Eldora Speedway
Fast Facts: 45th Dirt Track World Championship by ARP
By Aaron Clay
DirtonDirt weekend editor
Dates: Oct. 16-18
Track: Eldora Speedway (high-banked, half-mile clay oval)
Location: Rossburg, Ohio
Purse: $100,000-to-win Late Model feature ($3,000-to-win feature for non-qualifiers)
Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Live streaming: FloRacing
Last year’s winner: Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., who led the final 17 laps for his first career DTWC triumph.
Tickets: $75 for three-day general admission; $125 for three-day pit pass (details below)
Websites: lucasdirt.com or eldoraspeedway.showare.com or thedtwc.com
Track phone: (937) 338-3815
Notes: For the third consecutive season, Carl Short’s Dirt Track World Championship will be contested at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway where the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champ will be crowned. … Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, enters with a slim 15-point lead over Thornton as he chases his first career Eldora crown jewel victory. … Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., enters 115 markers back of Moran as he seeks his 12th career Eldora special (five-time World 100 champ (2015, ’17, ’19, ’21-’22), four-time Dream winner (2015, ’23-’25), Eldora Million (2022), Intercontinental Classic (2020). … Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., overtook Tim McCreadie and led the final 17 laps last year to capture his first career DTWC triumph, worth $100,000, while Ricky Thornton Jr. finished third in clinching his first career Lucas Oil Series title. … Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., held off Hudson O’Neal in dramatic fashion to claim 2023’s $100,000 top prize, as O’Neal was crowned Lucas Oil champ. … Undercard action begins Thursday with modified prelims and a full show for super stocks; Friday’s action includes prelims for two Late Model divisions before a modified feature. … The three-day event concludes with consolations preceding Saturday’s 100-lap, $100,000-to-win main Super Late Model feature and 30-lap, $5,000-to-win for the Burlile Ohio Valley Late Model Dirt Series; Super Late Models will also run a $3,000-to-win Jim Dunn Memorial non-qualifiers’ race Saturday. … Prior to Eldora, the DTWC was previously hosted at several venues, including Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park for 11 seasons (2012-’22) and the recently-revived Pennsboro (W.Va.) Speedway for 17 of its first 21 years (1981-’97, ’01), though neither track hosted Late Model events this season.
DTWC winners
Year: Winner, hometown
2024: Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.
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
Feature 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; subject to change)
Wednesday
9 a.m. - Gates open, pit pass and ticket sales begin
4 p.m. - Vendor parking (south end)
5 p.m. - Vendor parking (Fan Zone)
Thursday
11 a.m. - Ticket office opens, racer registration opens
Noon - Pits open
1 p.m. - Technical inspection opens
2 p.m. - Hillside chair placement
3 p.m. Grounds cleared, ticket offices and pit pass upgrade station open
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
5 p.m. - Technical inspection closes
6 p.m. - On-track activity
- Super stock group qualifying
- Modified group qualifying
Opening ceremonies
- Super stock heats
- Modified heats
- Super stock consolations (if necessary)
- Modified consolations (if necessary)
- Super stock feature (25 laps)
Friday
10 a.m. - Ticket office opens; racer registration opens
11 a.m. - Pits open
Noon - Technical inspection opens
4 p.m. - Grandstands open; technical inspection closes
4:15 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5 p.m. - On-track activity
- Limited Late Model hot laps
- Super Late Model hot laps
- Limited Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Super Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Super Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Limited Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified feature (30 laps)
- Limited Late Model consolations
Saturday
8-11 a.m. - Breakfast buffet (Ballroom)
11 a.m. - Ticket office opens, racer registration opens
Noon - Gates open
2 p.m. - Dirt Racing Outreach service (Fan Zone barn)
4 p.m. - Drivers’ autograph session (Fan Zone barn)
5:15 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting (victory stage)
6 p.m. - On-track activity
- Super Late Model hot laps (consolation entrants)
- Limited Late Model hot laps (feature entrants)
Opening ceremonies
- Super Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Super Late Model hot laps (feature entrants)
- Late Model non-qualifiers’ race (25 laps)
- 45th annual Dirt Track World Championship (100 laps)
Postrace ceremonies
- Limited Late Model feature (25 laps)
Tickets
Thursday
Three-day general admission (14-and-up): $75
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): $125
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $30
Friday
Two-day general admission (14-and-up): $65
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): $95
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: $60 in Lots 1-5; $100 in Do Lot; $150 in Main Lot; $200 in Turn 1 Southend
Online reservations: eldoraspeedway.com/visitor-info/camping-fee-chart
Camping questions: (937) 338-3815
