Eldora race surface!

[play4kps]

There is not really much to say, huge payout and a extremely poor race surface. We can make excuses all day, but thats a cop out. If any other track provided that race surface, 4m would be riddled with the comments, they should never go back there, but for some reason Eldora gets a pass, year after year. The biggest problem nobody wants to look at is, Lack of racing on the track, Eldora sits dark for so much of the year, they never get a handle on the race surface or see what needs fixed on track prep! In case anyone is not paying attention, Late Models will not hit the track at Eldora till Labor day, thats right, Eldora doesnt race late models all summer, Other than the dream, June, July and August will not have late models, or much of anything else. The Appleseed was dropped from the schedule this year, another blown oppertunity to see what kind of race surface you have 2 weeks prior to the Dream and work on it. It looks like the staff at Eldora spends more time on everything but track prep. Hey we got a 3 day race weekend coming up, Lets prep the track thursday morning! sad.

[chathamracefan]

It was awful for the feature. Also the way the cars race makes it not as good as it used to be even when track is prepped good. The same 1 or 2 people win every race there these days. Lacking some rule changes 1/2 miles are becoming a waste of time to watch these cars race on.

[lurker]

---, they never get a handle on the race surface or see what needs fixed on track prep! ----

While I’d agree with the generalized point that you are trying to make in your post, I’d totally disagree with the quoted part above.

Tony, knows exactly what he is doing with the track prep. Hard and slick. And as I said in another thread ---- the racing surface was way better before Tony NASCAR’ized it, and Madden’s post race comments were spot on.

As I’ve told CIRF and kidrock in the past, Eldora was my home track as a viewer for many-many years, during the Earl years, and I’ve probably seen more races at Eldora during that time frame than any other track close to me --- if Eldora had a race, I was there. Wing and non-wing sprints, Silver Crown, Midgets, LM’s and so forth. Yet I rarely go nowadays because of the hard slick no cushion track.

[Pennsboro32]

I’m not going to make excuses for them or any other track but it hasn’t rained in parts of the country for over 3 weeks.

[EDERDS]

The Eldora track we love retired when Earl Baltes sold the track.

[Highside Hustler25]

Eldora has a pond. Actually I think they have a pool and a pond.

[TRocket8]

I think that they put too many laps on it over the weekend. The only races worth watching are the saturday night heat races. They should probably dump hot laps on Saturday too.

[Barbecueboy]

Pond would be good for most of us 4merz.😂

[Morgs153]

When I go to the USA Nationals at Cedar Lake I know that I will be spending a long evening at the track because they always farm and work the track before the features. I've seen people complain about it and I will never complain about. I'm always treated to a good race.

I've made the 8-9 hour drive to Eldora before and loved the experience of being there. I've always wanted to make the trip back again but after the last few years of watching what I have, I'd be hard pressed to make the trip in person again. If I would have spent several hundred bucks on gas, hotel, eats, tickets and ancillary items to see that feature, I would have felt a bit jobbed.

[Mams]

Last night’s race surface will be perfect for the DTWC track conditions we all love - lockdown after 1/4 to 1/3 of the race.

[Josh Bayko]

The Dream and World been about the party more than the race for years, even before Tony bought it. It’s the same way with the sprint car biggies. It happens to most big short track races at some point.

The DTWC should be a little more race focused, however, with that many cars there the track is going to take even more abuse. Still, it should race better than PRP at least.

[Jed]

A few thoughts…
-Maybe they should have made another attempt at bringing in new clay last fall.
-I know Eldora is run by Jerry Gappens nowadays, but Smoke’s focus doesn’t seem to be on dirt racing anymore does it? Was he even there this weekend?
-The spoon shaped surface Earl had at least would allow for Hail Mary slide jobs. When they’re locked down on the bottom it’s pretty much over.

[play4kps]

Take most of the banking out of at least 3 and 4 and maybe some out of 1 and 2, that will slow the cars down hoping the track holds up better, The track at this stage cant take 95 cars taking qualifying laps. Im standing strong on my post about lack of racing! Look at Knoxville, they race every weekend there. They know what needs to be done to keep the track race ready. When your only open a few weekends a year, track surface will always be a crap shoot. Chances are, if they ran the Appleseed, the track would have probably been better. Its kind of sad that the so called mecca of dirt late model racing is putting out this poor of a race surface for a race paying 129,000 to win. sad.

