Frank Heckenast Jr will not be cleared by doctors in time to race Speedweeks
Last week, Frank Heckenast Jr had his appendix removed. Due to that recent surgery, he has not yet been cleared to race the quickly approaching Speedweeks events.
Missing the first leg of the tour has led to a change in the 2018 schedule. The #99 dirt late model team has elected not to tour with any one series for 2018. Instead, when he gets back int he seat it will be a pick as you choose type of schedule.
Last year, Heckenast finished 10th in the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series standings. He missed the final two races of the season due to an injury. Heckenast Jr has run with the Outlaws full-time since 2014.
The 29-year old was involved in a crash at the Dirt Track World Championship. The impact with the wall caused a concussion. The result was an injury that forced him to sit out at the tail of the season and heal for 2018.
At this time, it’s unclear if the most recent surgery was in anyway related to the crash back in October. A full report of that incident is posted in the link below.
However, despite missing the month of February, Heckenast still has a deep schedule on hand for 2018. 74 races have been added to the schedule. View it in full below.
Read the statement from the team below:
Team announcement
“Due do recent health issues, which included having his appendix removed, Frank was not cleared for Speedweeks. Which in turn means no National Series tour this year,” the team stated moments ago on twitter.
“Frank Heckenast, Jr., who just over a week ago had surgery to remove his appendix, has not been medically cleared by his physicians to head south to Georgia and Florida for “Speedweeks” and will instead start his ’18 campaign in March.”
“This means that Frankie will not be following a national tour this year and will instead follow a “pick and choose” type of schedule. As it stands now, his season opening weekend will be March 16-17 with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in $12,000 to win specials at Atomic Speedway in Alma, Ohio and Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, Indiana.”
— Heckenast Racing —
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Related: Heckenast Jr out with a concussion after Portsmouth crash
Frank Heckenast Jr
2018 Schedule
2018 | TRACK | LOCATION | SANCTION | PURSE |
March 16 | Atomic Speedway | Alma, OH | Lucas Oil | $12,000 |
March 17 | Brownstown Speedway | Brownstown, IN | Lucas Oil | $12,000 |
March 23 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL | WoO | $6,000 |
March 24 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL | WoO | $15,000 |
March 30 | LaSalle Speedway | LaSalle, IL | MLRA | $5,000 |
March 31 | LaSalle Speedway | LaSalle, IL | MLRA | $15,000 |
April 20 | Davenport Speedway | Davenport, IA | MLRA | $5,000 |
April 21 | 34 Raceway | W. Burlington, IA | MLRA | $10,555 |
April 27 | Tri-City Speedway | Granite City, IL | Lucas Oil | $12,000 |
April 28 | Macon Speedway | Macon, IL | Lucas Oil | $12,000 |
May 3 | Lee County Speedway | Donnellson, IA | MLRA | $3,000 |
May 4 | Davenport Speedway | Davenport, IA | MLRA | $3,000 |
May 5 | LaSalle Speedway | LaSalle, IL | MLRA | $3,000 |
May 11 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL | MARS | $10,000 |
May 12 | Fairbury A.L. Speedway | Fairbury, IL | MARS | $10,000 |
May 18 | 141 Speedway | Maribel, WI | Lucas Oil | $12,000 |
May 19 | Deer Creek Speedway | Spring Valley, MN | Lucas Oil | $12,000 |
May 20 | I-80 Speedway | Greenwood, NE | Lucas Oil | $10,000 |
May 24 | Lucas Oil Speedway | Wheatland, MO | Lucas Oil | $6,000 |
May 25 | Lucas Oil Speedway | Wheatland, MO | Lucas Oil | $6,000 |
May 26 | Lucas Oil Speedway | Wheatland, MO | Lucas Oil | $30,000 |
June 1-2 | LaSalle Speedway | LaSalle, IL | Lucas Oil | $25,000 |
