Eldora Speedway
Fast Facts: 43rd annual General Tire Dirt Track World Championship
By Aaron Clay
DirtonDirt.com weekend editor
Dates: Oct. 19-21 (modified prelims and stock cars feature on Thursday; Late Model and Limited Late Model prelims and modified feature on Friday; Late Model and Limited Late Model features Saturday)
Track: Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio (high-banked half-mile clay oval).
Purse: $100,000-to-win Late Model feature ($3,000-to-win feature for non-qualifiers).
Primary race sponsors: General Tire and American Racing Products.
Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
Last year’s winner: Garrett Smith of Eatonton, Ga., who won his first career DTWC.
Tickets: $70 for three-day general admission ($20 for ages 13-and-under); $80 for three-day pit pass. More details below.
Live streaming: FloRacing.com.
Websites: lucasdirt.com, eldoraspeedway.com or thedtwc.com.
Track phone: (937) 338-3815
Notes: For the first time in event history, the 43rd annual General Tire Dirt Track World Championship presented by ARP will be contested at Eldora Speedway. … The event caps the Lucas Oil tour’s unique Big River Steel Chase for the Championship that gives the top four drivers in series points entering the event an equal chance at the tour’s record-setting $200,000 title: Ricky Thornton Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport and Devin Moran. … The highest finisher among the Big River Steel Big Four in Saturday’s 100-lapper event takes home the title (with $150,000 for second, $125,000 for third and $100,000 for fourth). … Action begins with prelims for modifieds on Thursday, along with a full-show for stock cars. Modifieds will contest a 30-lap, $5,000-to-win feature on Friday, along with preliminary events for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and Steel Block Late Model Series. The crown jewel event concludes with Late Model consolations preceding the 100-lap, $100,000-to-win Dirt Track World Championship. … The DTWC was founded in 1981 by Hall of Fame event promoter, Carl Short. Jim Dunn won the inaugural event, earning the $30,000 payday, which doubled the winner’s purse for any other major event that season. … Thornton Jr. leads all drivers with 19 full-field series victories this season. … O’Neal won September’s $56,000 53rd annual World 100 at Eldora, earning the first for his long-standing Rocket1 house car team. … Davenport topped June’s $129,000 29th annual Dream at Eldora. … The son of 2001’s inaugural Eldora Million champion, Donnie Moran, Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, continues to chase his first Eldora victory. … World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series points leader Bobby Pierce headlines a list of non-series regulars expected to compete. … Multitime Eldora crown jewel winner Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., plans his return to the driver’s seat this weekend, piloting a Devin Jones Racing Team Zero Race Car.
DTWC winners
Year: Winner, hometown
2022: Garrett Smith, Eatonton, Ga.
2021: Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
2020: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
2019: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
2018: Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
2017: Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
2016: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
2015: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2014: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2013: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
2012: Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
2011: Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
2010: Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
2009: Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis.
2008: Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
2007: Chub Frank, Bear Lake, Pa.
2006: Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, Ill.
2005: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2004: Rick Eckert, York, Pa.
2003: Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
2002: Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, Ill.
2001: Bart Hartman, Zanesville, Ohio
2000: Wendell Wallace, Batesville, Ark.
1999: Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky.
1998: Freddy Smith, Knoxville, Tenn.
1997: Marshall Green, Dalton, Ga.
1996: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
1995: Jack Boggs, Grayson, Ky.
1994: Ronnie Johnson, Chattanooga, Tenn.
1993: Freddy Smith, Baton Rouge, La.
1992: Ronnie Johnson, Chattanooga, Tenn.
1991: Freddy Smith, Kings Mountain, N.C.
1990: Jack Boggs, Grayson, Ky.
1989: John Mason, Millersburg, Ohio
1988: Donnie Moran, Frazeysburg, Ohio
1987: Larry Moore, Dayton, Ohio
1986: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
1985: Freddy Smith, Kings Mountain, N.C.
1984: Jack Boggs, Webbville, Ky.
1983: Freddy Smith, Kings Mountain, N.C.