Warning, harsh comment, if Eldora is not about racing and just about the partying, then why do any of us go? Why bother? I can stay home and party or go to the local bar and party, not travel 1000 miles or more like some fans!

[lurker]

Warning, harsh comment, if Eldora is not about racing and just about the partying, then why do any of us go? Why bother? I can stay home and party or go to the local bar and party, not travel 1000 miles or more like some fans!

I live closer than most of you here on this forum board, a little over an hour away --- and I rarely go to Eldora anymore, maybe 4 times since Tony bought it, and that was for USAC, and one World 100.

[lurker]

Black F is right ---- "the party hasnt changed but the racing has. prior to stewie, eldora always had both."

[lurker]

Im standing strong on my post about lack of racing!

I get what you’re saying but I disagree. Just look at Kokomo. They don’t race weekly any more, specials only, and Reece O’Conner always has Kokomo in tip-top shape surface wise. Watch the USAC Midget show on Flo tonight, then the highlights of the XR DLM show on Monday. The track will be spot-on for both nights. A bottom, a middle, and a cushion up top.

[play4kps]

Kokomo is a 1/4 mile. Eldora is a high banked half mile, big difference is track prep needed, thats why I said maybe remove a lot of banking so the surface might hold up. And whats to say Kokomo doesnt take track prep more serious than Eldora.

[lurker]

Jed, I know at one time when Jerry Gappens was at Gas City Speedway he was in touch with social media stuff like IOW forum board, FB and so forth --- and he took all critiquing comments seriously. Hopefully he reads this and passes it along.

[lurker]

And whats to say Kokomo doesnt take track prep more serious than Eldora.

They do, that was my point. And if you take any more banking out of Eldora, its not Eldora any more. You do realize, Tony took banking out of Eldora for NASCAR, and the Trucks series, and Eldora hasn’t been the same since, then add in the dry prep for NASCAR that spread into everyday Eldora --- which is what we have today. Even though the NASCAR Trucks don’t race at Eldora any more.

[Jed]

I definitely wouldn’t make huge changes like removing banking. Like another poster said, it wouldn’t be Eldora.
What was the reason for them attempting to put down new clay after the ‘21 season? Obviously it turned out bad so they scraped the new clay off and we’re still racing on the old surface. Does a track end up with too much rubber in it? Please excuse my ignorance. My point is maybe they were right and they do need new clay? That’s obviously not something that can be done during the season tho. If it were my track we’d be having a meeting Monday morning and figure this out before they screw up the whole deal.

[Drop Shock]

The tire rule they chose didn’t help anything either. 3 days days of hard and slick day racing basically on the softest tires anyone can run anymore, wonder why it rubbered up lol

[LM1M]

Go back to 2 day format and won't have this problem. TT and heats Friday, B-Mains and feature Saturday. I know it wont be popular but its just too many laps on that track in 3 days. I know the track will never go for 2 days of gate revenue instead of 3 but its the best solution IMO.

[Buford.Justice]

i dont get the complaining? a perfect locked down track. what more can you ask for?

Ummm. How about quite a dang bit???? :)

[3 wide]

Well one thing they could do is start a little later let that sun get down and don't hot lap Earle didnt let them hot lap on Saturday thar would help probably not enough but it would help.

[lokwaidid]

i've been going to eldora since 1977. earl has been gone since i think about 2006. not all of his dreams or worlds were great either. since 2006, the cars have changed a lot and that has been discussed on this board a lot and that is probably part of the problem at eldora. big tracks do not race as well as they use to because of that. also because of the design of these cars, 100 lap races are getting less and less competitive. i think he changed the banking on the track to slow it down a little because of the the drivers who died. i've seen 3 different guys die, 2 late model and 1 sprint, while i was there.

[Buford.Justice]

Removing any banking is out of the question. The track doesn't hold up because they don't pattern track prep after a track like Cedar Lake. Taking the banking would not help the track hold up any at all. They would be spinning and sliding all the more throwing what little moisture they have off the track. The track does not have enough moisture in it, the proof of that is the cushion. Not enough loose clay to even throw up and make a decent cushion. It's now pretty difficult to hammer the high banks at Eldora without being hauled off by a wrecker.

