Eldora Speedway facts for kids
| The Big E Auto Racing's Showcase since 1954 |
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|---|---|
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| Location | Allen Township, Darke County, near New Weston, Ohio |
| Time zone | EDT |
| Coordinates | 40°19′07″N 84°38′02″W / 40.31861°N 84.63389°W |
| Capacity | 30,000 |
| Owner | Tony Stewart |
| Broke ground | 1953 |
| Opened | 1954 |
| Architect | Earl Baltes |
| Major events | The Dirt Late Model Dream The Kings Royal World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series USAC midget, sprint, and silver crown World 100 Super DIRTcar Series |
| Oval | |
| Surface | Clay |
| Length | 0.5 mi (0.804672 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Banking | Turns: 24° Straights: 8° |
| Race lap record | 0:12.599 (David Gravel, Jason Johnson Racing, 2020, All Star Circuit of Champions) |
Eldora Speedway, also known as "The Big E" or "The World's Greatest Dirt Track," is a famous race track in Ohio. It's a half-mile (0.8 km) oval track made of clay, with super steep turns. This makes for really exciting races!
Located near New Weston, Ohio, Eldora Speedway can hold over 22,000 fans in its main seats. Plus, many more can watch from the grassy hillsides. It's one of the biggest sports stadiums in the Dayton, Ohio area.
The track hosts many big events. These include the Kings Royal, the World 100, and races for the Superstar Racing Experience. From 2013 to 2019, it even hosted a NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race called the Eldora Dirt Derby. Many of Eldora's biggest races now last for three days, making them huge events for fans.
Contents
History of Eldora Speedway
Eldora Speedway was built in 1954 by a man named Earl Baltes. He was a bandleader who loved music, but he also loved racing! He saw a race one day and was so impressed by the crowd that he decided to build his own track.
When it first opened, the track was a quarter-mile long. But Earl kept making it bigger. Two years later, it grew to three-eighths of a mile. By 1958, it became the half-mile track we know today.
In 1962, the track started hosting USAC sprint car races. These races quickly became a favorite for both drivers and fans.
Big Races and New Ideas
Earl Baltes was always coming up with new ideas for races. In 1971, he created the first World 100 race. He offered a huge prize of $4,000 to the winner, which was a lot of money back then! This race helped start the modern "dirt late model" type of racing, which is very popular today.
When the World of Outlaws sprint car series began in 1978, Earl quickly brought them to Eldora. This helped the new series become famous. Eldora has been a key track for the World of Outlaws ever since, including their yearly King's Royal race.
The World 100 race grew bigger every year. It now attracts the most dirt late model racers and fans from all over the world. In 2017, the prize money was over $425,000!
In 1984, Earl Baltes created another big event: the "$50,000-to-win Kings Royal" for sprint cars. This race has also grown into a three-day festival, offering over $385,000 in prizes.
The 4-Crown Nationals
In 1981, Eldora started hosting the "4-Crown Nationals." This event brought together different types of USAC race cars all in one show. It was a big success and is still held today. Over the years, it has changed a bit, but it still features exciting races.
The 4-Crown Nationals weekend now includes the World of Outlaws on Friday. On Saturday, it features three USAC divisions and other sprint cars. There are also vintage car displays and races for younger drivers at "Little Eldora."
The Eldora Million
In 2001, Earl Baltes achieved something amazing. He held the "Eldora Million" race, offering a $1 million prize to the winner! This was the richest short-track race ever. Donnie Moran won the race and became known as "the Million Dollar Man."
New Ownership and Upgrades
In 2004, famous NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart bought Eldora Speedway from Earl Baltes. After Earl retired, a highway near the track was even renamed "Earl Baltes National Highway" to honor him.
Tony Stewart and his team have made many improvements to Eldora. They added fancy new suites for fans and a giant video screen to watch the action. They also improved safety features for both fans and drivers, like stronger fences and a special medical center.
Kings Royal
The Kings Royal is one of the biggest sprint car races in the United States. It's usually held in July and is part of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car series. The winner used to get $50,000, but in 2019, the prize jumped to $175,000! This race brings in many cars and a huge crowd of sprint car fans from all over the world.
The Historical Big One
Earl Baltes also created "The Historical Big One," another huge sprint car race. It paid $100,000 to the winner, which was a record at the time. This race was held from 1993 to 2003. It returned in 2022 and in 2023, it was renamed the "Eldora Million" for its amazing $1,002,023 winner's prize!
- Winners
- 1993 Jac Haudenschild
- 1994 Kenny Jacobs
- 1995 Steve Kinser
- 1996 Mark Kinser
- 1997 Dave Blaney
- 1998 Dale Blaney
- 1999 Kevin Gobrecht
- 2000 Steve Kinser
- 2001 P.J. Chesson
- 2002 Donny Schatz
- 2003 Daryn Pittman
- 2022 Brent Marks
- 2023 Logan Schuchart
Dirt Late Model Dream
The Dirt Late Model Dream is a 100-lap race held every June since 1994. It's famous for its big prize money, with the winner taking home $100,000.
