Eldora Speedway facts for kids
| The Big E Auto Racing's Showcase since 1954 |
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Oval (1954–present)
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| Location | Allen Township, Darke County, near New Weston, Ohio |
| Time zone | UTC-05:00 (UTC-04:00 DST) |
| Coordinates | 40°19′07″N 84°38′02″W / 40.31861°N 84.63389°W |
| Capacity | 30,000 |
| Owner | Tony Stewart (2004–present) |
| Broke ground | 1953 |
| Opened | 1954 |
| Architect | Earl Baltes |
| Major events | Current: World of Outlaws Kings Royal (1984–2019, 2021–present) World 100 (1954–present) Former: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Eldora Dirt Derby (2013–2019) Superstar Racing Experience (2021, 2023) Super DIRTcar Series (2016–2017, 2019) Prelude to the Dream (2005–2012) |
| Oval (1954–present) | |
| Surface | Clay |
| Length | 0.500 mi (0.805 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 is a famous race track in Ohio. It's known as "the Big E" and the "World's Greatest Dirt Track." This track is a 0.500 mi (0.805 km) oval made of clay, with high-banked turns. This means the turns are tilted steeply, which helps cars go faster.
The speedway is located near New Weston, Ohio. It can hold many fans, with seats for over 22,000 people and extra space on grassy hillsides. This makes it the biggest sports stadium in the Dayton, Ohio area.
Eldora Speedway was first built in 1954 by Earl Baltes. It started as a smaller track, about 0.250 mi (0.402 km) long. Over the years, it was made bigger, first to 0.375 mi (0.604 km), and then to its current half-mile size. This larger size was needed for big national championship races.
Today, Eldora Speedway hosts exciting events. These include the Kings Royal, the World 100, and races for the Superstar Racing Experience. From 2013 to 2019, it also hosted the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series' Eldora Dirt Derby. Many of these big races have grown into three-day events, which are very popular with fans.
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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 had never worked in racing before. Earl was inspired after seeing a race at another track. He saw how many people loved it, so he decided to build his own race track.
Earl already owned the Eldora Ballroom, a place where people went for dances and music shows. As the race track became more successful, he focused more on racing and less on the music events.
The track started as a quarter-mile oval. Just two years later, Earl made it bigger, to three-eighths of a mile. By 1958, it was expanded to its current half-mile length.
In 1962, the track hosted USAC sprint car races for the first time. It quickly became a favorite place for these fast cars to compete.
Big Races Begin
In 1971, Earl Baltes created a new race called the World 100. He offered a huge prize of $4,000 to the winner, which was a lot of money for a race back then. This event is seen as the start of modern "dirt late model" racing. This type of racing is now one of the most popular on short tracks in America.
When the World of Outlaws sprint car series started in 1978, Earl Baltes quickly booked their races at Eldora. This helped the new series become well-known. Eldora has remained a key track for the World of Outlaws, hosting their annual King's Royal race.
The World 100 race grew over the years. It now attracts the largest number of dirt late model racers from all over the world. It is also Eldora's most attended event of the season. In 2017, the race offered over $425,800 in prize money.
In 1984, Earl Baltes created another big event: the Kings Royal. This race offered $50,000 to the winner. In recent years, the Kings Royal has become a three-day festival with over $385,000 in prizes.
The 4-Crown Nationals
In 1980, a USAC official named Johnny Vance suggested a special event. It would feature all four of USAC's racing divisions in one show. This event, called the "4-Crown Nationals," started in 1981. It was a big success.
The 4-Crown Nationals has changed over the years. It now includes the World of Outlaws on Friday and three USAC divisions on Saturday. It also features vintage cars and races for smaller "midget" cars. This event has seen some amazing performances, like drivers winning multiple races in one night.
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, by far, the richest short-track race ever. Donnie Moran won the race and was called "the Million Dollar Man."
New Ownership and Improvements
In late 2004, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart bought Eldora Speedway from Earl Baltes. After Earl retired, a highway near the track was renamed "Earl Baltes National Highway" to honor him.
Tony Stewart has continued to improve the speedway. He added new luxury suites and a large video board so fans can see the action better. The track also added more safety features, like stronger fences and special areas for medical staff. These changes help keep both fans and racers safe.
Kings Royal Race
The Kings Royal is one of the biggest sprint car races in the United States. It is usually held in July and is part of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car series. Until 2019, the winner received $50,000. In 2019, the prize increased to $175,000. This race attracts many cars and a huge crowd of sprint car fans from all over the world.
