ROSSBURG, OH – A packed house at Eldora Speedway was treated to a thrilling night of dirt track racing on Sunday, August 31, as the 17th running of the Baltes Classic honored the legacy of track founder Earl Baltes. The annual event once again delivered hard-fought battles and dramatic finishes across three popular divisions: Late Models, Modifieds, and Super Stocks.
Due to overwhelming participation in the Late Model division, the class was split into two groups — and both delivered headline-worthy performances.
In Late Models Group A, Ricky Thornton Jr. powered his way to victory after starting fourth on the grid. Despite finishing second in his heat race, Thornton made steady progress through the field and took control in the latter stages, continuing a strong season in the high-powered division.
Kyle Bronson mirrored that effort in Group B, also starting from the fourth spot after a second-place heat finish. Bronson showed his usual aggression and finesse on the Eldora high banks, ultimately coming out on top in a stacked field.
The Modifieds division saw Jerry Bowersock put on a textbook display of racecraft. After finishing second in his heat and earning the fourth starting position in the A-feature, Bowersock worked his way through the leaders and sealed the win, adding another impressive line to his Eldora résumé.
In Super Stocks, Jordon Conover left little doubt from the drop of the green. After winning his heat and starting second in the feature, Conover quickly took command and never looked back, cruising to a convincing victory.
The Baltes Classic served as the final tune-up before Eldora’s crown jewel event — the 54th World 100, set for September 4–6. With momentum building and national talent pouring in, all eyes now shift to the weekend showdown that defines greatness in dirt late model racing.
Click here for more than 900 photos of the event in 4 galleries!
Click here for detailed race results
