Eldora Speedway
Scouting the heats for 43rd annual World 100
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor
A Friday view of Eldora Speedway. (thesportswire.net)
ROSSBURG, Ohio (Sept. 7) — And now comes the easy part at Eldora Speedway. Or so it seems after two preliminary nights with 40 races and more than 400 laps. Traditionalists should be plenty comfortable with Saturday’s program for the 43rd annual World 100 with six heats, two consolations and a 100-lapper on tap (along with a few scrambles for good measure). | Complete World 100 coverage
Of course, it’s not easier for drivers who must navigate the perilous heat races after a six-car inversion, then make their cars perform better the last 25 laps than the first 25 laps of the century grind.
Who will hoist a globe trophy on Eldora’s stage Saturday night? With four preliminary features split among four drivers, and plenty of other contenders lurking, “wide open” comes to mind — until, of course, one of the Eldora veterans seizes the night. Let’s take a look at which drivers should secure the first nine rows of the feature lineup through six heat races (updates with changes in heat race lineups from sixth row on back):
First heat
Row 1: Dale McDowell, J.R. Hotovy
Row 2: Tyler Reddick, Frank Heckenast Jr.
Row 3: Steve Francis, Jason Feger
Row 4: Dennis Erb Jr., Kevin Weaver
Row 5: Dustin Neat, Brian Ruhlman
Row 6: Chris Simpson, Robby Hensley
Row 7: Randy Korte, Chad Ruhlman
Row 8: Justin Chance, Steve Kester
Row 9: Gary Christian, Matt Irey
Row 10: Nick Latham
Overview: The opening heat has a decided Illinois flavor with five of six drivers in rows 2-4 based in the Prairie State, but they’ll likely be chasing the solid polesitter McDowell, who decided to come to Eldora in Team Dillon Racing’s Warrior after finishing fourth in a MasterSbilt at June’s Dream. McDowell and Francis are the only two big-race Eldora winners in the event. Reddick has been on the pole of Eldora’s last two major events, meaning he’s gunning for his third straight major-race heat victory at the Big E.
Rally time: No obvious candidates for a stirring run, but if Chris Simpson can get his University of Iowa-clad car in gear, a fourth-place finish looks possible.
Intangible: Will we see the J.R. Hotovy who made last year’s World or the Hotovy who hasn’t finished better than fifth in a prelim this week?
Todd’s picks: McDowell, Feger, Reddick.
Second heat
Row 1: Vic Hill, Matt Miller
Row 2: Mike Marlar, Brian Shirley
Row 3: Brad Neat, Josh Richards
Row 4: Chad Smith, Shannon Thornsberry
Row 5: Earl Pearson Jr., Randy Weaver
Row 6: Duane Chamberlain, Jeremy Nichols
Row 7: Ryan Sutter, Brandon Kinzer
Row 8: Joe Ramey, Kent Robinson
Row 9: Jason Riggs, Chad Simpson
Row 10: Don Hammer
Overview: Miller will be gunning for his third straight heat victory of the week, and while he didn’t enjoy the preliminary feature success he did with two victories at the Dream, at times he’s appeared to have the fastest car on the property. Vic Hill is looking for his first World 100 start since 2007 while Josh Richards would dearly like to pass on his potential fast-qualifier provisional to another competitor.
Rally time: Pearson gained eight spots in Friday’s preliminary feature using the line he used in winning the 2006 World 100. He’ll have to get moving quickly. Duane Chamberlain has struggled this week but could follow up his impressive Dream run with a charge.
Intangible: Mike Marlar’s Eldora memories mostly focus on his modified career; can he change that?
Todd’s picks: Miller, Richards, Pearson.
Third heat
Row 1: Bub McCool, Eddie Carrier Jr.
Row 2: Jonathan Davenport, Billy Moyer
Row 3: Jeep Van Wormer, Ray Guss Jr.
Row 4: Brandon Sheppard, R.J. Conley
Row 5: Wayne Chinn, Jason Montgomery
Row 6: Tim Isenberg, John Mason
Row 7: Tim Rivers, Doug Drown
Row 8: Jeff Watson, John Mayes Jr.
