LCS Hardgrove Memorial to be held this weekend

Aug. 26—The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series will return to action at Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, KY on Saturday August 27 for the 11th Annual Harold Hardgrove Memorial event that will see the Super Late Models of the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series race for $10,022 to win. In addition, the event will pay $50 per lap led, so if the same driver leads all fifty laps of the main event, it would make the victory worth $12,522.

The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series Northern and Southern Series will be at Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, KY on Saturday August 27 for the 11th Annual Harold Hardgrove Memorial and will be featured in a full program of Practice, E-Z-GO Time Trials, Sunoco Race Fuels Heats, Impact Race Gear B-Mains, and the 50-lap, $$10,022 to win/$500 to start 11th Annual Harold Hardgrove Memorial main event. Other divisions in action at Lake Cumberland Speedway for the 11th Annual Harold Hardgrove Memorial on Saturday August 27 will be the track's Open Wheel Modifieds racing for $1,522 to win, Super Stocks racing for $1,022 to win, Hobby Stocks racing for $722 to win, and Front Wheel Drive Mini Stocks racing for $722 to win. For the Open Wheel Modified, Super Stock, Hobby Stock, and Front Wheel Drive Mini Stock divisions, any driver not making their respective divisions feature event will receive $50 non-transfer money. In addition, Steve Taylor will be performing from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., along with a balloon release in memory of lost loved ones at 7:00 p.m.

This event honors the memory of former Kentucky racer and former Lake Cumberland Speedway promoter Harold Hardgrove, who owned and operated Lake Cumberland Speedway from 1997 until his untimely death in 2009. Mr. Hardgrove often competed at the track prior to him purchasing the track and beginning his tenure as owner and promoter in 1997. Mr. Hardgrove reinstated the running of the Lake Cumberland Classic in 1998, while also hosting an invitational event that featured national country music superstars Montgomery-Gentry in concert prior to that event in 2002. He also presented the track's first $10,000 to win event (the Coca-Cola 100 in November 2002), while also presenting several Northern Allstars Late Model Series events and Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series events during his time at the helm of the track. The late Mr. Hardgrove's son, Brandon Hardgrove, currently operates the track and presents this event now annually in memory of his father.

Activities at Lake Cumberland Speedway for the 11th Annual Harold Hardgrove Memorial will see the pit area open at 2:00 p.m. and general admission area open at 3:00 p.m. The drivers meeting will be at 6:30 p.m., with practice laps and time trials to get underway at 7:00 p.m. Ticket prices at Lake Cumberland Speedway for the 11th Annual Harold Hardgrove Memorial on Saturday August 27 in the general admission area will be $30 (children ages 10 and under are free), while a pit pass will be $45.

This will be the fourth appearance for both the Northern and Southern divisions of the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series at Lake Cumberland Speedway in 2022, with Eli Beets of Knoxville, TN victorious in all three previous series visits this season. Current Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series Northern and Southern division points leader Michael Chilton of Salvisa, KY comes into the Harold Hardgrove Memorial event as the defending champion of the race, winning the 2021 contest over Josh Rice of Verona, KY, Devin Gilpin of Columbus, IN, Dustin Linville of Bryantsville, KY, and Tanner English of Benton, KY. It was Chilton's second consecutive Harold Hardgrove Memorial victory and third overall triumph in the event.

Lake Cumberland Speedway is located at 360 Race Track Road Burnside, KY. For more information about Lake Cumberland Speedway, visit the track's webpage at www.lcspeedway.net or by liking Lake Cumberland Speedway Dirt Racing on Facebook.

For more information on the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series, visit the tour website at www.IMDIRT.net or by following Iron-Man Series (@CTPROMOTE) on Twitter or liking Iron-Man Racing Series on Facebook.

Jacob Pratt is the Sports Editor of the Commonwealth Journal and can be reached at jpratt@somerset-kentucky.com. You can follow him on Twitter @PrattTheNation