1982: Charlie Swartz, Ashland, Ky.
1981: Jim Dunn, Roseville, Ohio
Weekend purses
Saturday's main event
1. $100,000
2. $20,000
3. $10,000
4. $8,000
5. $7,500
6. $7,000
7. $6,000
8. $5,000
9. $4,500
10. $4,000
11. $3,500
12. $3,250
13. $3,000
14. $2,750
15. $2,700
16. $2,650
17. $2,600
18. $2,575
19. $2,550
20. $2,525
21.-26. $2,500
Non-qualifiers’ race
1. $3,000
2. $2,000
3. $1,500
4. $1,250
5. $1,200
6. $1,150
7. $1,100
8. $1,075
9. $1,050
10. $1,025
11. $1,000
12. $900
13. $800
14. $700
15. $600
16.-26. $500
Event schedule
(All times local)
Wednesday
9 a.m. - Gates open, pit pass and ticket sales begin
2 p.m. - Racer registration opens (pit passes and media credential sign-in)
3 p.m. - Modified infield parking
4 p.m. - Vendor parking (south end)
5 p.m. - Vendor parking (fan zone)
5 p.m. - Modified technical inspection
Thursday
6 a.m. - Showers open
7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concession building)
9 a.m. - Racer registration opens (pit passes and media credential sign-in)
11 a.m. - Pits open
Noon - Modified and stock car technical inspection
1 p.m. - Grounds cleared, ticket offices and pit pass upgrade station open
2 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Stock car hot laps/time trials
- Modified hot laps/time trials
Opening ceremonies
- Stock car heat races
- Modified heat races
- Stock car consolations (if necessary)
- Modified consolations (if necessary)
- Stock car feature (25 laps)
Friday
6 a.m. - Showers open
7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concession building)
9 a.m. - Racer registration opens (pit passes and media credential sign-in)
10 a.m. - Pits open
11:30 a.m. - Late Model and Limited Late Model technical inspection
1 p.m. - Ticket offices and pit pass upgrade station open
2 p.m. - Grandstands open
5 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Limited Late Model hot laps
- Late Model hot laps
- Limited Late Model time trials
- Late Model time trials
- Modified hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heat races
- Limited Late Model heat races
- Modified feature (30 laps)
- Limited Late Model consolations
Saturday
6 a.m. - Showers open
7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concession building)
11 a.m. - Racer registration opens (pit passes and media credential sign-in)
Noon - Pits open
1 p.m. - Ticket offices and pit pass upgrade station open
1:30 p.m. - Outreach service (fan zone barn)
2 p.m. - Grandstands open
3 p.m. - Driver autograph session (fan zone barn)
5:15 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting (victory stage)
6 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Late Model hot laps (consolation drivers)
- Limited Late Model hot laps (main event drivers)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model consolation races
- Late Model hot laps (main event drivers)
- Late Model non-qualifiers’ race (25 laps)
- 43rd annual Dirt Track World Championship (100 laps)
Postrace ceremonies
- Limited Late Model feature (25 laps)
Tickets
Thursday
Three-day general admission (14-and-up): $70
Three-day youth general admission (13-and-under): free
One-day general admission (14-and-up): $15
One-day youth general admission (13-and-under): free
Reserved seating: Additional $5 for adults; $10 for youth
Three-day all access pit pass (all ages): $80
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $30
Friday
Two-day general admission (14-and-up): $60
Two-day youth general admission (13-and-under): free
One-day general admission (14-and-up): $25
One-day youth general admission (13-and-under): free
Reserved seating: Additional $5 for adults; $10 for youth
Two-day all access pit pass (all ages): $75
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $35
Saturday
One-day general admission (14-and-up): $45
One-day youth general admission (13-and-under): free
Reserved seating: Additional $5 for adults; $10 for youth
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $60
Camping
Primitive camping: $49 in Lots 1-5; $109 in Turn 1 (south end) and Main Lot
Questions: eldoraspeedway.com/visitor-info/camping-fee-chart or (937) 338-3815