June 7 | Eldora Speedway | Rossburg, OH | UMP | $5,000 |
June 8 | Eldora Speedway | Rossburg, OH | UMP | $10,000 |
June 9 | Eldora Speedway | Rossburg, OH | DLM Dream | $100,000 |
June 13 | Peoria Speedway | Peoria, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
June 14 | Kankakee Co. Speedway | Kankakee, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
June 15 | Sycamore Speedway | Maple Park, IL | UMP SN | $10,000 |
June 16 | Dirt Oval at Route 66 | Joliet, IL | UMP SN | $10,000 |
June 17 | Plymouth Speedway | Plymouth, IN | UMP SN | $5,000 |
June 19 | Belle-Clair Speedway | Belleville, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
June 20 | Jacksonville Speedway | Jacksonville, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
June 21 | Spoon River Speedway | Banner, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
June 22 | Tri-City Speedway | Granite City, IL | UMP SN | $10,000 |
June 23 | Fairbury A.L. Speedway | Fairbury, IL | UMP SN | $10,000 |
June 24 | Tri-State Speedway | Haubstadt, IN | UMP SN | $5,000 |
June 26 | Charleston Speedway | Charleston, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
June 27 | Paducah Int’l Raceway | Paducah, KY | UMP SN | $5,000 |
June 28 | LaSalle Speedway | LaSalle, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
June 29 | Terre Haute Action Track | Terre Haute, IN | UMP SN | $10,000 |
June 30 | Federated Raceway at I-55 | Pevely, MO | UMP SN | $10,000 |
July 1 | Lincoln Speedway | Lincoln, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
July 3 | Clarksville Speedway | Clarksville, TN | UMP SN | $5,000 |
July 4 | Fayette County Speedway | Brownstown, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
July 5 | Macon Speedway | Macon, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
July 6 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL | UMP SN | $10,000 |
July 7 | Highland Speedway | Highland, IL | UMP SN | $10,000 |
July 8 | Quincy Raceway | Quincy, IL | UMP SN | $5,000 |
July 10 | Shadyhill Speedway | Medaryville, IN | UMP SN | $5,000 |
July 11 | Thunderbird Speedway | Muskegon, MI | UMP SN | $5,000 |
July 13 | Oakshade Raceway | Wauseon, OH | UMP SN | $5,000 |
July 14 | Oakshade Raceway | Wauseon, OH | UMP SN | $10,000 |
July 27-28 | Fairbury A.L. Speedway | Fairbury, IL | WoO | $30,000 |
July 30 | Plymouth Dirt Track | Plymouth, WI | WoO | $10,000 |
July 31 | Shawano Speedway | Shawano, WI | WoO | $10,000 |
August 2 | Cedar Lake Speedway | New Richmond, WI | WoO | $6,000 |
August 3-4 | Cedar Lake Speedway | New Richmond, WI | WoO | $50,000 |
August 6 | Farley Speedway | Farley, IA | MLRA | $10,000 |
August 7 | West Liberty Raceway | West Liberty, IA | MLRA | $10,000 |
August 9 | Florence Speedway | Union, KY | Lucas Oil | $10,000 |
August 10-11 | Florence Speedway | Union, KY | Lucas Oil | $50,000 |
August 24 | Mansfield Motor Speedway | Mansfield, OH | Lucas Oil | $10,000 |
August 25 | Mansfield Motor Speedway | Mansfield, OH | Lucas Oil | $100,000+ |
September 6 | Eldora Speedway | Rossburg, OH | UMP | $10,000 |
September 7 | Eldora Speedway | Rossburg, OH | UMP | $10,000 |
September 8 | Eldora Speedway | Rossburg, OH | World 100 | $51,000 |
September 13 | Knoxville Raceway | Knoxville, IA | Lucas Oil | $7,000 |
September 14 | Knoxville Raceway | Knoxville, IA | Lucas Oil | $7,000 |
September 15 | Knoxville Raceway | Knoxville, IA | Lucas Oil | $40,000 |
September 21-22 | Brownstown Speedway | Brownstown, IN | Lucas Oil | $20,000 |
October 5-6 | Pittsburgh PA Mtr Speedway | Imperial, PA | Lucas Oil | $20,000 |
October 12-13 | Dirt Oval at Route 66 | Joliet, IL | WoO | $25,000 |
October 19-20 | Portsmouth Raceway Park | Portsmouth, OH | Lucas Oil | $100,000 |
October 27 | Florence Speedway | Union, KY | Unsanctioned | $5,000 |
Links
Frank Heckenast Jr | LOLMDS | DTWC | Portsmouth Raceway Park | Shane Walters
