ELDORA TO HOST RICHEST SPRINTCAR RACE IN HISTORY

ROSSBURG, Ohio (December 14, 2022) – Eldora Speedway owner Tony Stewart announced today that winged Sprintcars will race for the richest purse in the division’s history as his legendary, half-mile dirt oval will host its third version of the Eldora Million July 12-13, 2023.

The unsanctioned event, which features a winner’s purse of $1,002,023 from a total purse of $1.4 million, is a co-operative effort with the speedway’s official livestream partner, FloSports, a leader in sports streaming and original content, which will provide exclusive live streaming of the event.

“All of us at Eldora are super excited to host the first million-dollar-to-win Sprintcar race,” Stewart said. “Back in 2003, Eldora hosted a non-wing race that paid $200,000 to winner Jac Haudenschild, but this will be the first time a Sprintcar driver will race for a winner’s cheque worth $1 million.

“This will showcase the best of the best, and you’re going to want to see how this race unfolds where in the final laps, with guys still in the hunt running close together, what they will do to win a million dollars.”

Eldora Speedway is known for its mammoth payouts for its mega events. While it’s the first Sprintcar race to pay to seven figures, it will become the 17th sprint car race at Eldora to pay at least six figures (12 Historical Big Ones, 3 King Royals, 1 Mopar Million). It will be the 48th overall race at Eldora to pay at least six figures when including late model events.

Combined with the $175,000-to-win 40th Kings Royal that takes place July 14-15 following The Eldora Million, overall posted prize money for the four-day stretch will exceed a staggering $2 million.

“I think it’s been long overdue,” Stewart added.  “We’ve had two, $1 million-to-win dirt late model races at Eldora, but to finally do it for the sprint car community is something that makes all of us at Eldora really proud,” Stewart said. “Sprint car drivers put on some of the best shows in all of racing and this is our way of saying thank you.”

“From the beginning of our partnership, Tony and FloSports have shared a passion for grassroots motorsports,” said Mark Floreani, FloSports founder and CEO. “With a shared goal of growing the sport via world class and game-changing events, The Eldora Million for winged sprint cars is yet another example of pushing the sport toward new heights. We’re thrilled to be a part of history.”

In a format that is unique to Sprintcar events, The Eldora Million will feature a full racing program that culminates with the $1,002,023-to-win feature. 

Competitors will earn points in Wednesday’s preliminary action that will help seed Thursday night’s events. Wednesday’s program doubles down on racing action with competitors split into groups. Each group will compete in a full racing program highlighted by $12,000-to-win and $1,000-to-start main events. In total, Wednesday’s purse exceeds $115,000.

“This format will offer an exciting, unique programme of racing on Wednesday and Thursday for fans and competitors, said Jerry Gappens, general manager of Eldora. “Wednesday’s programme is a ‘big bang for the buck’ for the fans with all the racing plus twin 25-lap features. For competitors, it basically compresses two nights of preliminary action into one night and guarantees 48 different cars will race in a feature. We will detail more information on the complete two-night format when the official entry form is released in the spring. Fans will be able to look forward to various entertainment elements and that information will be forthcoming as well.”

Ticket and camping renewals for all of Eldora’s traditional marquee events will begin showing up in patron accounts next week and run through January 31, 2023. Due to the unique nature of the Eldora Million, patrons who had tickets for the 2022 Kings Royal Saturday night race will have the first opportunity to purchase those same seats for Wednesday, July 12 (The Eldora Million prelim) and Thursday, July 13 (The Eldora Million) as part of the event renewal process.

Public sale for tickets and campsites for all 2023 Major Events (The Dirt Late Model Dream, Eldora Million, Kings Royal, World 100) will begin February 13, 2023 at 10 a.m. For the recently announced 43rd running of the Dirt Track World Championship, Oct. 19-21, last year’s DTWC ticketholders will have first opportunity to purchase tickets beginning February 20. Public sale is slated for February 24.

The complete 2023 schedule will be released on January 4, 2023. Renewals for the remaining 2023 events will take place in March.

POSTED AWARDS – WED., JULY 12 – $115,700 (minimum)

PRELIMINARY QUALIFYING FEATURES: $12,000-to-win/$1,000-to-start

POSTED AWARDS – THU, JULY 13 – $1,400,000 (minimum)

THE ELDORA MILLION: 1st) $1,002,023…plus commemorative trophy for driver and owner; 2nd) $100,000; 3rd) $50,000; 4th) $25,000; 5th) $15,000; 6th) $12,500; 7th) $10,000; 8th) $9,000; 9th) $8,500; 10th) $8,000; 11th) $7,500; 12th) $7,000; 13th) $6,900; 14th) $6,800; 15th) $6,700; 16th) $6,600; 17th) $6,500; 18th) $6,400; 19th) $6,300; 20th) $6,200; 21st) $6,150; 22nd) $6,100; 23rd) $6,050; and 24th) $6,000.

About Eldora Speedway: 

In 1954, renowned bandleader and proprietor of the Eldora Ballroom, Earl Baltes, carved a flat quarter-mile clay oval out of the cornfield that laid in the natural amphitheater between Ohio S.R. 118 and the Wabash River. Over the next 50 years, the enterprising Baltes, and wife Berneice, grew Eldora Speedway from its humble roots to national prominence by promoting events no other promoter dared fathom on the half-mile high-banked clay oval.

As dirt racing’s popularity surged in the late 1990s, along came new multi-million-dollar facilities, and corporate entities began to pepper Baltes about purchasing Eldora. However, in Baltes’ mind, there was only one choice – and in true Earl Baltes fashion – in the spring of 2004, he contacted a brash young racer who had tamed Eldora’s high-banks as a driver on his way to national championships in USAC and IndyCar, the 2002 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Tony Stewart.

As Stewart’s on-track career skyrocketed, he passionately reinvested into entrepreneurial endeavors involving his beloved dirt racing, beginning with race teams in 2001. Somehow, the two high-profile figures who always drew a crowd of well-wishers at Eldora, managed to keep their talks quiet and the celebrated-promotor and superstar driver announced the transition of ownership in November 2004.

Now entering its 19th year under the ownership of Tony Stewart, Eldora Speedway will play host to its 70th season of racing in 2023. The full event calendar, including ticket and campsite information, will be posted when available at www.EldoraSpeedway.com. Race fans can join a community of over 1,000,000 people from around the world who enjoy behind-the-scenes access by following @EldoraSpeedway on social channels Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Exclusive video content posted on www.youtube.com/EldoraSpeedway has over 8.5-million views.

Every event at Eldora Speedway is available live. Race fans can tune into the World 100®, the Dirt Late Model Dream®, the 4-Crown Nationals®, The Eldora Million®, and more on FloRacing.com or on their favorite screen via the FloSports app. FloRacing is Eldora Speedway’s official livestream partner. 

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