Eldora Dirt Derby

The Eldora Dirt Derby was a 75-mile-long (121 km) annual race in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race held at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. During its existence from 2013 to 2019, the race was the only dirt track racing event on any NASCAR national touring series (Cup, Xfinity, or Truck) schedule and the first since 1970.

Eldora Dirt Derby
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series
VenueEldora Speedway
LocationRossburg, Ohio, United States
First race2013
Last race2019
Distance75-mile-long (121 km)
LapsQualifying Races (5):
10 laps (Only green flag laps counted)
Last Chance Race:
15 laps (Only green flag laps counted)
Feature (Main Event):
150 laps (in segments of 40, 50, and 60 laps)
Previous names1-800 CarCash Mudsummer Classic (2013–2015)
Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby (2016)
Most wins (team)Kyle Busch Motorsports
ThorSport Racing (2)
Most wins (manufacturer)Toyota
Chevrolet (3)
Circuit information
SurfaceClay
Length0.5 mi (0.80 km)
Turns4

History

On November 28, 2012, NASCAR announced the addition of a race at Eldora Speedway to the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series's schedule.[1] The race would be the first on a dirt surface in any of NASCAR's national series since 1970, with the last being at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, North Carolina.[2]

The inaugural running of the event, which completely sold out in January 2013,[3] was run on July 24, 2013.[2] Austin Dillon won the event after retaining the lead on a green–white–checker finish.[4]

The event was originally branded as the Mudsummer Classic, but was re-named for the 2016 edition due to a trademark dispute with Major League Baseball, as the league's All-Star Game is marketed with the trademark "Midsummer Classic".[5][6][7] The event was ultimately re-named the Eldora Dirt Derby, with the 2016 edition being sponsored by Aspen Dental.[8][9][10]

The 2020 race was canceled due to state restrictions on large gatherings as a safety measure against the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] The Derby was removed from the schedule in 2021.[12]

Format

There are five qualifying races, consisting of ten laps each, that determine the starting grid.[13] However, driver's starting positions in the qualifying races are determined by normal two-lap qualifying sessions.[13] Caution laps in the qualifying races are not scored, and five trucks will transfer from each qualifying race.[13] After the five races, a total of 25 trucks will have qualified for the feature (the main event).[13] Another race, named the 'Last Chance Race', consists of 15 laps, and determines the lineup from position 26 to 29.[13] The final position on the grid is awarded to the most recent Camping World Truck Series champion, unless there is no beneficiary to that position. In that case, the fifth-place finisher in the 'Last Chance Race' is awarded the final starting position.[13] The main event, or feature, is 150 laps long, with three segments of 40, 50 and 60 laps.[13] During each break, drivers are allowed to make pit stops.

In 2014, the format was changed. Instead of lasting eight laps, the heat races will now consist of ten laps, with the top five teams failing to qualify for the Main Feature being awarded owners' points. Additionally, drivers are no longer required to pit.[14]

Following the abolition of the "all exempt" tour format in 2015, the last chance format changed. Only the top drivers advance to the feature from the Last Chance race, for a net of 27 cars. The remaining five trucks in the field will be filled by NASCAR's provisional starting regulations; trucks in the top four in owner points standings that have not qualified for the race, and then the most recent Truck Series driver champion not in the field if necessary, or if not, the fifth-place truck in owner points standings of those not qualified.[15]

