Tag: Eldora Speedway

NASCAR Racing Schedule and Format for Eldora Speedway

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Eldora Speedway this week. Please check below for the complete schedule of events.

All times are Eastern.

Tuesday, July 19:

On Track- Eldora Speedway:
6:30-7:55 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series First Practice
9-9:55 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Final Practice

Wednesday, July 20:

On Track – Eldora Speedway:
5:15 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
7 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series First Qualifying Race (10 laps) – FS1
7:09 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Second Qualifying Race (10 laps) – FS1
7:18 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Third Qualifying Race (10 laps) – FS1
7:27 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Fourth Qualifying Race (10 laps) – FS1
7:36 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Fifth Qualifying Race (10 laps) – FS1
8:15 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Last Chance Qualifying Race (15 laps) – FS1
9 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby (150 laps/40-50-60, 75 miles) – FS1

Race and Qualifying Notes:

Qualifying: The qualifying order will be set by a random draw. Qualifying will consist of a two lap run by a single truck. The driver with the fastest time will win the Keystone Light Pole Award, but they are not guaranteed the pole position in the race. Instead, qualifying will determine all starting positions for the five qualifying races and the qualifying races themselves will set the lineup for the race.

Qualifying Races: There will be five qualifying races, 10 laps each race. Only green flag laps will count. The lineup for these races is based on the speeds from the Keystone Light Pole Qualifying. The top five finishers from each of the qualifying races will automatically transfer to the race, for a total of 25 trucks.

Last Chance Qualifying Race: This race will consist of 15 green flag laps. The lineup will be based on finishing positions from the qualifying races. The top two trucks will transfer to the race and will fill positions 26 and 27 for the race.

Lineup for Remaining Positions: Positions 28-31 will be filled by the highest-ranking eligible trucks as determined by owner points for those who have not already earned a position through the qualifying process. The 32nd and final spot will go to the most recent eligible past series champion. If it is not filled by an eligible champion, it will be filled based on owner points.

The Race: The race will be divided into three segments of 40, 50 and 60 laps. There will be competition cautions after the first and second segments. Caution laps will not count during the competition cautions and positions cannot be improved on pit road. The teams are not required to pit during these competition cautions. Trucks that remain on the track and do not pit will restart in front of those that pit.

HOW ELDORA RACE LINEUP IS DETERMINED
STARTING SPOT	HOW DETERMINED
1	Top finisher in Qualifying Race #1
2	Top finisher in Qualifying Race #2
3	Top finisher in Qualifying Race #3
4	Top finisher in Qualifying Race #4
5	Top finisher in Qualifying Race #5
6	Second finisher in Qualifying Race #1
7	Second finisher in Qualifying Race #2
8	Second finisher in Qualifying Race #3
9	Second finisher in Qualifying Race #4
10	Second finisher in Qualifying Race #5
11	Third finisher in Qualifying Race #1
12	Third finisher in Qualifying Race #2
13	Third finisher in Qualifying Race #3
14	Third finisher in Qualifying Race #4
15	Third finisher in Qualifying Race #5
16	Fourth finisher in Qualifying Race #1
17	Fourth finisher in Qualifying Race #2
18	Fourth finisher in Qualifying Race #3
19	Fourth finisher in Qualifying Race #4
20	Fourth finisher in Qualifying Race #5
21	Fifth finisher in Qualifying Race #1
22	Fifth finisher in Qualifying Race #2
23	Fifth finisher in Qualifying Race #3
24	Fifth finisher in Qualifying Race #4
25	Fifth finisher in Qualifying Race #5
26	Top finisher in Last Chance
27	Second finisher in Last Chance
28	Owner points
29	Owner points
30	Owner points
31	Owner points
32	Past series champ/owner points

July 18, 2016

Darrell Wallace Jr. Transitions from Eldora Win to Tackling the Tricky Triangle

Darrell Wallace Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 54 ToyotaCare Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports, is ready to make the difficult transition from one of the sport’s highest highs, a coveted Truck win at Eldora Speedway, to the trickiness of Pocono Raceway where he will race the Pocono Mountains 150 in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series.

Even though he is in Long Pond, PA, he is still savoring his ‘W’ in the Mudsummer Classic at Eldora and in fact, just recently had the opportunity to celebrate with his race team.

“Luckily the race was a Wednesday night race so we had the whole weekend to sit back, reflect on it and let it sink in,” Wallace said. “I’m still pumped up about it of course. We had our team dinner last night and we were talking about it.”

“It’s been a fun week.”

“Eldora was a surprise; a shocker,” Wallace said. “But we did it. If we can just finish out the rest of the season strong and we can keep it going, we will be fine.”

While Wallace now has turned his attention to Pocono, he admits that the track is more difficult to figure out than even racing on the dirt, at least in his book.

“It is a tricky triangle for a reason,” Wallace said. “It is grueling on the mindset of a driver, especially me.”

“It’s just hard figuring out every corner because every corner is unique,” Wallace continued. “The guys brought me a fast Toyota Tundra and we just have to figure out where we need to gain speed. That’s the biggest thing. I think it’s mostly me but we will be fine by race time.”

Wallace acknowledges that he may just need to lean on not only his crew chief but also his team owner Kyle Busch and teammate Erik Jones to make it around the three corners of Pocono.

