Eldora Raceway

Last week Wednesday, the racing community in the USA was rocking with enthusiasm when spectators from 48 states and the NASCAR boys descended on Eldora Raceway for the Mudsummer Classic. The race became an instant hit when some 20,000 fans spread out on the grassy hills and creaky wooden bleachers, and millions of race fans tuned in. Usually, rural Rossburg has a population of just 201, according to a 2010 census.

History:
Eldora in considered one of the finest dirt tracks in the nation and a mecca of dirt late model races. It has been for more than 60 years. The picture on the right put Eldora Speedway on the map regarding national car racing. In 1953, on the back straightaway the legendary Johnny Rutherford flew out of Eldora Speedway in one of the most famous track pictures in the history of the track. Miracoulously Rutherford's car landed on its wheels in a ravine outside of the track. He survived the crash with only two broken arms.

Eldora is a half-mile clay oval with a 24 degree banking in its turns and a 8 degree banking on its straights. The estimated seating capacity is 20,000. The track hosts such races as "The Kings of Royal," "The Late Model Dream," "Chevrolet American Revolution Weekend," and "The World 100." The latter attracts annually over 200 dirt late-model cars, while the Chevrolet  Americal Revolution Weekend orignially featured four races in one night - midget, non-winged sprint, Silver Crown, an modified dirt.

Eldora from overhead

The track hosted the sprint cars of the USAC for the first time in 1962 and quickly became its favourite venue. In 1965 Orville Yeadon won the first Eldora 500 which featured 33 sprint cars running 500 laps. In 1971 track owner Baltes shocked the racing community by offering an unprecedented purse of $4,000 to the winner of the World 100. This event is widely considered to be the birth of the modern "dirt late model" type of racing. 1978 when the World of Outlaws sprint car series was launched, Baltes recognized its importance and booked several events, including the season finale, at Eldora. I remember watching on TV as Steve Kinser was proclaimed "King of Outlaws". In 2001 Baltes held the "Eldora Million", his defining achievement as a race promoter, offering a $1 million prize to the winner.

In 2004 the founder Earl Baltes sold the track to NASCAR driver Tony Stewart, who hired formed Charlotte Motor Speedway V.P. of Events Roger Slack to direct day-to-day operations.  Stewart then kept bugging NASCAR to bring one of its races back to Eldora, which was a couple of years in the making.

Thanks for reading.

Source: Eldora Speedway, Wikipedia