The Historical Big One
Earl Baltes also promoted another very rich sprint car race called The Historical Big One. It paid $100,000 to win, which was a huge amount for sprint car racing at the time. This race was held from 1993 to 2003. It returned in 2022 as part of the King's Royal week. In 2023, it was renamed the Eldora Million, offering a prize of $1,002,023 to the winner.
- 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 is famous for its large prize money, with the winner taking home $100,000.
In 2013, the Dream race changed its format. It now had two full race programs on the preliminary nights (Thursday and Friday). Scott Bloomquist won the 2013 Dream, marking his sixth victory in this rich event.
The 2001 event was special because it featured the "Eldora Million," which paid an amazing $1,000,000 to winner Donnie Moran.
In 2020, the race was called the "Dirt Late Model Stream Invitational." It was held without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The winner received $50,000, and the race was only available to watch online. Scott Bloomquist has won the Dirt Late Model Dream eight times, more than any other driver.
In 2022, the "Eldora Million" returned with an even bigger prize of $1,002,022.
- 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 Shane Clanton , 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 Race
From 2005 to 2012, Tony Stewart added a special race called the Prelude to the Dream. This race featured famous NASCAR drivers. They drove special "Late Models" cars on the dirt track. Kenny Wallace won the first Prelude to the Dream. The money raised from this race went to charity, like Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp.
The 2006 race was canceled due to rain. A makeup race, called the "Prelude to the World," was held later. Tony Stewart won that race and celebrated by climbing the catch fence and jumping into the crowd! These "Prelude" events brought over 40,000 fans to Eldora Speedway.
The 2007 race returned to June and was shown live on pay-per-view. All the money from the broadcast went to Victory Junction. Famous NASCAR commentators helped call the race. Carl Edwards won the 2007 event and did his famous backflip off his car. Eldora Speedway donated over $800,000 to the charity that year.
In 2008, Tony Stewart won the race. His foundation donated $1,000,000 to the Victory Junction Gang Camps. The 2009 race was also canceled due to rain, but Tony Stewart won the makeup race again.
Jimmie Johnson won the 2010 Prelude. In 2011, Clint Bowyer won, and the money went to children's hospitals. The last Prelude to the Dream was in 2012, won by Kyle Busch. After this, the event became the Eldora Dirt Derby, a NASCAR-sanctioned race.
- 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 Race
The World 100 is a 100-lap dirt late model race. It is one of the most important racing events each season. It usually takes place in mid-September, after Labor Day.
Bruce Gould won the very first World 100 in September 1971. Billy Moyer has won the World 100 six times, more than anyone else. Donnie Moran has won it four times, and Larry Moore, Jeff Purvis, and Scott Bloomquist have each won it three times.
In 2013, Eldora Speedway changed the format for the World 100. It became a three-night event, offering more racing for both drivers and fans. The 2014 World 100 had full racing programs on Thursday and Friday, including two feature races each night. On Saturday, there were qualifying races before the main 100-lap event.
The 2022 World 100 winner received $55,000. The winning driver and car owner also get special globe-shaped trophies.
4-Crown Nationals Weekend
The 4-Crown Nationals is a race weekend held 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)
- USAC Stock Car (1981–1983)
- USAC Late Models (1985–1988)
- Other Races
- Late models (1989–1995)
- UMP Modifieds (1996–2007)
In 2007, Tony Stewart changed the format to a two-night event. The new format has races sanctioned by the World Racing Group on Friday. The United States Auto Club (USAC) sanctioned cars race on Saturday.
- 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 hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race called the Mudsummer Classic. This was a big deal because it was a NASCAR national series race held on a dirt track. Even though the track didn't have all the usual NASCAR safety barriers, it met NASCAR's safety rules.
Austin Dillon, a NASCAR champion, won the first event in his No. 39 truck. He beat other famous drivers like Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman. Many drivers who were used to dirt track racing also took part.
The Eldora Dirt Derby was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then removed from the Truck Series schedule for 2021.
Superstar Racing Experience
The Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) is a stock car series that Tony Stewart helped create. SRX raced at Eldora in 2021. Tony Stewart himself won that event.
Track Records
As of August 2025, here are the fastest official race lap records at Eldora Speedway:
| Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint Car | 0:12.599 | David Gravel | Sprint Car | 2020 All Star Circuit of Champions |
| Late Model | 0:14.761 | Brandon Sheppard | Late Model | 2018 World 100 |
| USAC Silver Crown | 0:15.334 | Josh Wise | Silver Crown Car | 2005 4-Crown Nationals |
| Midget Car | 0:15.801 | Mike Hess | Midget Car | 2004 4-Crown Nationals |
See also
In Spanish: Eldora Speedway para niños
