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Late Model Drivers anxious for added Eldora
laps and money
Expanded Dirt Late
Model Dream and World 100 Weekends Offer Sought After Laps
ROSSBURG, OH (November 12) – Laps, more laps! To a
driver, that is the biggest key to success at Eldora Speedway.
“I’ve got a lot of laps up there, but it’s not ever enough,” offered
Billy Moyer, one of only five drivers that have triumphed in each of
Eldora’s signature events, the Dirt Late Model Dream and the World 100.
That need has been satisfied with the recent announcement surrounding
the expansion of the Dream (June 6, 7 & 8, 2013) and World 100
(September 5, 6 and 7, 2013) weekends. Each weekend will
now encompass three full nights of racing, with Twin 25-lap feature
events on Thursday and Friday preceding the traditional 100-lap
features that concludes the Saturday races.
The Twin 25-lap features, each starting 24 cars, will give 48 drivers
on the added nights an opportunity to compete for feature race money
and a trip to the hallowed Eldora victory stage. Included within
the expansion, that includes complete race programs each night, is a
substantial increase in prize money; a total of $304,000 has been
posted for the Dream, and $283,000 for the World 100, along with added
starting berths.
That move has been warmly embraced by many drivers, as documented in a
recent video shoot.
“It’s so hard to get laps there,” echoed Josh Richards, who is eagerly
awaiting his first Eldora major event win, while 2004 World 100 winner
Chub Frank reiterated “Eldora is a tough race track and you definitely
need as much seat time as you can get.”
“If we’re going to be there three days, it will be nice to take a
paycheck out of there three nights,” acknowledged Tim McCreadie,
another driver who is hoping their success can be carried over to the
famed Eldora victory lane. Scott Bloomquist, another driver
with Dream and World 100 wins, agreed, “I think the fans will enjoy it
– they are going to see a lot more racing, that is what they come to
see,” while 1999 World 100 winner Steve Francis summed it up with “Fans
come to see races. For the drivers, it offers two more
opportunities to actually race and play with our race cars to try and
tune in.”
And, from the response of the drivers queried, the opportunity to
‘tweak’ their cars comes with the addition of the revered ‘more laps’.
Says Bloomquist of the two additional nights, “we’ll try multiple
combinations of different things we want to try; things that you just
couldn’t take a chance on before.” But Moyer cautioned, “just
because you hit it right one night, you might get your butt kicked the
next.”
An increase in the car count and a higher level of competition is
expected by the drivers. A pair of popular young Illinois drivers
is excited. Brandon Sheppard quipped “it’s a lot better for your
average Joe weekend warrior,” while Jason Feger jumped in with “3
features (for the racers, a total of five for the fans) instead of 1 is
pretty neat.”
The complete three-segment interview of many drivers’ reactions to the
expanded Dirt Late Model Dream and World 100 is available for viewing
on the track’s website http://www.eldoraspeedway.com/.
Seats and campsites for the 2012 patrons are available through an
ongoing ticket renewal program; which ends November 16.
December 1, at 10 a.m., has been targeted as the kickoff date for the
public sale of tickets and campsites to not only the Dirt Late Model
Dream and the World 100, but the Kings Royal weekend as
well. Ticket information, along with seating and campsite
schematics, may be obtained via the website.
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