Wheatland, Missouri (March 30, 2016) -  Lucas Oil Speedway General Manager Dan Robinson announced on Wednesday that an Off-Road track will be added to the facility and host a Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series event in 2017.

"We're pleased to announce the addition of another exciting form of motorsports, the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, to our already huge array of world-class racing entertainment," Robinson said during the Lucas Oil Speedway media day. "This form of racing, while new to this part of the country, is something that we feel fans will quickly embrace."

Robinson said the Off Road track will be a new, purpose-built facility on the property. When Lucas Oil Speedway played host to a Lucas Off Road Racing Series event in the past, a temporary layout was constructed utilizing the dirt oval.

Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Director Ritchie Lewis said the process of mapping out the approximate mile-long track on the Lucas Oil Speedway property has begun. Construction is scheduled to begin later this spring with the first race in 2017.

Lewis described Off Road Racing as "extremely high-flying with door-to-door contact."

	The Lucas Oil Off Road Series will come to a newly built track at Lucas Oil Speedway in 2017. (Lucas Off Road Series photo)

"It's motocross racing and super cross racing on four wheels," Lewis added. "It's called short-course racing, a scaled-down version of off-road racing in the desert. There are left-hand turns, right-hand turns, rhythm jumps, long jumps, ski-type jumps. It's extremely competitive and exciting."

The Lucas Off Road Racing Series currently competes exclusively on six tracks in the western United States.

"We have big names such as Jeremy McGrath, Brian Deegan, Rob Maccachren and Carl Renezeder," Lewis said. "It's a Who's Who ofOff Road Racing and those guys, plus many others, will be coming to Wheatland. Our talent pool is deep."

The series has five divisions:

Pro 4 - Four-wheel drive, full-sized trucks with 700-900 horsepower. The trucks weigh a minimum of 4,000 pounds, including driver, with a 113-122 inch wheelbase.

Pro 2 - Two-wheel drive, full-sized trucks with 700-900 horsepower. Weight is a minimum of 3,750 pounds, including driver and wheelbase is 113-122 inches.

Pro Lite - Two-wheel drive, mid-sized trucks that are around 300 horsepower and a minimum 2,800 pounds including the driver.

Pro Buggy - Open-wheeled buggies with 1,650-1,835 cc motors at about 210 horsepower. Weight is at least 1,800 pounds, including driver.

Modified Kart - Go-karts with 250-450 cc motorcycle engines at about 48 horsepower. This class is for drivers ages 10-15.

"We'll probably run three of four classes at Wheatland," Lewis said. "I'm sure we'll run Pro-4, Pro-2 and Pro Lite, though we haven't made a final call yet. We're a ways out from doing that."

The Lucas Oil Speedway Motorsports Complex includes a state of the art 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval along with the world's only purpose built drag boat racing facility.

The "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" opened in 2006 and features television-quality Musco Lighting and a Bose Stadium Sound system. A huge permanent HD Jumbo-Tron and 20 position scoring pylon in turn 3 keeps fans updated on all of the racing action on the track.

The drag boat lake, which opened in 2011, features an ultra-wide in-ramp as well as dual out-ramps with one for each lane which provides for minimal downtime between runs. A RV overlook on the south side of the track is a great way to catch all of the racing action from the comfort of your RV. Aluminum bleachers with backrests adorn the north side of the track as well as a complete concrete walkway.

Please visit www.LucasOilSpeedwa y.com for the most up to date information about "America's New Motorsports Destination," Lucas Oil Speedway.