Big Weekend on tap for the O'Reilly MLRA
by: Clint Brown


KANSAS CITY, KS (Sept. 25, 2006) - The O'Reilly MLRA rolls the 2006 Thunder Tour into the Kansas City area with their high powered ballet for one of the biggest racing weekends of the year.

Thursday night, September 28, action kicks off with the 4th Annual Al Bodenhamer Memorial at Adrian Speedway in Adrian, MO. The event, first run in 2003, has seen some tight racing action where Alan Vaughn (2003) and David Turner (2004) took home top honors on a night honoring a true ambassador of the sport. The 2005 running of the event saw the rains come and wash away the night. The evening also has a second honoree as the Jack Vaughn Memorial Dash of Champions will also roll onto the 1/3 mile dirt to see who can come out on top. Al Purkey rolls into the weekend with the point lead and looking for his fifth O'Reilly MLRA championship. Not one to give up Alan Vaughn has been doing his best to chase down Purkey while holding off the challenge of David Turner, CJ Lyle, and Jason Bodenhamer.

Gates open Thursday at 5:00 pm with racing set to roll of at 7:00 pm. General admission tickets are only $15.00 with kids 6-12 $6.00 while those 5 & under are free.
Pit passes for the night are only $25.00. Adrian Speedway is located 2.5 miles north of SR 18 on US 71 then .5 miles west on CR AA.

The weekend then rolls to the north a bit as the Capital Federal Late Model Showdown takes to the track at Lakeside Speedway on Friday and Saturday, September 29 and 30.

The event, co-sanctioned with the WDRL, draws some of the top late model chauffeurs in the Midwest clamoring for the top spot and the big check. Denny Eckrick and Kyle Berck found themselves on top of the heap in 2005 as they bested the field which drew over 70 cars both nights.

The action kicks off both nights with gates opening at 5:00 pm and racing action set to take to the track at 7:30 pm. Advance general admission tickets are available for $20.00 with pricing being $25.00 at the gate. Lakeside Speedway is located on I-425 to exit 18 then 1 mile NW on SR5.

For all the latest news and information on the O'Reilly MLRA visit us on the web at www.mlraracing.com  or by calling (816) 650-5063 or (816) 305-6572.