“My crew chief Jerry (Baxter) has been my biggest mentor and coach,” Wallace said. “He has been in the sport for a long time and he knows the ins and outs of it.”

“I listen to what he has to say, through the frustrating moments to winning moments to losing moments, I try to take in everything he says,” Wallace continued. “We move forward as a team and that’s a huge part of being successful. Having the communication and relationship with your team is critical. Jerry is the team leader and we all listen to him. We’re giving him feedback and we’re trying to help each other progress as one.”

“I think that is why we’re so dominant at KBM because we have the communication and we’re hitting on every note.”

“Kyle (Busch) is the centerpiece of this team and we build off him,” Wallace said. “We try to be as fast as him and he is undefeated this season. Toyota is undefeated. We have two wins; Erik (Jones, teammate) has got one. So, we’re on a hot streak right now.”

“We try to be patient and consistent and be ready to win.”

Although his teammate Erik Jones is on the quiet-side, at least quieter than Wallace himself, the driver of the No. 54 has the greatest respect for him, especially with Jones’ performance so far at Pocono, where he has practiced consistently in the top-ten.

“He’s quiet that’s for sure,” Wallace said of Jones. “But Erik is fast and he has speed. We sat on the front row at Iowa and he ended up winning the race. He has always shown speed and he is pretty fast here at Pocono.”

“We bounce ideas off each other and places where we have been. We grow as a team and we will be just fine here.”

So, what will success look like at Pocono for Darrell Wallace Jr.?

“I would definitely be happy with a top five,” Wallace said. “I hate to say it, but we’re on a points run right now. We’re trying to bounce back up through the points.”

“We have to be smart in the race,” Wallace continued. “The tunnel turn is the trickiest corner that you will ever get through.”

“We have to be patient, calm and make smart decisions,” Wallace said. “We’ll let those other drivers make a bone head move and then there’s our top five opportunity.”

“I’m on the level that I want to race,” Wallace continued. “We have to go out there and be smart about every call we make. We can’t get overexcited about what happened before because you get that special moment and then it’s time to get back to work.”

Wallace finished final practice for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in the 1th position with a time of 55.427 seconds and a speed of 162.376 mph. Wallace will qualify Saturday, August 2^nd at 10:10 am and then race the ‘Tricky Triangle’ at 1:00 pm.

August 1, 2014
Eldora Brings Back Racing Excitement to NASCAR

It was as if someone turned on a light and all NASCAR fans saw the light, or actually the dirt. Suddenly they saw something that has been missing, all-out three and four wide racing. When Darrell Wallace Jr. took the checkered flag in the Mudsummer Classic, the crowd was on their feet.

Let’s rewind back to the early days of stock car racing when it was all about the drivers and the sponsors were second. When the competitors got into their cars and strapped in, they were not thinking of the sponsor or bringing the car home in one piece. The drivers were racers; there was no doubt about it. They got behind the wheel of their car and lined up for the race to start and everything else faded away. Suddenly all they could see was the green flag and the cars they needed to pass. If the car wasn’t banged up at the end of the race, the driver wasn’t racing.

Think back to the Alabama gang with the Allisons and drivers like Cale Yarborogh, Tim Richmond, Richard Petty, and Darrell Waltrip. They drove every lap like it was the last, it was all or nothing. As the saying goes,” Second place is just the first loser.”

They fought each other hard at every track. The fans knew that no matter what race they attended, it was going to be “on” and they would not go home disappointed. This was real racing from start to finish, drivers have at it. This is what made NASCAR popular. These are stories that many fans have never experienced but only hear about, as slowly things have changed. Many changes have been minor but gradually it has become more about sponsors and bringing the car back in one piece.

Wednesday night at Eldora Speedway, a simple dirt track reminded long time fans of how racing used to be and the newer fans got a taste of what they’ve been missing. They were enthralled by the competition, and asked themselves, “Where has this been all this time?” Fans were on the edge of their seats, eyes on the television. They didn’t want it to end. Last night the Camping World Truck Series reminded us what we need more of, pure racing. Every lap last night they were up against the wall or each other, they raced hard and the fans loved it. Today, this is what fans are talking about and some are already wondering if they can see more of this in the Cup or Nationwide series. All the fans know is that they want more.

One has to hope that NASCAR watched and listened to the fans. Each week the sport loses fans in the stands for the races, no matter the division. NASCAR keeps changing the Chase format and adding gimmicks to address the lack of interest. It’s a hard pill to swallow for fans knowing that none of the races made it into a recently released list of the top 50 most-watched sporting events of the year so far. Maybe the answer for NASCAR was right in front of them at Eldora. Maybe they are fixing things that aren’t broken.

NASCAR, the fans don’t really want anything fancy, they want great racing like they saw Wednesday night, the kind of racing where you don’t move away from the action because you don’t want to miss anything. Sometimes the answer is in your history. Last night was the kind of racing that made NASCAR so popular. Bring it back and the fans will follow.

July 25, 2014
NASCAR Class of 2013 Yearbook Memories

The 2013 season of NASCAR will be remembered as one of the most tumultuous in recent memory. The year would not be complete without a few snapshots to commemorate the highs and lows.

