack Boggs of Grayson, KY would take the win in the race in 1988.  Brian Asbury of Mitchell, IN would score the victory in the 1989 race, while Boggs would become the first repeat winner of the race in 1990.  Bloomquist would become the second two-time winner of the race and first three-time event winner by scoring back-to-back wins in 1991 and 1992.  The event would not be contested from 1993 through 1997, but would return in 1998 and Darrell Lanigan of Union, KY would claim the event win.  Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN would become the third two-time winner and second three-time winner of the event when he reeled off three straight wins in the event in 1999, 2000, and 2001.  

Jim Curry of Norman, IN would break O’Neal’s win streak with the win in the 2002 race, but O’Neal would reclaim the top spot by winning the 2003 race to become the only four-time winner of the race.  Rod Carter, Jr. of Woodbine, KY would claim the win in the 2004 race, while Michael Chilton of Salvisa, KY hit paydirt by winning the 2005 event, with Greg Johnson of Bedford, IN claiming his first event win by the 2006 contest.  Carter, Jr. and Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN would score the wins in 2007 that saw a pair of feature events contested, with the same format again in place in 2008 that would see Johnson claim his second event win and O’Neal also picking up a win to make O’Neal the events only five-time winner.  Skylar Marlar of Winfield, TN would become the 12th different winner of the race in 2009, while Greg Johnson became the third driver to have three wins in the race by taking the checkered flag in the 2010 race.  

Lake Cumberland Speedway is located at 1 Racetrack Road just outside of Burnside, KY, just past the entrance to General Burnside Island State Park.  Brandon Hardgrove in the track promoter and presents dirt track racing entertainment on Saturday evenings.  For more information, visit the track’s newly refurbished website at www.lcspeedway.com or phone the track at (606) 561-8994.