Past winners

Qualifying races

Year Date Race No. Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance Race Time Average Speed
(mph)
Ref
Laps Miles (km)
2013 July 24 1 52 Ken Schrader Ken Schrader Racing Toyota 8 4 (6.437) 0:02:52 83.941 [16]
2 6 Jared Landers Eddie Sharp Racing Chevrolet 8 4 (6.437) 0:03:12 75.767 [17]
3 17 Timothy Peters Red Horse Racing Toyota 8 4 (6.437) 0:02:52 83.47 [18]
4 81 Kenny Wallace SS-Green Light Racing Toyota 8 4 (6.437) 0:02:56 82.245 [19]
5 4 Jeb Burton Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet 8 4 (6.437) 0:02:55 82.296 [20]
2014 July 23 1 51 Erik Jones Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03.35 83.867 [21]
2 13 Jeb Burton ThorSport Racing Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:37 83.209 [22]
3 30 Ron Hornaday Jr. Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:36 83.509 [23]
4 29 Ryan Blaney Brad Keselowski Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:32 84.032 [24]
5 98 Johnny Sauter ThorSport Racing Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:50 78.375 [25]
2015 July 22 1 63 Bobby Pierce MB Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:04:03 73.672 [26]
2 8 John Hunter Nemechek SWM-NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:46 79.657 [27]
3 52 Ken Schrader Ken Schrader Racing Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:04:35 65.028 [28]
4 54 Christopher Bell Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:59 74.779 [29]
5 19 Tyler Reddick Brad Keselowski Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:46 80.06 [30]
2016 July 20 1 63 Bobby Pierce MB Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:41 81.680 [31]
2 29 Tyler Reddick Brad Keselowski Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:23 88.709 [32]
3 71 Ken Schrader Contreras Motorsports Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:57 76.607 [33]
4 44 J. R. Heffner Martins Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:31 85.606 [34]
5 41 Ben Rhodes ThorSport Racing Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:26 87.138 [35]
2017 July 19 1 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:29 86.673 [36]
2 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:29 86.316 [37]
3 33 Kaz Grala GMS Racing Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:28 86.678 [38]
4 4 Christopher Bell Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:32 86.946 [39]
5 99 Ty Dillon MDM Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:30 85.463 [40]
2018 July 18 1 41 Ben Rhodes ThorSport Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046) 0:04:11 71.764 [41]
2 4 Todd Gilliland Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:29 86.283 [42]
3 27 Chase Briscoe ThorSport Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:23 88.513 [43]
4 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:27 87.535 [44]
5 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:29 86.187 [45]
2019 August 1 1 27 Chase Briscoe ThorSport Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046) N/A N/A [46]
2 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046) N/A N/A [47]
3 24 Brett Moffitt GMS Racing Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) N/A N/A [48]
4 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) N/A N/A [49]
5 54 Kyle Strickler DGR-Crosley Toyota 10 5 (8.046) N/A N/A [50]
2020* Not held

"Last Chance" qualifying race

Year Date No. Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance Race Time Average Speed
(mph)
Ref
Laps Miles (km)
2013 July 24 24 Brennan Newberry NTS Motorsports Chevrolet 15 7.5 (12.07) 0:05:53 78.005 [51]
2014 July 23 05 John Wes Townley Athenian Motorsports Toyota 15 7.5 (12.07) 0:06:57 64.729 [52]
2015 July 22 35 Cody Erickson Empire Racing Chevrolet 15 7.5 (12.07) 0:05:44 78.263 [53]
2016 July 20 51 Cody Coughlin Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 15 7.5 (12.07) 0:05:21 84.202 [54]
2017 July 19 63 Bobby Pierce MB Motorsports Chevrolet 15 7.5 (12.07) 0:05:27 82.737 [55]
2018 July 18 8 John Hunter Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 15 7.5 (12.07) 0:06:19 71.457 [56]
2019 August 1 17 Tyler Ankrum DGR-Crosley Toyota 15 7.5 (12.07) N/A N/A [57]
2020* Not held

Feature (Main Event)

Year Date No. Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance Race Time Average Speed
(mph)
Report Ref
Laps Miles (km)
2013 July 24 39 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 153* 76.5 (123.114) 1:08:06 67.401 Report [58]
2014 July 23 54 Darrell Wallace Jr. Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 150 75 (120.701) 1:29:39 50.195 Report [59]
2015 July 22 54 Christopher Bell Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 153* 76.5 (123.114) 1:43:35 44.602 Report [60]
2016 July 20 24 Kyle Larson GMS Racing Chevrolet 150 75 (120.701) 1:47:13 41.971 Report [61]
2017 July 19 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Toyota 150 75 (120.701) 1:45:44 42.56 Report [62]
2018 July 18 27 Chase Briscoe ThorSport Racing Ford 153* 76.5 (123.114) 1:39:30 46.131 Report [63]
2019 August 1 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Chevrolet 150 75 (120.701) 1:49:06 41.247 Report [64]
2020* Not held

Multiple Feature winners (teams)

# Wins Team Years Won
2 Kyle Busch Motorsports 2014, 2015
ThorSport Racing 2017, 2018

Manufacturer wins

# Wins Make Years Won
3 Toyota 2014, 2015, 2017
Chevrolet 2013, 2016, 2019
1 Ford 2018

Tuesday Night Tailgate

The Tuesday Night Tailgate is the supporting event to the Mudsummer Classic featuring pre-race technical inspection for the Truck Series teams. From 2014 to 2015, the event included the Sunoco American Late Model Series. In 2016, the event will feature the Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds, which will return to Eldora for the first time since 2006.[65]

Past winners

Year Date Race Name Driver Race Distance Ref
Laps Miles (km)
Sunoco American Late Model Series
2014 July 22 Tuesday Night Tailgate Steve Casebolt 25 12.5 (20.1) [66]
2015 July 21 Tuesday Night Tailgate Jeep VanWormer 25 12.5 (20.1) [67]
Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds
2016 July 20 Tuesday Night Tailgate Tim Fuller [68]
2017 July 18 Dirt Derby 75 Billy Decker 75 37.5 (60.375) [69]

References

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