<B>WHEATLAND, Mo. --</B> With the scheduled May 20 opening night just around the corner, the construction pace is quickening at the Lucas Oil Speedway.

Changes are apparent every day as final phase projects are started and completed.

Most recently, carpenters are putting the finishing touches on the 21 VIP suites that over looks the 3/8-mile speedway.

The hard surface go-kart rental track has shaped up and is waiting its final surfacing and construction is moving fast on the new ticket office and speedway entrance.

Finishing work is also being done on the speedway Parts Store and Fab Shop which will be open Monday thru Saturday and on race nights. Recent high winds hampered construction on the new car wash but work crews report that it will be completed as planned, on scheduled.

Fans will be amazed with the quality of the new Bose PA System, speaker racks are near complete and speakers will soon be in place in the grandstand and back stretch seating areas.

Work on the speedway Bar, Concession Stands and the Dinning Area continues as scheduled. Most noticeable, when you drive into the speedway compound, is the paving that is being done around the facility.

Datronics reports that the assembly of the twin scoring towers and the giant video board is on schedule and the towers and board will be arriving at the speedway for installation as scheduled.

“All in all things are really shaping up” commented General Manager, Gary Hubert. “Am I nervous? Yes. But this has been one giant project and when I take a step back and looked at what has happen here, I am amazed”.

The O’Reilly USMTS will visit the Lucas Oil Speedway on two occasions in 2006. The first event will be held Saturday-Monday, July 1-3, with a $5,000 top prize up for grabs on the final night. The O’Reilly USMTS returns to the Wheatland, Mo., facility for a doubleheader on Friday and Saturday, August 11-12.

A visit to the track or a look on the Web site and you will know why the Lucas Oil Speedway has been nick-named the “Diamond of Dirt Tracks.”

To follow the progress of the Lucas Oil Speedway, log on at www.lucasoilspeedway.com click on the pictures link to view recent photos of the construction. To contact the Lucas Oil Speedway, call the general office at (417) 282-5984.