Favorite Couple: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte

The partnership between the most popular driver and his Hendrick Motorsports crew chief continues to improve with each passing year. In 2013 the pair had their best season together earning fifth place in the Chase point standings.

Dale Jr. had an impressive run during the final 10 races of the Chase with five top-5s that included three runner-up finishes and 8 top-10 finishes. His most disappointing result was due to a blown engine at Chicagoland Speedway.

“I don’t know what would have happened if we could have done Chicago over but we ran so good in the other nine races, we’ve just got to be real proud of ourselves,” Earnhardt said.

“We’ve got nothing to be disappointed about. We’ve gotten better each year, and that’s what we’re supposed to do.”

Worst Breakup: Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing

Few in NASCAR will ever forget how Harvick took over the vacant seat at RCR after Dale Earnhardt’s tragic death in 2001. They were shoes that could never be filled but Harvick handled the challenge with humility and respect.

When Kevin Harvick first announced that he was leaving Richard Childress Racing after the end of the 2013 season, many were surprised. However Harvick emphasized that he and the team were committed to finishing the year on a positive note by contending for the championship. From the outside, it appeared to be an amicable split.

But appearances can be deceiving.

During a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway, tempers flared between Harvick and Ty Dillon as they were competing for second place during the final laps of the race and got together. The two drivers spun out and continued to show their displeasure with each other on the track. Things disintegrated further when Dillon’s crew members got involved by going after Harvick on pit road.

It was Harvick’s comments after the race that sealed the end of this partnership.

“The 3 just dumped me,” he said. “Exactly the reason why I’m leaving RCR because you’ve got those kids coming up that got no respect for what they do in this sport and they’ve had everything fed to them with a spoon.”

Although Harvick later apologized, it was obvious that the relationship had actually ended long before the season came to a close.

Most Popular Race: Eldora Speedway – The Mudsummer Classic Camping World Truck Series race

The race at Eldora Speedway was one of the most highly anticipated events of the 2013 NASCAR season and it lived up to expectations. It wasn’t the biggest or the fastest but it showcased the best short track competition that NASCAR has to offer.

Austin Dillon won the inaugural event becoming the first driver to win a Camping World Truck Series race on dirt.

The event marked NASCAR’s first national series dirt race since 1970. It was filled with side-by-side racing action, exciting passes and enough beating and banging to keep the sold out crowd on their feet. This back to basics, stripped down version of racing is the heart and soul of a sport that many feel has lost its way.

Biggest Controversy: The September 7^th race at Richmond International Raceway

The final race of NASCAR’s 2013 regular season will be remembered as a turning point in the sport’s history. A suspicious spin by Clint Bowyer led to an investigation and NASCAR determined that Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) manipulated the race results at Richmond. Penalties were issued, points were deducted and as a result MWR teammate Martin Truex Jr. lost his spot in the Chase to Ryan Newman.

But that was only the beginning. Further allegations of cheating by two other teams led to more investigation by NASCAR and an unprecedented decision to add a 13^th driver, Jeff Gordon, to the Chase for the Championship.

Brian France explained, “We believe that there were too many things that altered the event that gave an unfair disadvantage to Jeff and his team, who would have qualified. It’s just the right thing to do. I have the authority to do that, and we are going to do that.”

Many fans applauded NASCAR for doing the “right thing” but just as many were appalled at what they saw as NASCAR “fixing” the Chase to include one of its most influential drivers. The fact that Gordon drives for Hendrick Motorsports, arguably the most powerful team in NASCAR, only added fuel to the fire.

Has the integrity of NASCAR been irreparably damaged by this incident? Only time will tell.

Most Likely to Continue to Succeed: Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson’s sixth championship title has catapulted him into an elite group of NASCAR champions. Only Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have more with seven each. Johnson already has the record for most consecutive championships with five titles between the years 2006-2010. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that he will not only equal but surpass the record set by Petty and Earnhardt.

There is no doubt that Johnson has earned his place as one of the best drivers in the history of NASCAR and he’s not done yet. The more intriguing question is this. Does success equal greatness?

Best Move: Matt Kenseth

Matt Kenseth’s move from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing has provided what Kenseth called an “unbelievable” year.

“Obviously it’s been a great year, best year I’ve ever had,” said Kenseth. “I think when you look at our season overall, when I talk about it being the best season of my career, we didn’t come up with the championship, the championship is the ultimate goal, you always want that, but from a competitive standpoint it’s been by far the best season of my career.

“We lead the most laps, qualified the best, most wins, all that stuff. From a competitive standpoint, it was our best year.”

Kenseth scored a career best seven Sprint Cup wins in one season, a career best of 1,783 laps led and captured three poles along the way.

Most Significant Victory: Darrell Wallace Jr.

When Darrell Wallace Jr. won the Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in October, he became the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race since Wendell Scott’s win on December 1, 1963.

After the race, Wallace spoke passionately about the impact of this win.

“It means everything,” Wallace said. “This is an emotional one for me, especially to do it in Wendell Scott’s backyard. I love coming here to Martinsville. It’s always good to me, and it finally paid off.”

He also hopes that it will help propel his career forward.

“Winning, there’s nothing better than winning,” he said. “And I think that’ll help kind of pave its own way there, and hopefully get my name out there even more. Winning this big race can always do that, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do all year is to get my name out there, to keep pushing, to strive for kids younger than me to get in the sport and be here sitting here talking to you guys one day.”