In 2001, a special version of this race was held called the "Eldora Million." It paid an incredible $1,000,000 to the winner, Donnie Moran! The "Eldora Million" returned in 2022 with an even bigger prize of $1,002,022.
Scott Bloomquist has won the Dirt Late Model Dream eight times, making him the most successful driver in this event.
- Winners
- 1994 Freddy Smith, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- 1995 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tennessee
- 1996 Donnie Moran, Dresden, Ohio
- 1997 Jimmy Mars, Elk Mound, Wisconsin
- 1998 Billy Moyer, Batesville, Arkansas
- 1999 Rick Eckert, York, Pennsylvania
- 2000 Freddy Smith, Knoxville, Tennessee
- 2001 Donnie Moran, Dresden, Ohio (Eldora Million)
- 2002 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tennessee
- 2003 Darrell Lanigan, Union, Kentucky
- 2004 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tennessee
- 2005 Matt Miller, Waterville, Ohio
- 2006 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tennessee
- 2007 Steve Casebolt, Richmond, Indiana
- 2008 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tennessee
- 2009 Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tennessee
- 2010 Billy Moyer, Batesville, Arkansas
- 2011 Don O'Neal, Martinsville, Indiana
- 2012 Shane Clanton, Fayetteville, Georgia
- 2013 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tennessee
- 2014 Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Georgia
- 2015 Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Georgia
- 2016 Dennis Erb, Jr., Carpentersville, Illinois
- 2017 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tennessee
- 2018 Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tennessee
- 2019 Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Illinois
- 2020 Tim McCreadie, Watertown, New York (Dirt Late Model Stream Invitational)
- 2021 Brandon Overton, Evans, Georgia (two main events in 2021—Thursday and Saturday, won both)
- 2022 Brandon Overton, Evans, Georgia
- 2023 Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Georgia (Eldora Million)
- 2024 Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Georgia
Prelude to the Dream
From 2005 to 2012, Eldora hosted the Prelude to the Dream. This was a special race where famous NASCAR drivers would come to Eldora and race dirt late models. The money raised from these races often went to charity, like Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp.
Many famous NASCAR drivers, like Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, and Kyle Busch, won this event. The races were very popular, attracting tens of thousands of fans.
- Winners
| Year | Date | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | June 8 | Kenny Wallace |
| 2006 | Sept 6 | Tony Stewart |
| 2007 | June 6 | Carl Edwards |
| 2008 | June 4 | Tony Stewart |
| 2009 | Sept 6 | Tony Stewart |
| 2010 | June 9 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 2011 | June 8 | Clint Bowyer |
| 2012 | June 6 | Kyle Busch |
World 100
The World 100 is a 100-lap dirt late model race. It's one of the most important races of the season and is usually held in mid-September.
Bruce Gould won the very first World 100 in 1971. Billy Moyer has won the race six times, more than any other driver! Other drivers like Donnie Moran and Scott Bloomquist have also won multiple times.
In recent years, the World 100, like the Dirt Late Model Dream, has expanded to a three-day event. This gives drivers and fans even more racing action. The 2022 winner received $55,000 and a special globed trophy.
4-Crown Nationals Weekend
The 4-Crown Nationals is Eldora's big race weekend in late September. From 1981 to 2006, it featured four different races on one night.
- USAC Races
- USAC National Midget Series (1981-2006)
- USAC National Sprint Car Championship (1981-2006)
- USAC Silver Crown Series (1981-2006)
In 2007, Tony Stewart changed the format to a two-night event. Now, Friday features races sanctioned by the World Racing Group, and Saturday features races sanctioned by the United States Auto Club (USAC).
- Friday Races
- UMP Modifieds
- World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
- Saturday Races
- USAC National Midget Series
- USAC National Sprint Car Championship
- USAC Silver Crown Series
Eldora Dirt Derby
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On July 24, 2013, Eldora Speedway made history by hosting a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race called the Mudsummer Classic. This was special because it was the first time a NASCAR national series raced on a dirt track in many years.
Austin Dillon won the first Eldora Dirt Derby. Many famous drivers, including some who usually race on dirt, took part. The race was a big success and was held every year until 2020. It was then removed from the schedule.
Superstar Racing Experience
The Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) is a new stock car series that started in 2021. It was co-founded by Eldora's owner, Tony Stewart. Eldora Speedway hosted an SRX race in 2021, and Tony Stewart himself won the event!
Images for kids
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Eldora Speedway from overhead
See also
In Spanish: Eldora Speedway para niños
