Dwight Brown had reached the stage of life that, if he wanted to chase his dream of driving a race car, it was decision time.

“I’m not getting any younger,” Brown said of his desire—some 20 years after last racing on dirt—to climb behind the wheel in the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod division this season at Lucas Oil Speedway.

But there was another factor involved before Brown could make his dream a reality. As his friend and highly regarded racing mind Jason Sivils pointed out—when approached by Brown about helping him last summer—Brown weighed 289 pounds.

While that is great for an offensive tackle, it’s not so wonderful for a race-car driver—or for a middle-aged man’s health.

So Brown, who trained as a boxer and body builder when younger, went to work.

“I got a diet plan and went on a program and lost weight,” Brown said. “I’m down to 216 now. Jason’s goal for me was 225. He said the car could be scaled and do what it’s supposed to do if I got down to there. I made it a personal goal of getting to 210. By April 1, I will be that.

“It’s been all about getting healthy and getting this old man getting back out on the track,” he added, with a chuckle.

So Brown, of Preston, is feeling good and is fired up to race for the first time since driving a Factory Stock and Modified two decades ago at Bolivar Speedway and Dallas County Speedway.

Brown said he quit racing back in the day because of family and job responsibilities.

“But it’s something I always loved,” Brown said of racing. And he’s remained involved in the sport over the years in other ways, including as a sponsor or extra hand in the pits helping out friends. Brown owns and operates Tri-Lakes RV and Parrish Tire and Alignment, both located in Bolivar.

“I was just your weekly guy who went out and done the best he could,” he said of his long-ago racing days. “Nothing big time. This is going to be my first big-time season, you could say.”

Brown, who’s 46, said anyone is only as old as they feel. And he’s clearly feeling great these days.

“I’m barely able to drink,” he said with a laugh. “I’m really 21 and I usually act about 16.”

He figures that if he’s getting back in, why not jump into the deep end at the region’s premier speedway against arguably the best B-Mod competition in the nation.

“The field of talent at Lucas… oh my God. Kris Jackson, all of those top guys,” Brown said. “The top five or six in the nation are usually there weekly. If you want to learn to race good and against the best, that’s the class to be in, I think. That’s what has me excited.

“The main thing is just getting healthy and just getting back out there. I feel like I have some unfinished business. My goals are basically to finish races, get some seat time and maybe creep up there. I’m running more as a points racer the next couple of years. Within five years, I want to be in the mix.”

Brown said he has a long list of people who have helped him get the car ready, starting with Sivils.

“I would say 100 percent, if it wasn’t for Jason, I wouldn’t be talking to you for this story,” Brown said. “These Modifieds have changed to much since I raced. His geometry and engineering mind, him explaining everything to me step by step, it’s priceless.”

Sponsors, in addition to Brown’s own businesses, include Gulf Stream Coach, Team Outlaw Race Bodies, Great River Engineering, Yeoman Race Engines, Nakato Japanese Steakhouse, 99.1 Your Country/Benne Media, The Main Ranch, Ultraforce Machines, Wehr's Machine & Racing Products, H3 Graphics, Chris Claunch Media, RCR Designs, Dickerson Racing Shocks, Sunkist Tan, Rustic Roots, Hood’s Machine & Welding, Lucas Oil, Double H Motorsports, Eagle Machine and Boone's BBQ Barn.

Test & Tune coming up: Lucas Oil Speedway's Open Test & Tune is scheduled for 2-6 p.m. March 27 with pit passes $25. The Big Adventure Weekly Racing Series Spring Opener presented by Benne Media is set for April 3.

The Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series includes 14 events, from opening night through the Rempfer Memorial Season Championship on Aug. 28. Competing classes include Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds, Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods and O'Reilly Auto Parts Medieval USRA Stock Cars, plus Missouri Metal Buildings ULMA Late Models.

For ticket information for any event during the 2021 Lucas Oil Speedway season, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com. Fans also can use the online ticketing system.