Best Comeback: Shane Hmiel

Shane Hmiel’s story is one of triumph over adversity. As he made his way through the ranks of the Busch Series (now Nationwide Series), his career was put on hold when he failed a drug test in 2003 and was suspended indefinitely. He was reinstated in 2004 but over the next couple of years failed two more drug tests and in 2006 was banned from NASCAR for life.

Hmiel fought his way back to sobriety and began competing in the touring divisions of the United States Auto Club (USAC) Series. Then, in 2010 he faced the biggest challenge of his life.

While attempting to qualify for a USAC Silver Crown race, his car hit the outside wall and rolled several times. The roll cage was damaged and Hmiel suffered head and spinal injuries that left him paralyzed. He wasn’t expected to live but once more, Hmiel defied the odds.

In January 2013 his recovery took another leap forward when he was given the chance to get behind the wheel of a racecar one more time at Rockingham Speedway.

Accessible Racing co-founder and president, Brian Hanaford, Hmiel’s mother, Lisa, and Andy Hillenburg, president of Rockingham Speedway, were instrumental in giving Shane this unique opportunity. Randy LaJoie whose company ‘Joie of Seating’ makes custom seats for race cars, provided the specialized seats.

Hmiel drove 10 laps around the track and as he headed into the pits, the huge grin on his face spoke volumes.

“I don’t want to get out, let’s go again,” he exclaimed!”

Shane Hmiel’s tenacity is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

“It felt so great to be back,” he said. “The conceited side of me loves this. It proves to people, do not quit. You can always do more. Believe in that. It’ll get you so far.”

These are only a few of the most memorable NASCAR moments in 2013. Records were broken, champions were crowned and controversy abounded. The new season begins in less than three months. Will you be watching?

December 3, 2013
Brendan Gaughan Is Living Long and Prospering

While Brendan Gaughan, driver of the No. 62 South Point Chevrolet, is pretty much an open book thanks to his regular appearances on the Sirius NASCAR radio channel, one thing that fans may not know about the charismatic driver is that he is an admitted Star Trek nerd.

Given that, the lanyard around his neck with the ‘Live Long and Prosper’ motto suits him perfectly and is exactly what the driver is experiencing this season with team Richard Childress Racing.

“All I’ve cared about in my career, whether Truck, Nationwide or Cup, is having good equipment,” Gaughan said. “If you have great equipment in this sport, life is easy.”

“I spent my career in decent equipment but at RCR, this is the first time that I’ve had great equipment and great people,” Gaughan continued. “So, for me, I don’t care what series, all that I have wanted is sitting here.”

“It just took me eight years of my career to find it.”

“So, I’m happy whether it is Truck or Nationwide and I am running Nationwide next week,” Gaughan said. “Every time you touch a car at RCR, you are going to be fast.”

“So when you come to the track, you smile,” Gaughan continued. “And when you come to the track, you have a sigh of relief because even when you come to the track experimenting and it doesn’t work, you just chuckle and say ‘Put the other stuff in and we will be fine.’

“I’m just so happy with the equipment.”

Gaughan is also living large and prospering thanks to his success at Eldora, with a top-five finish, and his hopeful success at Pocono Raceway this weekend.

“We all went to Eldora with cautious optimism,” Gaughan said. “We went into it not knowing formats and worrying that guys were going to spin every two laps and that it might end up being a bad show, but Eldora ended up being the coup of the 21^st century so far for NASCAR.”

“It was a phenomenal event,” Gaughan continued. “The fans showed up.”

“The fifty-fifty drawing was $17,000 to a fan so that was amazing,” Gaughan said. “I told Tony Stewart right before the race that I wanted a couple of raffle tickets because it was more than I would win for winning the race.”

“On TV, it showed great,” Gaughan continued. “The format worked out really well for NASCAR.”

“You had passing and slide jobs and from inside the race car, it was a ton of fun.”

Gaughan is also hoping to live large and prosper at Pocono Raceway, which will be relatively new to him since he has never raced on the re-pave.

“I ran Cup here and then it was off the schedule,” Gaughan said of the ‘Tricky Triangle.’ “When they added it, I raced with Germain Racing in 2011 but this is my first time on the new asphalt.”

“The track is unique,” Gaughan continued. “Some people say this race sometimes gets boring but as a driver, it’s fun because you have three completely different corners.”

“That makes for a difficult day as a driver.”

“You’re working hard, your spotter can’t see a damn thing because he is a mile and half away with binoculars,” Gaughan said. “My favorite is when my spotter says ‘clear’ on a close call in turn one and you’re like, you are so full of crap.”

“You know he has got no clue and is just guessing.”

“It’s a fun race when you understand all of it,” Gaughan continued. “It’s a really neat race from a strategy perspective because you can almost run it backwards like a road course.”

Gaughan is also fond of the area around the race track and is especially effusive when it comes to the Pocono Raceway family ownership.

“I like the area,” Gaughan said. “I’m an outdoorsy type guy and this is just a really pretty area when it comes to that.”

“There’s four ski mountains here and Pocono is a pretty famous place.”

