Lucas Oil

Not to be confused with LUKOIL or Lucas Industries.
Lucas Oil Products, Inc.
Private
Industry Automotive
Founded 1989
Headquarters Corona, California, United States
Key people
Forrest Lucas
Bob Patison
Products Automotive additives and lubricants, motor oil, car and marine care, television (Lucas Oil Production Studios, MAVTV & LucasOilRacingTV)
Website www.lucasoil.com

Lucas Oil Products, Inc. is an American manufacturer and distributor of automotive oil, additives, and lubricants. It was founded by trucker Forrest Lucas and his wife Charlotte in 1989.[1][2] The company produces and markets 270 formulations in 40 countries.[3] Lucas Oil has two major plants in the United States. The original plant is located in Corona, California, which also houses Lucas Oil Corporate Headquarters, Lucas Oil Production Studios, Team Lucas, LucasOilRacingTV and the Lucas owned motorsports network, MAVTV.[4] In 2003 it opened a 350,000-square-foot second plant in Corydon, Indiana.[5] In the USA, Lucas Oil products are mainly sold through auto parts stores and truck stops.[6]

Motorsports

Lucas Oil owns or sponsors motorsports race teams, events and series at all levels, including NHRA, ASCS, NASCAR, INDYCAR and IHRA.[7] Lucas Oil also owns and operates many high profile racing series, including Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series, Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, Lucas Oil Modified Series and the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri.[8]

MAVTV

MAVTV is a motorsports television network with a programming lineup that includes the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross, the FIA World Rally Championship, NHRA Drag Racing, Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing, Lucas Oil Off Road Racing, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt, Lucas Oil Modified, Lucas Oil Sprint Cars and custom build shows.[9][10][11] MAVTV is currently available on Charter, Comcast, DirecTV, Google Fiber, Time Warner Cable, Verizon Fios, and hundreds of regional distributors.[12]

Lucas Oil Racing TV

Launched on January 1, 2016, Lucas Oil Racing TV is the first motorsports-dedicated subscription video on demand service.[13] Programming includes both live races and a large library of both United States and international motorsports content. Many shows include expanded pre- and post-race footage, additional interviews, and background content.[13] The service is available through the LucasOilRacing.TV website for smartphones and tablets, as well as Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, XBox One and Xbox 360.[14]

Lucas Oil Production Studios

Lucas Oil Production Studios produces more than 300 hours of television annually for CBS, CBS Sports, NBC Sports as well as MAVTV.[9] Lucas Oil Production Studios under the direction of Dawn Patison focus on grass roots motorsports production including the Lucas Oil Modified Series, Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, the Dave Despain Show, the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League and the Lucas Oil Late Model Series.[8][15][16][17]

Sponsorships

The company is a sponsor of several NASCAR, H1 Unlimited, NHRA and IndyCar events.[18] In 2005, Lucas Oil founded the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Since 2011, it owns the cable network MAVTV, which under its purview went from a male-focused network with a lowbrow point of view to a leading motorsports network.

On February 28, 2006, it was announced that Lucas Oil had purchased the naming rights to the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, for $120 million over 20 years.[19][20] The facility opened in 2008 and is the home field for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. Other events that have or will be held at the stadium include the 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four, the 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Regional Finals, Super Bowl XLVI (February 5, 2012), the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four, the 2016 NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four, and every Drum Corps International World Championship since 2009.

In 2009, Lucas Oil founded the short course off-road racing series Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. In March 2012, Lucas Oil extended their title sponsorship of the AMA Motocross series.[21]

Since 2011, Lucas Oil has been a main sponsor of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) association.[22]

At the time he purchased the mansion of Conseco co-founder Stephen Hilbert, Forrest Lucas stated, "I can justify it by having this as a corporate retreat for my employees and for my customers."[23]

Protect the Harvest

Main article: Protect the Harvest

Forrest Lucas is a founder of Protect the Harvest, a nonprofit organization which opposes "the radical animal rights movement” and particularly the Humane Society of the United States, which it calls "a wealthy and successful attack group".[24] Lucas said in 2012 that he had invested over $600,000 in the organization.[25] Its stated goals include educating the public about animal agriculture, and preventing the passing of legislative or market-initiated bans on particular production practices.[26]

Protect the Harvest is considered a corporate front group by the nonprofit Center for Food Safety.[27]

