LEBANON, Mo. — It started 25 years ago as racefan and local businessman Bill Willard saw a need for local area racing as it was on a downward slide.

Willard had some land right off Historic Route 66 and Interstate 44, jumped on his dozer and began moving trees, brush and everything else to create the state-of-the-art Lebanon I-44 Speedway.

Willard always took notes when visiting other racetracks and jotted down what he felt fans and drivers needed.

After a three-week delay due to weather, the gates were opened to a beautiful 3/8-mile red clay oval track with comfortable benched seats, easy parking, a seating capacity of 5,000, and set the trend for short tracks over all America to follow.

Opening night saw three classes of racecars — Open Late Models, Sportsmans (Limited Late Models) and Street Stocks — with over 80 cars total checked into the pits to compete before a capacity crowd.

Fans were treated to leaning back in the spaced-out benched-backed bleachers and history was in the making as Saturday night had found this the place to be as Randy Mooneyham promoted the track in its first season.

In 2008, the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway will celebrate 25 years of local racing with an action-packed schedule.

The season opener is scheduled for Saturday night, March 29, as the popular O’Reilly USMTS National Tour rolls onto the high banks of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway for the 5th Annual Missouri Nationals as the America's Hottest Ticket on Dirt takes to the clay along with Factory Stocks and B-Mods.

A practice night is set for Saturday night, March 22, as the season-long points battle for the Central Bank I-44 Racing Series will start on April 5 with the regular show consisting of Late Models, USRA Modifieds, Factory Stocks, B-Mods, Bombers and Rookies.

An encore apperance of the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour is slated for Saturday, Aug. 9, for the 4th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Summer Shootout and the second event in the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the USMTS National Championship.

For more information on the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, visit the website at www.lebanoni44speedway.net, or contact Randy Mooneyham at 417-224-7074.