“And when you talk the track you can’t say anything but talking about the Mattioli family, who are one of the greatest all time owners in the sport,” Gaughan continued. “You have to like a place that has such great family history.”

Gaughan is also living large and prospering in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he currently sits seventh in the point standings, with his sights still set on a championship run.

So, what does Gaughan value the most about competing in the Truck Series?

“First, we had Eldora,” Gaughan said. “This is a series that NASCAR can get away experimenting with.”

“The trucks put on some of the best racing,” Gaughan continued. “The races are shorter and that fits into the shorter attention spans of the fans.”

“And because it is shorter, there is no room to ride.” Gaughan said. “You have to go and you have to make your moves early.”

“And then you beat and bang more than the Cup guys,” Gaughan continued. “You have a little less to lose so to speak and you can kind of get a little more aggressive.”

Gaughan also appreciates the battles between the veterans, of which he considers himself one, and the young up and comers in the Truck Series, which he feels makes the Series most unique.

“It’s fun watching the teenagers versus the Hornadays and the Todd Bodines,” Gaughan said. “In this series you have such a big age gap.”

“In Cup, you get the phenom and he gets the big ride and there is a ton of pressure and he doesn’t get to be himself,” Gaughan continued. “You come down here and oh my goodness, you get to see who the person really is.”

“You start in the Truck Series and you see great kids like a Ross Chastain, who is really trying to make it in the sport and you’ve got kids like James Buescher, who is finding his own way,” Gaughan said. “And you’ve got my teammates Ty and Austin (Dillon), who both have learned what they want to be without the pressure of being a Sprint Cup star.”

“It’s a fun series and NASCAR has done a great job of making it that home for those who want to have careers and start careers.”

Gaughan also is living large and prospering because he knows just how to balance having fun with the sport and putting on his game face when it is time to race. And even he admits that he still gets just a little bit nervous when it comes time to cinch his belts tight.

“I don’t like to use Bobby Knight much for quotes because I’m a John Thompson guy, but I like his famous quote of what is a game face and he may a bunch of goofy faces illustrating that,” Gaughan said. “Everybody has a different way that they take their competitiveness.”

“We all have our different rituals as to how we prepare and how we balance having our own personalities and putting the game face on when we are behind the wheel of our race trucks,” Gaughan continued. “But if you don’t have butterflies before every race, like I do, then it is time to hang it up because you are not getting excited anymore about your sport.”

“I still get butterflies every time and when I quit getting them, then I will know it’s time for me to think about moving on.”

But most of all, Gaughan is living large and prospering thanks to his family including his wife Tatum and two young sons.

“That is one of the most difficult things to do is to find that balance between racing and family life,” Gaughan said. “I try to bring the family along as much as I can but so much of it falls to my wife to make those arrangements and pack everybody up.”

“I’ve been lucky this year that I have a motor coach available to me and I try to bring my family to the track as much as possible,” Gaughan continued. “And that’s how I try to maintain my balance.”

So, does Brendan Gaughan think that he will continue to live long and prosper for the remainder of the 2013 season?

“I’ve been pleased with the season so far,” Gaughan said. “We have the most top-five finishes so far and we are definitely fast and we are not out of the championship hunt yet.”

“But overall, I just love my scuba diving and my family and I am just that every day nerd that hopes to ‘Live Long and Prosper.’

August 3, 2013
NASCAR Gets it Right at Eldora Speedway

The Mudsummer Classic Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway Wednesday night was everything a race fan loves. It wasn’t the biggest or the fastest, but it showcased the best racing action that NASCAR has to offer.

The event marked NASCAR’s first national series dirt race since 1970. It was filled with side-by-side racing, exciting passes and enough beating and banging to keep the sold-out crowd on their feet. Austin Dillon fought off Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman to win the inaugural race and become the first driver to win a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race on dirt.

In an attempt to make stock car racing more mainstream and to attract more fans, NASCAR often hides its past like a closely guarded family secret. Historic tracks are left behind in favor of newer venues. The exploits of bootleggers like Raymond Parks and moonshine runners like Junior Johnson are relegated to the shadows.

But NASCAR wasn’t always about corporate sponsors and media savvy drivers. It was built on the backs of blue collar drivers who raced for little more than bragging rights. In fact, the first NASCAR Strictly Stock Series (now Sprint Cup Series) race was held on a ¾ mile dirt track in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The race at Eldora was one of the most highly anticipated events of the current NASCAR season and will undoubtedly be one of the highlights at year’s end. Comments from fans on Twitter and Facebook were rich with superlatives such as “beyond awesome and fantastic” and the general consensus was, “I want more.”

Much like the decision to bring the NCWTS back to the legendary Rockingham Speedway in 2012, this nod to NASCAR’s beginnings should serve as a continued incentive to the powers that be. Change is inevitable, but NASCAR should never forget its roots. This back to basics stripped down version of racing is the heart and soul of a sport that many feel has lost its way.

Thanks to the vision of NASCAR executive Steve O’Donnell, track owner Tony Stewart and General Manager/Promoter Roger Slack for listening to the fans and honoring those traditions at Eldora Speedway. It was a night to remember.

