Rick Schwallie and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series don’t ever intend to fabricate drama.

The motive behind the one-race playoff for its crowning of a champion at October’s Dirt Track World Championship had everything to do with giving their partners a platform like never before — an event unlike anything dirt racing’s ever seen — to ultimately bolster pocketbooks of teams like never before. To a degree — alas, controversies aside — it worked. 

“It did. It improved our roster,” Schwallie told FloRacing over the weekend at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Indianapolis. “Our roster had more teams following it this year. It did create a lot of media buzz. It did. It did have great viewership. It did a lot of those things.”

Schwallie paused slightly, then delivered the point he was sizing up.

“Our original goal wasn’t all those things. Those were just bonuses along the way,” he added. “Our original goal was for us to bring in sponsorship to increase our points fund. That allowed us to do that. Then building off that, we’re working into our second version of that, how we can keep those car owners involved and going.”

VIDEO: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Makes Change To Championship Format

Indeed, that so-called second version of the ever-evolving Lucas Oil Series was made public during Thursday’s Performance Racing Industry Trade Show: An expanded playoff that steers clear from the potential controversies of a one-race points reset with a seven-race chase among four drivers while keeping the playoff’s original intent intact.

In layman’s terms, points will reset and the playing field levels for the top four drivers in the tour standings following Sept. 16’s Lucas Oil Knoxville Nationals. The seven-race chase toward the championship follows on Sept. 27-28 at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway; Oct. 1 at Atomic Speedway near Chillicothe, Ohio; Oct. 4-5 at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in Imperial, Pa.; Oct. 12 at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla. (Oct. 10-11 prelims); and Eldora Speedway’s season-ending Dirt Track World Championship on Oct. 19 in Rossburg, Ohio.

“Again, we’re building off what we can do to bring in more opportunity for the marketing side to come in and help our teams,” Schwallie said. “And help everybody competing for that.”

After October’s DTTC chaos — a race postponed by weather and influenced by the heavy track surface — the loopholes and ricketiness of the one-race playoff were very much exposed. Sure, eight different leaders and a championship battle that came down to the final corner between Hudson O’Neal and Devin Moran created drama galore, but an onslaught of cautions — 12 to be exact — thinned the field to six drivers finishing on the lead lap.

No stoppage changed the race’s complexion more than Ricky Thornton Jr.’s lap-eight incident that ultimately crushed his title hopes, an incident not from his wrongdoing. Of course, that meltdown of an outcome, as unfair as it seems, always lurked as a possibility.

Not until those hypotheticals are experienced is when true gravity is felt.

“We all didn’t know exactly how last year would go,” Thornton said. “A few of us weren’t really keen on the one-race deal. I’m glad this year they talked to a lot of the teams and tried to figure out something to make it better. Obviously, that’s what you want a series to do.

“We’re thinking it’s going to be four or five races, and it’s seven races, so I think that part of it is going to be really nice for whoever is in that position. We aren’t 100 percent sure what we’re doing just yet. I say we’re 99 percent sure we’re back with Lucas. But it’s not 100 percent yet. I think, regardless, they’re trying to improve it. Either way, it’s still a lot of money, no matter what.”

Back on the topic of hypotheticals, what would’ve happened in 2023 if a playoff occurred after Knoxville? Ricky Thornton Jr. would be declared as the champion with 1,140 points among five races (remember, East Bay is a special add-on next year and the Pittsburgher is two days). Devin Moran (-70 points), Hudson O’Neal (-120) and Jonathan Davenport (-240) would finish in that order.

Within minutes of learning about the announcement, Thornton already envisioned how next season could go.

“East Bay, the Dirt Track World Championship, you never know when it might rain one day and then might not the next,” Thornton said. “We’ll probably get at least five of the seven races in no matter what. A lot of good places for me. I run good at Brownstown. I run good at the Pittsburgher. Atomic, I run really good. East Bay isn’t my best place but we’ve made improvements there this year.

“Eldora … it’s Eldora. Sometimes you’re fast, sometimes you’re not. It depends on the track conditions. Overall, we’re excited they changed something, like I said. It sucks to have it all fall on that one race. But now, if you DNF that first race, you still have six races to be able to make up that ground. I still don’t see it as far as one guy dominating, like no matter what going into that last race, there’s a chance that you could lose the championship.”

Thornton hinted that the slate of playoff races are bound to bring out drivers’ strengths and weaknesses because of the diversity. Schwallie thinks the same.

“It’s seven points events, and if we have a rainout along the way, it is what it is. We think that’s a unique group of racetracks,” Schwallie said. “Brownstown’s a small place. Pittsburgh’s a bigger place; dry-slick usually. East Bay is wildly different than both of those. And then headed to Eldora.

“In the group of racetracks, the cream will rise to the top. And that’s how we’re going to crown our champion. In theory, it’s similar, yet it’s the VR2, I guess — the second version of it.”

Schwallie also said the series will still cash out three sets of bonuses throughout the season like they did for the top 15 drivers after May 27’s Show-Me 100 at Lucas Oil Speedway, the top 12 drivers after July 15’s Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil, and the top eight after Aug. 26’s Rumble by the River at Port Royal Speedway. The only change is that points bonuses after each of those “rounds” are no more. More information about these midseason incentives will be released later.

“We’re still going to do those,” Schwallie said. “It’s an opportunity to write a check for those teams. There just won’t be points bonuses after those intervals. It’s just an opportunity to pay the guys a check.”

Speaking of paychecks, Sept. 28’s Jackson 100 at Brownstown and Oct. 5’s Pittsburgher now pay $50,000-to-win, both up from $30,000-to-win last year simply because those crucial events are now part of the seven-race chase for the title. Start money for both events are up to $2,000 from $1,500, too.

Schwallie said “there’s no doubt” these races are seeing major increases because of the focus the seven-race playoff now entails.

“There’s more of a spotlight put on those events now that they’re part of that run for the championship,” Schwallie said. “It allows them to hopefully have better ticket sales, ultimately, right? All that’s part of the ecosystem we’re trying to support the teams in. Ultimately, you’re doing what you can to better fund the teams.

Schwallie has especially realized of late that pleasing fans and pleasing the teams he’s entrusted with come from entirely different frames of mind. No decisions are influenced by voices that aren’t part of the Lucas Oil Series in some facet.

“At the same time, even if they don’t agree with it, we’re glad to have their interest in it,” Schwallie said. “We’re glad to have them as fans. We’re glad to have them as participants. We’re glad that they’re part of it. You’re right. You can’t please everybody with everything we do. We’re trying to make sure we keep our teams stable and healthy. And showing up at the pit gate every week. A lot of those comes from dialogue with the teams and car owners. Then it’s on us to execute and try and help them.”

Part of that execution is contingent upon retaining and attracting partnerships. Schwallie said there are “several ongoing negotiations with new clients,” but “nothing to report on yet.

“We’re definitely out there marketing trying to make that happen,” Schwallie said. “It’s ongoing. It’s a tough market out there right now. The economy … we’re in different stages of our whole ecosystem of our lives out there with the economy, whether we’re in a recession or not. The presidential election, too. All those things play big factors in how people are willing to spend. It’s not the easiest days right now, yet we’re managing and are doing great. I’m happy with where we’re at.”