Remarks of Charlotte Lucas on minorities

In October 2014, Lucas Oil co-founder and executive vice president Charlotte Lucas posted to her Facebook page: "I’m sick and tired of minorities running our country! As far as I’m concerned, I don’t think that atheists (minority), muslims [sic] (minority) nor any other minority group has the right to tell the majority of the people in the United States what they can and cannot do here. Is everyone so scared that they can’t fight back for what is right or wrong with his country?" The posting was later deleted.[28] Charlotte Lucas issued an apology for the post stating, "I apologize to everyone for the insensitive comments posted on my Facebook account. My comments did not reflect my personal views about any individual or minority group, only my frustration that our government system sometimes seems out of balance. We live in a great country, but the agenda for our elected officials is too often dictated by special interest groups. My comments did not reflect my true feelings, and I am sorry for anyone who may have been offended." [29]

Subsequent to Mrs. Lucas's remarks, Robert Patison, general counsel for Lucas Oil Products, issued a statement on behalf of the company: "We provide significant financial support for a broad range of organizations that serve the needs of veterans, women, other minority groups, and disadvantaged individuals throughout the United States. Fairness and equality are core values of our company."[30]

On Lucas Oil letterhead, Forrest Lucas published a newspaper advertisement apologizing for his wife's remarks, writing "Her words were hurtful to many and disappointing to all."[31]

In an interview, Mr. Lucas said that he did not believe that the incident involving his wife would cause any harm to his company's relationship with the Colts.[32]

See also

References

  1. "Forrest Lucas biography". Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  2. "The making of the Lucas Oil empire". CNN. February 16, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
  3. Buck, Fielding (February 19, 2016). "CORONA: Lucas Oil founder has stories to tell in movies". Press Enterprise. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  4. "Facilities". lucasoil.com. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  5. Eng, Dinah (February 16, 2012). "The Making of the Lucas Oil Empire". Fortune. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  6. "Super Scrapper: Forrest Lucas - Automobile Magazine". Automobile Magazine. 2012-01-06. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  7. "Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tech Bulletin". Racers Guide - The Web's #1 Racers' Online Directory!. 2016-08-05. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  8. 1 2 Vaughn, Mark (March 9, 2014). "What is Forrest Lucas going to buy next?". Autoweek. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  9. 1 2 Buck, Fielding (March 20, 2015). "CORONA: MAVTV targets racing fans". Press Enterprise. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  10. "World Rally Championship - Media". www.wrc.com. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  11. "MAVTV - Shows". MAVTV. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  12. James, Meg (2013-11-26). "For oilman, TV channel's a gas". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  13. 1 2 Buck, Fielding (December 10, 2015). "CORONA: Lucas Oil will offer live streaming motor race video". The Press Enterprise. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  14. Ackley, J.A. (August 3, 2016). "Racing Anywhere, Anytime!". Lucas Oil. Speedway Illustrated. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  15. Berggren, Dick (August 3, 2016). "Racing Anywhere, Anytime!". Speedway Magazine. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  16. Reynolds, Mike (June 18, 2012). "MavTV Looks to Get 'American Real'". www.multichannel.com. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  17. Reynolds, Mike (June 9, 2013). "MAVTV Eyes Void in 'Speed' Lane". www.multichannel.com. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  18. "About Lucas Oil Products". NHRA. Archived from the original on October 30, 2005. Retrieved November 11, 2005.
  19. "Lucas Oil dominates motorsports and the CORR Title: Sponsorship package is one key ingredient". DesertRacing. 2005-01-21.
  20. Monte Burke (2010-08-27). "10 Minutes with Forrest Lucas, Founder of Lucas Oil". Forbes. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
  21. Tripp Mickle (2012-03-12). "Lucas Oil Signs Multiyear Extension Of AMA Motocross Series Title Sponsorship". Sports Business Journal Daily. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
  22. "Professional Bull Riders". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  23. "Forrest Lucas buys Hilbert mansion for $3M". October 6, 2010. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  24. Beckel, Michael (29 May 2014). "'Radical Animal Rights Movement' Gets New Foe". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  25. P.J. Huffstutter and Lisa Baertlein (16 April 2012). ""Pink Slime" controversy stokes clash over agriculture". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  26. Maday, John (17 April 2012). "Protect the Harvest". Cattle Network. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  27. "Best Public Relations that Money can Buy: A Guide to Food Industry Front Groups" (PDF). Center for Food Safety. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  28. "Lucas Oil founder Facebook rant: 'I'm sick and tired of minorities running our country!'". Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  29. "Charlotte Lucas Issues Statement Apologizing for Facebook Post". Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  30. Jessica Chasmar (October 5, 2014). "Lucas Oil founder is 'sick and tired of minorities running our country' - Washington Times". The Washington Times. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  31. "Forrest Lucas apologizes in ad for wife's Facebook post on minorities". Indianapolis Star. October 9, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  32. "Forrest Lucas film shows one Hoosier's improbable rise". Indianapolis Star. October 16, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2016.

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