July 25, 2013

Crunching The Numbers: Indianapolis

After taking their final break of the season last weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Brickyard 400 to begin the 17 race stretch run to finish off the season. The Nationwide Series will also be joining their Sprint Cup brethren at Indianapolis, while the Camping World Truck Series heads to Eldora on Wednesday night for the first NASCAR sanctioned dirt track race in several years.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com

Twenty years ago, the Sprint Cup Series had their first race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and in the 19 races since the inaugural race in 1994, the Brickyard 400 has become one of the crown jewels of the sport. The list of drivers that have won this race is a who’s who of Sprint Cup champions and current and future Hall of Famers. Only four times has a driver won the race and not gone on to win the title. Look for whoever comes out on top on Sunday to be a strong championship contender.

Driver	Races	Win	Top 5	Top 10	Pole	Laps Led	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
Tony Stewart	14	2	6	10	1	227	16.7	8.2
Jeff Gordon	19	4	11	15	3	477	12.4	8.8
Kevin Harvick	12	1	4	7	1	92	15.6	10.2
Kyle Busch	8	0	2	6	0	42	21.1	11.8
Greg Biffle	10	0	3	6	0	53	15.3	12.1
Clint Bowyer	7	0	2	2	0	2	20.4	12.3
Brad Keselowski	3	0	0	2	0	39	12.7	12.3
Mark Martin	19	0	6	11	1	67	12.2	12.8
Carl Edwards	8	0	1	3	0	5	22.0	13.2
Jamie McMurray	10	1	3	5	0	43	15.4	14.0

Who To Watch: With the race at Indianapolis, it’s no surprise that an Indiana native tops the list with the best statistics. Tony Stewart, who hails from Columbus, IN, has amassed some impressive numbers at the track with two wins, six top fives, 10 top tens, one pole, 227 laps led, and an average finish of 8.2 in 14 races.

Four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon falls in just behind Stewart with four wins, 11 top fives, 15 top tens, three poles, 477 laps led, and an average finish of 8.8 in 19 starts.

Others to keep an eye on include: Kevin Harvick, 2003 Brickyard 400 winner, who also has four top fives, seven top tens, one pole, 92 laps led, and an average finish of 10.2 in 12 starts; Kyle Busch, with two top fives, six top tens, 42 laps led, and an average finish of 11.8 in eight starts; and Greg Biffle, with three top fives, six top tens, 53 laps led, and an average finish of 12.1 in 10 starts.

Defending race winner, Jimmie Johnson, didn’t make the top ten statistically at Indianapolis, but has four wins at the track, along with four top fives, five top tens, one pole and has led 229 laps in 11 starts.

One last thing to keep in mind for Sunday’s 20th running of the Brickyard 400 is the dominance that Chevrolet has had at the track. Chevrolet has won the last 10 and 14 of the 19 races at Indianapolis. Can Chevrolet win yet another Brickyard 400 or will one of the other two manufacturers finally find their way to Victory Lane?

NASCAR Nationwide Series – Indiana 250

After running at the short track across town in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Raceway Park for years, the Nationwide Series made the move to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a companion weekend with the Sprint Cup Series starting last year and will have their second running at the 2.5 mile speedway this weekend.

Last year, Penske Racing swept the top two spots with Brad Keselowski taking the win and teammate Sam Hornish, Jr. finishing in second. Hornish regained the points lead after a second place finish in last weekend’s race at Chicago and the Indy 500 champion brings his momentum into a track that he is very familiar with.

Indianapolis also marks the last leg of the Nationwide Insurance “Dash 4 Cash” with Austin Dillon, Hornish, Elliott Sadler, and Brian Vickers eligible for the $100,000 bonus. Dillon will be going for his third “Dash 4 Cash” bonus after winning the bonus last weekend at Chicago and at New Hampshire.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – 1-800-CARCASH Mudsummer Classic Presented By CNBC Prime’s “The Profit” at Eldora

For the first time since 1970 at Raleigh, NC, NASCAR returns to dirt racing with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series making their inaugural trip to Eldora Speedway in Ohio for a Wednesday night feature on the half-mile dirt track. The race, which is a sellout, will not only feature points eligible Truck Series drivers, but will also have several dirt racing specialists going for the win. Those specialists include: Dave Blaney, Tracy Hines, Scott Bloomquist, Ken Schrader, Ryan Newman, Kenny Wallace, and former Truck Series champion, Austin Dillon, who will be facing off with his brother and championship contender, Ty Dillon.

Matt Crafton leads the Truck Series standings by 39 points heading into Eldora, but the points could face a big shakeup after what is sure to be a wild race on Wednesday night in Ohio.

July 24, 2013

Bryan Silas Goes Back to School During Truck Series Off Week

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Bryan Silas may have the weekend off from racing, however, he is taking full advantage of the time to go back to school. The T3R2 racer will be testing almost daily, from a road course in Virginia to a dirt track in New York.

Silas hit the road course at Virginia International Raceway earlier this week in preparation for the Truck Series road course event later in the fall at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

“This is actually a fun type of school and is much better than sitting in a school doing paper work,” Silas said. “I’ve been on a couple road courses but most of them have been very flat.”

“I needed some experience on a road course with some elevation and VIR was one of those places that had some of that,” Silas continued. “I need to get that experience because the track we are going to, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, apparently that place is just wild.”

“There are a lot of elevation changes and it’s a road course that thinks it’s a super speedway.”