Row 9: Don Gordon, Scott James
Row 10: Doug Zartler
Overview: The front row of McCool and Carrier is made up of two drivers liable to get rolling early and run away from the field. Davenport, Moyer and Van Wormer will no doubt give chase, while the overmatched Guss — a benefactor of an early qualifying slot Friday — is unlikely to keep up. Don’t count out the fourth row of Sheppard and Conley, who first debuted his Rocket at Eldora in June and streaked to some solid summer victories.
Rally time: Can Doug Drown summon the magic in the D.J. Miller-owned entry he's shown this season with Weekley Motorsports.
Intangible: Van Wormer has made fewer than 20 starts this season, which might inspire more patience than usual.
Todd’s picks: Van Wormer, Moyer, Carrier.
Fourth heat
Row 1: Devin Moran, Mason Zeigler
Row 2: Darrell Lanigan, Jared Landers
Row 3: Don O’Neal, Shane Clanton
Row 4: Scott Bloomquist, Shannon Babb
Row 5: Michael Chilton, Justin Rattliff
Row 6: Brett Wyatt, Chris Madden
Row 7: Steve Lance Jr., Micahel Asberry
Row 8: Phil Ausra, Jody Knowles
Row 9: Jason Smith, Shane Unger
Row 10: Steve Isenberg
Overview: It’s a good thing Late Models don’t have rear-view mirrors, because the youngsters on the front row will have their hands full with the six drivers lining up behind them, four of whom own major-race victories at Eldora. With throttle-stompers O’Neal, Landers, Clanton and Babb in the mix along with preliminary feature winner Lanigan and the savvy Bloomquist, it’s the most loaded prelim.
Rally time: There’s no breaking through the juggernaut that is rows 2-4.
Intangible: Starting 12th, Madden was second quick in Thursday's time trials, but he's got a lot of work to do here.
Todd’s picks: Clanton, Lanigan, Landers.
Fifth heat
Row 1: Jimmy Mars, Jeff Babcock
Row 2: Bobby Pierce, Jon Henry
Row 3: Tim McCreadie, Gregg Satterlee
Row 4: Jimmy Owens, Donnie Moran
Row 5: Ryan VanderVeen, Chub Frank
Row 6: Ky Harper, Greg Johnson
Row 7: Jeff Sloan, Mike Spatola
Row 8: Casey Noonan, Brian Gray
Row 9: Jay Brunson, Mason Combs
Row 10: Jim Gingery
Overview: Momentum carries the third row of McCreadie (preliminary feature win Friday) and Satterlee (runner-up in Friday prelim) into this one, making the six-car inversion seem bearable, especially considering how drivers in the first two rows have underperformed for two straight nights. Owens, too, might be more feared if Thursday and Friday had gone better for him.
Rally time: Greg Johnson might be talking about a Revelution if he can get his Frank Revel-designed chassis into transfer contention.
Intangible: No driver starting in the first two rows finished better than 17th in a preliminary feature.
Todd’s picks: McCreadie, Satterlee, Owens.
Sixth heat
Row 1: Casey Roberts, Morgan Bagley
Row 2: Jerry Bowersock, Ricky Weiss
Row 3: John Blankenship, Jacob Hawkins
Row 4: Tim Lance, Tim Manville
Row 5: Terry Phillips, Dustin Linville
Row 6: Brian Birkhofer, Brian Diveley
Row 7: Brad Dyer, Jay Johnson
Row 8: Andrew Reaume, Jeff Wolfenbarger
Row 9: Henry Cooper, Scott Clifford
Overview: The lone heat without a previous major-race winner at Eldora, drivers in the first three rows combine for just eight previous World 100 starts (the fourth heat, for example, has 36 previous starts among its top six drivers). The least accomplished heat field doesn’t mean it won’t be interesting with Morgan Bagley and Ricky Weiss hunting their first World 100 starts.
Rally time: Last year's winner Brian Birkhofer has often struggled in qualifying, so he faces a familiar challenge from the sixth row. Terry Phillips, plotting a switch to Rocket Chassis from his Bloomquist Race Car, was first or second in five of his previous six starts heading to Eldora. There’s no better heat to be starting so far back for Birkhofer and Phillips.
Intangibles: Only Bowersock (most recently 2009) and Hawkins (July) have won Late Model features of any kind at Eldora.
Todd’s picks: Roberts, Weiss, Hawkins.