The people doing the track prep are doing what they believe is the best for the track But I'm sorry to say that they don't or may not know how to do otherwise. Disking and grading to any depth and getting the track right seems to be something they are not up to.

A lot of old school knowledge has been replaced by rolling and sheepsfoot equipment. To just keep it simple and making the track so hard that it stays smooth. Something many a driver and owner prefers for their own reasons.

If the crowds keep showing up then they don't have any reason to change it appears.

I quit going 5 years ago after going 38 years in a row.

[lokwaidid]

your right about earl not letting anyone hot lap on saturday. i think no one wanted to be in the first heat. the race world start and 10 cars would wreck in the 1st turn because the track was still slick.. i always wondered if earl thought that was funny.

[ride height]

Eldora is the Yankee Stadium / Daytona of dirt racing….unless there’s some uncontrollable circumstances, the track surface should be pretty deluxe. It’s not like they don’t have the $$ to have the right people and equipment to do a good job. Or time for that matter. Eldora spills more money on the ground than FALS will ever have, and they some how , 99% of the time have a really super track to race on and watch a race.

[Buford.Justice]

your right about earl not letting anyone hot lap on saturday. i think no one wanted to be in the first heat. the race world start and 10 cars would wreck in the 1st turn because the track was still slick.. i always wondered if earl thought that was funny.

I have always wondered why Earl would let that senario happen year after year. Coming out and trying to race on a watered and rolled track that was too slick because it was not seasoned with some hot laps to throw off the mud that would not roll into the rock hard surface.

[lurker]

i think he changed the banking on the track to slow it down a little because of the the drivers who died.

I don’t ever remember Earl changing the banking. Not saying you’re wrong, I just don’t remember it. It must have been pre-1988 before I moved up North to Indiana.

[lokwaidid]

lurker, i wasn't talking about earl changing the banking. tony changed the banking after he took over.

[play4kps]

I would trade that new jumbo tron for a good race surface any day!

[foxfire2dirtracing]

I was there all 3 nights ( actually 5)-my 29th Dream: the same Eldora expierence except the racing sucked. Single file restarts at Eldora : enough said. In Kokomo now hoping for better racing tomorrow. My first time here-so really don’t know what to expect???

[zyoung25]

The track hasn't been the same since Chad left.

I go to eldora for different reasons than most. Me and my old man have went every year since 90 to the world, and we never missed a dream. I lost him 3yrs ago next month to cancer. So I try my best to keep going in honor of him. The racing isn't the same, but I can't see myself ever quit being there because of him. He would be doing the same for me if I wasn't here.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Drop Shock,

They have been on 20s since the world in 2016. I still say Dennis Erb didn't win that World because he couldn't run a 30 on the rf. I am thinking at the time it was done because the 20 wasn't bad about laying rubber. I can't say, as I don't have a ton of experience with the lm and now nlmt stuff. The 30 will definitely lay rubber down.

[lurker]

lurker, i wasn't talking about earl changing the banking. tony changed the banking after he took over.

Copy that. From what I was told, the slowing down of the track, banking change, was made to satisfy NASCAR intentions as was the dryer slick smooth track conditions. That info came from a involved NASCAR contingency sponsor.

[ZERO25]

So two drivers win 7 out of the last 10 and it’s a track issue?

Yes last night was a freight train, but that’s the only one I remember in a long time!

[lurker]

ZERO25, I’d be saying the same thing if we had 10 out of 10 different winners. It’s mostly the track. And the racing is sub-par and suc's. zyoung25 is right, Chad made a difference. Its not hard to prep the track now with a sheepsfoot and little water.

In my opinion, the aero-crap wouldn’t be so obvious if the track was better and not so rubber’ed up. Put a good cushion up top and the aero-crap wouldn’t be as bad. Again, in my opinion.

[Drop Shock]

Drop Shock,

They have been on 20s since the world in 2016. I still say Dennis Erb didn't win that World because he couldn't run a 30 on the rf. I am thinking at the time it was done because the 20 wasn't bad about laying rubber. I can't say, as I don't have a ton of experience with the lm and now nlmt stuff. The 30 will definitely lay rubber down.

The NLMT 2 is closer to a 1300. They were on 30s last year and it never rubbered. They were on 2’s this year and 2 out of 3 nights rubbered up. Softer tires on a black track will take rubber faster than harder tires on a black track

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

I forgot about the tire shortage deal of last year and the 30s. That said, they have been on 20s most every race since 2016. Are you sure it didn't rubber last year? It seems like it always does anymore. I blame a lot of that on the cars.

[riddle28]

this was my 3rd trip to eldora, 21 world, million/dream and this one. The racing has been mostly stinky at all of them for the features. I'll probably find a new track to go next instead, i really like the facility and atmosphere but if i wanna see train racing i dont have to leave alabama

[dirtcrazy4u]

The track, the track, the track. What about the d*m cars ? The cars are creating so much downforce and you have a place like eldora where they lift very little. These cars are stuck so hard it's why they rubber up and you get boring racing. Something needs changed but me personally if aero is not changed on these cars it's not going to get any better. The track doesn't seem to change as much when the open wheel cars are on it.

[3 wide]

this was my 3rd trip to eldora, 21 world, million/dream and this one. The racing has been mostly stinky at all of them for the features. I'll probably find a new track to go next instead, i really like the facility and atmosphere but if i wanna see train racing i dont have to leave alabamaAmen to that we got plenty of train ytracks

[Kromulous]

Might as wel get a couple D11 Cats and Doze the place, make it a cornfield again.

The 4m Experts said its all over but the crying...

[zyoung25]

I forgot about the tire shortage deal of last year and the 30s. That said, they have been on 20s most every race since 2016. Are you sure it didn't rubber last year? It seems like it always does anymore. I blame a lot of that on the cars.

It took rubber at the very end of the dream last year

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Might as wel get a couple D11 Cats and Doze the place, make it a cornfield again.

The 4m Experts said its all over but the crying...

They can still fill the place with people who don't support their local track and see a couple shows a year.

[MRM]

Maybe they're afraid of the track coming apart and having another Josh Richards incident.

[jog49]

"The Dream and World been about the party more than the race for years,"

LOL! More affectionately referred to as two drunken, weekend-long stupors.

[dirtcrazy4u]

People drink at the racetrack ? No way...

[ftfiowa]

the best 100 laps in lm racing on a bigger track is knoxville, and has been for years. the PDC is the best short track 100 laps. the common denominator is black dirt and water. eldora is a sandy dusty dry locked down track nowadays and doesnt produce great races anymore. you need more water and more banking & better dirt and tony has the $$$$ to do it at eldora but wont im guessing.

[jog49]

When a track develops into a consistently bad venue, there is a solution. Fill it with water, stock it with bass, and charge $3/day to fish.

[boxcar]

Been goin to eldora for nearly 60 years in that time I have seen many changes some for the good and some not so good, but that's life. The place is definitely a show place but with current track prep the racing is average at best ! Family fun night a few weeks ago track was a pc of (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) !!! I believe a new track prep guy is very very much needed. I think it's time to bury the hatchet with Earl's grandson and get him back where he belongs- PREPARING ELDORA SPEEDWAY the way it should be !!!!Current prep guy has to go !!!!

[lurker]

Tomorrow night is the next to last night of Ohio Speedweeks for the Winged All Star’s and the Non-Wing BOSS series at Eldora --- I’ll be watching, uuuh, the track prep and the racing.

[play4kps]

I think the racing will be better. I really think the technology has killed racing on a track like Eldora. But we shall see!

[Bradley]

I've been going to Eldora since 82' and I remember quite a few dust bowls when Earl owned the track, so lets not pretend ole Earl always had a great track surface. There is a reason why Eldora gets a pass when the track isn't in the best shape and that's because year in and year out they are the track that pays the big money to win multiple times a year and brings the best drivers in the country to the same track. For the not so bright ones that say Tony doesn't care I believe he is the guy that pulled all the strings to get the race track in great shape for I think it was the million to win last year after all the clay they added was coming apart.