So, what did the young driver learn on the VIR road course?

“If you are going downhill to a corner, you can’t brake as late as you can going uphill,” Silas said. “This is the stuff I’m learning.”

“And also going into a corner where you can’t see the exit and trusting that, going 110 mph, that you will make it through,” Silas continued. “That was a learning experience.”

“I remember a couple of times there was a straightaway where you went uphill and the downhill and I felt my stomach get light a couple of times,” Silas said. “It just makes it that much more fun.”

During the VIR road course test, Silas rode with the BMW Racing School and was most impressed with the horsepower of those vehicles.

“There were four or five cars in line and I followed one of the BMW instructors,” Silas said. “They would show me where to lift and following the instructor who has done a million laps around the place was definitely a good learning experience.”

After some wild road course testing, Silas will head to New York later in the week to do some dirt track testing, all in preparation for the upcoming Inaugural Mudsummer Classic set for July 24^th at Tony Stewart’s track, Eldora Speedway.

The 25 year old racer will be the guest of four-time dirt champion Bryan Holland for this test. Silas will also experience the racing hands-on by working with the crew and then having his own private test session following that.

“I have a total of four races under my belt on dirt, all in ARCA,” Silas said. “My dad is telling me that he thinks there will be 50 trucks showing up for the Eldora race.”

“So, I have to get some dirt experience before I go there and make a fool of myself,” Silas joked. “So, I’m going to some track in New York and jumping into a late model the day after the race there to turn a bunch of laps.”

“There will be a couple people there helping me get ready for Eldora,” Silas said. “I think my biggest challenge there will be trying to figure out the best line to get around the place.”

“The issue will be learning how the track will change during that race.”

Silas feels that his whole racing season to date in 2013 has been all about learning. Unfortunately, the racing gods have not been with Silas in his student phase.

“Overall, I’ve learned a lot from last year and I’ve been able to use that this year,” Silas said. “Not only have the cars gotten better but I’ve gotten better with these Trucks.”

“We’ve just had crappy luck,” Silas continued. “Daytona, we got wrecked out. Martinsville, we ended up blowing a drive shaft.”

“And in Kansas, we were going to get a top 17 easy and we got caught in the wreck with Todd Bodine,” Silas said. “Our vehicles are heading in the right direction but we need to catch a little bit of luck and then we’ll be alright for Charlotte.”

For Silas, though, his season really is all about learning and he is most eager to do so. But the best way to learn in his mind is to be there on the race track as much as possible.

“I know I still have a lot to learn, but I’m eager,” Silas said. “I’d rather be on the race track.”

“At this point in my career, I need as much testing as possible because I can learn so much,” Silas continued. “You look at the Cup racers and they are on track every week or if they do have an off week, they are racing somewhere else.”

“So, it’s really hard to catch up, but I plan to,” Silas continued. “And I just have to keep learning and going to school.”

May 3, 2013
Tony Stewart Closes Championship Year and Opens Door to New Season

With the 2012 champion Brad Keselowski officially crowned, it was time for Tony Stewart to close the door on being the past champion, give new the new champ a little advice, and move on to the exciting events of the 2013 season.

“I feel good,” Stewart said in the media room after making his ninth place remarks at the banquet in Vegas. “I’m not used to being done by now.”

“I get to go back and enjoy everybody’s speeches and not be nervous about giving my own.”

Of the new champion to whom he has now passed the baton, Stewart has just one word. He finds Keselowski simply “refreshing.”

“It’s nice to see somebody that speaks from the heart,” Stewart said. “That’s the way all of us should.”

When asked if he and past five-time champion Jimmie Johnson had been indoctrinating the new champion Keselowski into his new role, Stewart noted that “Brad has had a busy enough week.”

“It is a long week for a champion,” Stewart said knowingly. “You wouldn’t trade it for anything obviously but by Thursday night you’re starting to get worn out.”

“And you can see it in Brad’s eyes that he’s getting tired.”

“The one thing that Jimmie and I sat down and told him was to enjoy every minute of it,” Stewart continued. “It seems like when you look at the schedule in the morning you think, “Oh my God, they’re wearing me out,” but every moment you have to enjoy and have fun with it because there are 40 plus drivers that want to be where you are this week.”

Stewart also had a few words of advice for the media when it came to their treatment of the new champion Keselowski.

“To be perfectly honest, I hope you (the media) continue to treat Brad the way that you are now,” Stewart said. “That gives him the opportunity to be himself and that’s what the fans want to hear.”

“I’m so scared that at some point somebody is going to turn on him,” Stewart continued. “And then it goes downhill from there.”

“So, I hope you guys in the media keep doing what you’re doing,” Stewart said. “I’m proud that you are giving him the chance to be open and I think it’s great for our sport.”

“The sponsors and the fans really enjoy that,” Stewart continued. “I think there’s always a lot more positive stuff than negative each week but sometimes that gets overshadowed.”

“I hope Brad is able to keep doing what he’s doing.”

Although the NASCAR season has officially come to an end with the banquet, Stewart said he has just a little bit more racing to do before closing out 2012.

“I’ve actually still got three races before the end of this year is over,” Stewart said. “I’m going to be almost at 95 races.”

“I’m excited about that,” Stewart continued. “That’s still what I love to do.”

