LAS VEGAS – More than a dozen trucks are expected to take the green flag when the Late Model Truck Series heads to The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday night.
The regional truck series will be at its home track for a 35-lap feature and a pair of heat races, which will be part of The Bullring’s third NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing weekend of the year. It is the “Your Insurance Dude Weekend” for the LMTS, which now in its second year of operation.
“It’s always fun to run at The Bullring, and Gary Wyatt and I expect a strong field for this weekend’s race,” LMTS Co-Manager Mike Riefler said. “We had a great start to the season at Havasu 95 Speedway in March, and we’re excited for our second of seven events in 2019. It’s going to be a great weekend of racing, and we encourage short track fans to come enjoy some great action in Las Vegas.”
Spectator gates open at 5 p.m. PT, with racing beginning at 7. Saturday’s event will be the first of three LMTS stops at The Bullring in 2019, including Championship Night on Nov. 23.
Las Vegas local Mark Allison is the defending series champion, and other drivers expected to challenge for the checkered flag include Bullring veteran Pat Petrie of Henderson, Nev., and John Nahoopi of Tucson, Ariz., who will be running the full LMTS schedule in 2019. Allison and Petrie will be pulling double duty on Saturday night, as they are also racing in the NASCAR 602 Modifieds feature as well.
The region’s truck racing lineage dates back to the Speed Truck Series that originated in 1997 under the American Speed Association (ASA). MechanixWear gloves and Go Fast! energy drinks sponsored the class throughout the years, and the trucks raced at up to 10 different tracks in California, Arizona and Nevada before the ASA disbanded in 2013.
The series trucks feature a full-tube chassis, a 330-horsepower sealed V-8 spec engine and two-speed direct-drive transmission, with a clutch pedal dump valve, coupled to an aluminum quick-change rear end. The trucks sport replica fiberglass bodies of the Chevrolet S-10, Chevrolet Colorado, Dodge Dakota, Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma.
Series partners include the On Wheels Now online radio show – the longest-running motorsports radio show in Las Vegas – Melling Performance Racing, The Bomber Nation, KO Mechanical Services, Gary’s Trailer Repair, Nevada Pic-A-Part, The “Racer’s Rewards” Contingency Connection, Richmond Gear, Campout, ReliableBanner.com, Bearing King AZ and Hear Clear.
Remaining Late Model Truck Series 2019 schedule
April 20 The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas
June 29 Orange Show Speedway San Bernardino, Calif.
Aug. 31 The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas
Oct. 12 The Speedway at Willow Springs Rosamond, Calif.
Nov. 2 Havasu 95 Speedway Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Championship Night
Nov. 23 The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas
