ROSSBURG – It’s the most prestigious race at Eldora Speedway.
The late Earl Baltes started the World 100 in 1971 and guaranteed an astonishing $4,000 to the winner. He then promised to add $1,000 to the winner’s share for each year the race was run.
It’s hard to imagine that Earl ever would have thought that the purse would be more than $315,000.
A total of $318,850 will be available for The Biggest Dirt Race in the World with $48,000 going to the winner of the 100-lap World 100. It’s the largest dirt late model purse since “The Million” in 2001 at Eldora.
The race is set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and tickets for the World 100 or any other event can be purchased at www.EldoraSpeedway.com or by calling 937-338-3815. Adult tickets on Thursday and Friday are $22 while kids from 7 to 12 are $6. Saturday night it’s $40 for adults and $12 for kids.
A total of 99 entrants were entered as of Tuesday afternoon coming from 23 states and three countries. Officials expect 115 to 120 cars to make up the field.
Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tennessee, rallied from a lap 19 penalty for an unapproved lexan-backed window net to come from worst to first to win his fourth World 100 in 2014.
But he will be challenged by several competitors this weekend including Billy Moyer from Batesville, Arkansas, who has the most World 100 victories with six.
Moyer won Sunday night’s Baltes Classic at Eldora, and each time he has won that race in the past, he has won the World 100.
Jonathan Davenport won the 2015 Dirt Late Model Dream after Bloomquist was 25 pounds light on the scale and was disqualified. But Davenport swept all the races at the Dream and has been hot over the summer, making him a favorite for the World 100. His best finish in the World 100 was eighth in 2013.
Josh Richards, who was the first entrant in the World 100, also has won several races this summer and is looking for his first World 100 victory. He has four top-10 finishes in the race.
There have been seven different winners in the World 100 since 2008, making it one of the most competitive races in the country.
On Thursday and Friday, multi-car group qualifying, using groups coming from a random draw at inspection, will be used to determine that group’s heat race lineup. The driver’s fastest time from Thursday and Friday will be used as a tiebreaker, if necessary, for Saturday’s lineups.
The preliminary format plans for up to 12 heat races of eight laps in distance. Cars finishing first through third advance into one of two A-Features and the balance of the finishers will advance into one of up to four B-Features.
Heats one, three, five, seven, nine and 11 will determine the first A-Feature and at least one B-Feature. Heats two, four, six, eight, 10 and 12 will determine the second A-Feature and at least one B-Feature. The B-Features are 10 laps and assuming Eldora has four B-Features, cars finishing first and second will advance to their respective A-Feature.
Each preliminary night will continue to run two A-Features of 25-laps, starting 24 cars. Starting positions one through 18 will be lined up by heat race finish. The redraw procedure will be detailed at the driver meeting. Starting positions 19 through 24 will be lined up by B-Feature finish.
The winner of the Thursday and Friday night A-Features wins $5,000 each.
On Saturday night, there will be the traditional six heat races of 15 laps in distance. Pre-invert lineups established by average finish from preliminary nights in staggered order with ties broken by
1) Best finish from Thursday or Friday races
2) Fastest qualifying time
3) Postmark of entry blank
The inversion, up to six cars, will be determined randomly using the Wheel of Misfortune. Cars finishing first, second and third in the heat races advance to the World 100. Cars finishing fourth through 11th advance to a B-Feature, in order of finishing position.
Heats one, two and three will determine the first B-Feature and heats four, five and six will determine the second B-Feature. There will be two B-Features of 20 laps in distance. Cars finishing first through fifth will advance to the World 100. The remaining cars may choose to restart in their current running order for a B-Scramble of five laps in distance.
The two fastest qualifiers not advancing through the heat races will start 19th and 20th in the World 100 (if they finished in a B-Feature qualifying position, they will be removed and the finish of that heat race adjusted accordingly).
The World 100 will be 100 laps in distance, starting 30 cars.
The late Bruce Gould won the first World 100 in 1971 and took home $4,000. Saturday the winner will take home $48,000 and the famous Globe trophy.
And will write their name into history.