While in Vegas to celebrate the new champion, Stewart took a little time out to raise money for charity, at both Keselowski’s and Jimmie Johnson’s PR rep’s expense. During the After the Lap celebration at Planet Hollywood, both Stewart and Johnson pledged donations in order to see champ Keselowski and Kristine Curley share a dance together on stage.

“Between Jimmie Johnson and myself, I raised my donation to $10,000 and Jimmie donated $5,000 to Victory Junction Gang Camp,” Stewart said. “So, we both ended up raising $15,000.”

“Yes, it’s been a fun week and we always have a lot of fun with our PR reps obviously,” Smoke continued. “It was a fun moment.”

Stewart also took the opportunity to reflect on many of the past season’s accomplishments, from those of his competitors to his own team and drivers.

“I thought there were some great performances,” Stewart said of the 2012 season. “I think Marcos (Ambrose) and Brad (Keselowski) at Watkins Glen was a great example and Jeff Gordon’s run at Richmond to get into the Chase was a great performance.”

“There were a lot of those individual examples this year that were noteworthy and made for a good year.”

“I think winning Las Vegas was great for Stewart-Haas Racing,” Smoke said. “To win at a track we hadn’t won at before was special for me personally.”

“To get Ryan another win and see Danica progress and gain confidence towards the end of the season was great too.”

Stewart admitted that as much as he has enjoyed his reign as 2011 champion and the past year, he is most certainly looking forward to the new season ahead. One of the biggest challenges will be adjusting to the new car, which was just unveiled earlier in the week by Chevrolet.

“It can be big,” Stewart said of the new 2013 Chevrolet SS. “Anytime you start with anything completely new, it’s an unknown variable.”

“So, it’s something that’s going to take a lot to figure out.”

“Nobody knows who is going to find the right combination with this new car,” Stewart continued. “So, until we get a couple races, we won’t know.”

“Even with that, a lot will change during the season.”

“You have to establish a base first,” Stewart said. “The hardest thing is getting cars built right now.”

“We’re sitting there with a race shop full of bare chassis that don’t have sheet metal on them yet,” Smoke continued. “And here we are at the beginning of December, so we have a lot of work to do in a short amount of time.”

While he may be stressing about the 2013 season and building new race cars, Stewart has been most excited about other promises that the next year will hold. One area of excitement is that several sponsors have extended their commitments to his team and the other is that the Truck Series will be racing on dirt at his beloved Eldora track.

Stewart-Haas Racing recently announced that four sponsors will return in the New Year for Ryan Newman and his SHR No. 39 team.

“Obviously, we’re very proud to have WIX Filters, Outback Steakhouse, Aspen Dental and Code 3 Associates back with our race team,” Stewart said. “We work really hard to deliver on the racetrack, but we work just as hard to understand each one of our sponsor’s businesses so we can help them accomplish the goals they have, be it in racing or with their customers.”

“It’s great seeing these partnerships grow and we look forward to another year of success with each of them.” And finally, Stewart will most look forward to serving as host as the NASCAR Truck Series, which will make its dirt debut at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. The half mile track, owned by Stewart, will be the host to the first of two Wednesday night races, with the Eldora race being held the Wednesday before the Indy weekend.

“It’s just really a dream come true for us not only as a promoter but to imagine that 42 years later we’re going to be taking a national NASCAR series back to a dirt track at Eldora Speedway is a huge honor for us,” Stewart said.

So, what will Stewart miss most as he closes the 2012 season and opens the door to the 2013 season? Well, one thing is certain and that is that he will not miss the close encounters of the media kind, with the exception of the off microphone conversations at least.

“Oh God no,” Stewart replied when asked if he would miss the media, many with whom he has had a somewhat mercurial relationship.

“But as much as I like to battle with you all season, there are a lot of times when we don’t have microphones and we all talk about different things other than racing,” Stewart said.

“So I will miss that.”

December 1, 2012
Weather Forces World of Outlaws Cancelation at Eldora Speedway

[media-credit name=”World of Outlaws” align=”alignright” width=”234″][/media-credit]The series heads to Lernerville Speedway for the Commonwealth Clash on Saturday

ROSSBURG, Ohio — Sept. 21, 2012 — The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series 4-Crown Nationals event at Eldora Speedway on Friday has been cancelled because of impending rain and the potential of severe weather.

There is no rain date at the half-mile track. It marks the 11^th World of Outlaws event that has been postponed or cancelled because of weather this season.

Click on EldoraSpeedway.com for ticket information.

The Outlaws head East for the Commonwealth Clash at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., on Saturday.

With only eight features remaining this season, Donny Schatz has a 94-point lead over Craig Dollansky with Sammy Swindell 117 points out of the top spot.

Swindell, who leads the series with 12 victories, looked at Eldora Speedway to mark a charge at the championship. In 22 events on a half-mile oval this season, Swindell has claimed six – two times more than Schatz or Dollansky.

Swindell also won two of the four World of Outlaws events at Eldora Speedway this season, including the $50,000-to-win Kings Royal on July 14. He also parked in Victory Lane on May 5.

Joey Saldana picked up a victory in the Knight Before the Kings Royal on July 13 and Chad Kemenah was victorious in the Outlaws opener at Eldora Speedway on May 4.

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September 21, 2012