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Eldora Speedway, also known as The
Big E and Auto Racing's Showcase
since 1954, is located near Rossburg,
Ohio. Eldora is a half-mile clay oval with
an estimated seating capacity of nearly
20,000. It hosts such races as "The
King's Royal," "The Dirt Late Model
Dream," "Chevrolet American Revolution
Weekend," and "The World 100." The
World 100 annually attracts over 200
dirt late-model racers, while the
Chevrolet American Revolution
Weekend originally featured four races
in one night -- midget, non-winged
sprint, Silver Crown, and dirt modified,
with drivers earning a special bonus
should one driver win all four races.
Owner Tony Stewart split the dirt
modified race to the previous night in
order to match that race with a winged
sprint car race where both races were
sanctioned by the same organization.
NASCAR driver Tony Stewart purchased
the speedway in late 2004 from Earl
Baltes, who built the speedway from the
ground up in 1954. Stewart hired
promoter Larry Kemp to head the
day-to-day operations at the circuit.
Big E and Auto Racing's Showcase
since 1954, is located near Rossburg,
Ohio. Eldora is a half-mile clay oval with
an estimated seating capacity of nearly
20,000. It hosts such races as "The
King's Royal," "The Dirt Late Model
Dream," "Chevrolet American Revolution
Weekend," and "The World 100." The
World 100 annually attracts over 200
dirt late-model racers, while the
Chevrolet American Revolution
Weekend originally featured four races
in one night -- midget, non-winged
sprint, Silver Crown, and dirt modified,
with drivers earning a special bonus
should one driver win all four races.
Owner Tony Stewart split the dirt
modified race to the previous night in
order to match that race with a winged
sprint car race where both races were
sanctioned by the same organization.
NASCAR driver Tony Stewart purchased
the speedway in late 2004 from Earl
Baltes, who built the speedway from the
ground up in 1954. Stewart hired
promoter Larry Kemp to head the
day-to-day operations at the circuit.
A new Daktronics LED scoreboard and billboards were added off Turn Two, to be more visible against the setting sun. Additional catch
fencing and a new caution light systems were added for safety. Stewart said he hoped to add a large-screen video board instead of the
standard scoreboard.
They also added "Prelude to the Dream", a new late-model Sprint-sponsored race with visiting Sprint Cup stars. In 2005, Kenny Wallace
won the first "Prelude to the Dream" and a total of $50,000 dollars was donated to Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp. The race
was cancelled because of rain in 2006, and Tony Stewart won the makeup race, the "Prelude to the World" (a reference to the World
100 in September, when the makeup race was scheduled) and celebrated his win by climbing Eldora's new catch fence and jumping into
the crowd of fans. Both "Prelude" events combined have attracted more than 40,000 spectators to Eldora Speedway, and the 2007
race, returned to the Dirt Late Model Dream feature in June, featured both a live audience and pay-per-view coverage, with all proceeds
from the coverage being donated to Victory Junction, and the NASCAR on FOX crew of Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Dick Berggren, Matt
Yocum, and producer Pam Miller on staff. Carl Edwards held off Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon to win the 2007 event and celebrated by
doing his trademark back flip off of his car onto the dirt.
The 36th annual World 100 was held on September 9, 2006. The race has been said to be one of the greatest dirt late model races
ever held, as in the last 25 laps the top 5 cars raced feverishly for the lead. The race was won by Jacksonville, Florida's Earl Pearson,
Jr. as a total of 195 cars tried to make the 28 car starting field.
Stewart hoped for an International Race of Champions event to be held at Eldora in 2007, even refusing to take the $1 million prize that
came with his winning the 2006 season title, in exchange for an event to be held at his track. However, as IROC went on hiatus for the
2007 season due to lack of sponsorship, any possible race at Eldora would not happen until 2008 if ever. IROC is selling their
equipment and it appears to have suspended operations, although this happened once in the early 1980's for three years before
reappearing in 1984.
USAC 4-Crown National
Since 1981, the 4-Crown Nationals have been a historic part of the track's September race card, with four different races on one night:
USAC Midgets; USAC Sprint Cars; USAC Silver Crown and UMP Dirt Modified . In 2007, Tony Stewart changed the format to a two-night
format renamed Chevrolet American Revolution Weekend. The three USAC classes race on Saturday night, and the UMP Dirt Modified
race is now run on Friday night with the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, as both UMP and WoO are owned by World Racing Group, so
Stewart had the two World Racing Group sanctioned races on one night, and the United States Auto Club races on Saturday night.
fencing and a new caution light systems were added for safety. Stewart said he hoped to add a large-screen video board instead of the
standard scoreboard.
They also added "Prelude to the Dream", a new late-model Sprint-sponsored race with visiting Sprint Cup stars. In 2005, Kenny Wallace
won the first "Prelude to the Dream" and a total of $50,000 dollars was donated to Kyle Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp. The race
was cancelled because of rain in 2006, and Tony Stewart won the makeup race, the "Prelude to the World" (a reference to the World
100 in September, when the makeup race was scheduled) and celebrated his win by climbing Eldora's new catch fence and jumping into
the crowd of fans. Both "Prelude" events combined have attracted more than 40,000 spectators to Eldora Speedway, and the 2007
race, returned to the Dirt Late Model Dream feature in June, featured both a live audience and pay-per-view coverage, with all proceeds
from the coverage being donated to Victory Junction, and the NASCAR on FOX crew of Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Dick Berggren, Matt
Yocum, and producer Pam Miller on staff. Carl Edwards held off Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon to win the 2007 event and celebrated by
doing his trademark back flip off of his car onto the dirt.
The 36th annual World 100 was held on September 9, 2006. The race has been said to be one of the greatest dirt late model races
ever held, as in the last 25 laps the top 5 cars raced feverishly for the lead. The race was won by Jacksonville, Florida's Earl Pearson,
Jr. as a total of 195 cars tried to make the 28 car starting field.
Stewart hoped for an International Race of Champions event to be held at Eldora in 2007, even refusing to take the $1 million prize that
came with his winning the 2006 season title, in exchange for an event to be held at his track. However, as IROC went on hiatus for the
2007 season due to lack of sponsorship, any possible race at Eldora would not happen until 2008 if ever. IROC is selling their
equipment and it appears to have suspended operations, although this happened once in the early 1980's for three years before
reappearing in 1984.
USAC 4-Crown National
Since 1981, the 4-Crown Nationals have been a historic part of the track's September race card, with four different races on one night:
USAC Midgets; USAC Sprint Cars; USAC Silver Crown and UMP Dirt Modified . In 2007, Tony Stewart changed the format to a two-night
format renamed Chevrolet American Revolution Weekend. The three USAC classes race on Saturday night, and the UMP Dirt Modified
race is now run on Friday night with the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, as both UMP and WoO are owned by World Racing Group, so
Stewart had the two World Racing Group sanctioned races on one night, and the United States Auto Club races on Saturday night.
