Eldora Speedway
Fast Facts: 44th Dirt Track World Championship
By Aaron Clay
DirtonDirt.com weekend editor
Dates: Oct. 17-19 (modified prelims and stock car 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 non-qualifier qualifier)
Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Live streaming: FloRacing
Last year’s winner: Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., who won his fifth career DTWC.
Tickets: $70 for three-day general admission; $80 for three-day pit pass (additional details below)
Websites: lucasdirt.com or eldoraspeedway.showare.com or thedtwc.com
Track phone: (937) 338-3815
Notes: For the second straight year, Carl Short’s General Tire Dirt Track World Championship presented by ARP returns to Eldora Speedway. … The 44th installment of the DTWC begins with Friday’s time trials and heat races preceding Saturday’s consolations, $3,000-to-win non-qualifier and 100-lap, $100,000-to-win finale for the Lucas Oil Series. … Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., was the eighth and final different leader in last year’s DTWC as he nearly ran out of gas and sputtered across the line a mere 0.084 of a second ahead of Hudson O’Neal in a photo finish. Sheppard secured his fifth career event victory and will be chasing his sixth event crown this weekend (2013, ’16, ’19, ’20, ’23). … O’Neal, of Martinsville, Ind., enters on the outside of the Big River Steel Big Four championship playoff and looks to end his touring season on a winning note. … Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., enjoyed a strong weekend at Brownstown and enters with a 50-point advantage over Jonathan Davenport as he looks to clinch his first career Lucas Oil Series title. … Davenport, of Blairsville, Ga., led all 100 laps to win June’s $100,030 Dream XXX at Eldora, notching his ninth career crown jewel event victory there. He’ll seek his first career DTWC title. … Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., held off a closing Dale McDowell to win Sept. 7's $57,000 World 100, his first victory at ‘The Big E’ since his first globe in 2016. … Thursday's opener has modifieds prelims with stock cars running a full program. ... Late Model competition begins with Friday’s time trials and heat races, with the Steel Block Late Model Series contesting all prelims on the undercard, along with modifieds running a $5,000-to-win feature. Action wraps up with Saturday’s consolations, non-qualifier and 100-lap, $100,000-to-win finale; Steel Block Late Models will also close its 2024 season with a $5,000-to-win feature. … Pits open at 10 a.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. Friday and at noon on Saturday, with grandstands opening at noon for Thursday and Saturday (2 p.m. on Friday); opening ceremonies are set for 7:50 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, then 6:30 p.m. for Saturday’s finale. … General Tire and Automotive Racing Products are 2024's presenting sponsors.
DTWC winners
Year: Winner, hometown
2023: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
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 feature
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
Saturday's 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; subject to change)
Wednesday
9 a.m. - Gates open, pit pass and ticket sales begin
3 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
7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concessions)
9 a.m. - Ticket office opens, racer registration opens
11 a.m. - Pits open
Noon - Modified and super stock 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 group qualifying
- Modified group qualifying
Opening ceremonies
- Stock car heats
- Modified heats
- Stock car consolations (if necessary)
- Modified consolations (if necessary)
- Stock car feature (25 laps)
Friday
7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concession building)
9 a.m. - Ticket office opens, racer registration opens
10 a.m. - Pits open
11 a.m. - Late Model and Limited Late Model technical inspection
2 p.m. - Grandstands open
4:15 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Limited Late Model hot laps
- Late Model hot laps
- Limited Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Limited Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Modified feature (30 laps)
- Limited Late Model consolations (if necessary)
Saturday
7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concession building)
11 a.m. - Ticket office opens, racer registration opens
Noon - All gates open
3 p.m. - Outreach service (fan zone barn)
4 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 (B-main locked-in) hot laps
- Limited Late Model (A-main locked-in) hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Late Model (A-main locked-in) hot laps
- Late Model non-qualifier (25 laps)
- 44th 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: $50 in Lots 1-5; $100 in Main Lot; $110 in Turn 1 (south end)
Online reservations: eldoraspeedway.com/visitor-info/camping-fee-chart
Camping questions, call: (937) 338-3815
