Eldora Speedway - World 100. Some Car Count History.

[#FALSuperman]

3rd lowest car count in World 100 History looks like. Only '71 and '72 are lower.

[84wedge]

I've heard Dustin Jarret say a couple times this year about low car counts at events "I don't have a problem with that". You can see how after the NDRA and UMP came along and rule packages changed, the car counts went up dramatically since the local team weren't being priced out. The same thing is happening now and the so called "journalists" of the DLM world, who are more like a White House reporter, won't say anything.

[billetbirdcage]

I've heard Dustin Jarret say a couple times this year about low car counts at events "I don't have a problem with that". You can see how after the NDRA and UMP came along and rule packages changed, the car counts went up dramatically since the local team weren't being priced out. The same thing is happening now and the so called "journalists" of the DLM world, who are more like a White House reported, won't say anything.

100% that the new universal body rules and getting rid of the wedge cars, had a huge effect on car counts. Around 2014ish is when the cars started going back to wedge cars, least as far as the actual bodies are concerned and got worse from there.

Now obviously the economy and gas prices in 07/08 had a factor in the decline and some guys weathered the storm for a year or 2, then got out.

[Driver50x]

When the car counts were over 200, there were a lot of local racers there, who had about zero chance of making it into a heat race, much less of making it into the big show. I’m not saying that was good or bad, but that’s the way it was.

[Jim11h]

Interesting, I seem to remember several locals making heats and big show. New 3 day format kills locals

[84wedge]

At this rate, it'll be like F1 with 20 cars at every event.

[Morgs153]

Back when the unified body rules came into play there were many more weekly racers and weekly tracks. Today there are not as many tracks and not as many tracks featuring open supers as the headliner class.

Today we have tracks and series that run what looks like a super but it is powered by a 602 crate, 604 crate, a steel block, some sort of concept motor, or referred to as a limited, etc. None of those types would dare try and compete against an open super at Eldora. Back in 1986, it was a different scene when Bob Memmer saved late models from themselves.

Besides that, there's usually some good paying regional options now competing on the same weekend as the World. Those events keep some closer to home when they weigh the cost/benefit analysis of traveling to a show which they might not even make even if it is "only" 85-90 cars.

There are multi-varied reasons for this beyond the obvious one, expense.

[dirtcrazy4u]

I'm going to say 20yrs. back then it didn't cost a half million dollars for a tow rig, EMPTY. You have big time ownership money in the sport today. Rolling chassis, 2 of them at a minimum, did not cost 100k. Motors that used to cost 30K are pushing 70 today. Do I need to keep making comparisons? I understand inflation and supplies cost, labor has risen, not as fast but I'm sure longhorn and rocket are paying welders top dollar. Days of firing up your might welder or putting the guts back in the aluminum block on the engine stand are over. That's what is wrong with racing today, you no longer build anything. You pick up the phone and order it.

I wonder when a team rebuilt anything today. Rings and bearings, a carb, you get the picture.

[HoosierDirtFan]

This list has been updated

[play4kps]

The locals did ok back then, the #11 Lawrence motorsports car had Brian Ruhlman and Bowersock in that car, they made the main event most years. Jeep Van Wormer, Casebolt, Chamberlin, Lawhorn, Stinson, Chinn, Gilpin, K-Rob, Shane Yoder, Kris Patterson, and Jerry Rice just to name a few. Back then Eldora ran probably 12-16 late model events each year. Now the motivation for locals to build a car is gone, they barely race late models there, heck, they barely race there at all anymore, it resembles more of a nascar track than a small time track anymore. sad. anyways, have a fantastic day!

[BloomerHarvickFan]

That got shut down before then I believe. I dont remember seeing a guy with 2 cars in those years, but i could be wrong.

My first World 100 was 1995, and they couldn't enter 2 cars then.
The reason I remember is because Bloomquist had Dale McDowell in an 18x car, so that if Dale made the race, but Scott didn't, he could jump into his car and start tail end. They said that also the 99 of Johnny Johnson was available for the same. I don't know what the rules were for driver swaps, but that is how it was explained to me.

[Driver50x]

Interesting, I seem to remember several locals making heats and big show. New 3 day format kills locals

“Zero chance” was a poor choice of words. I should have said not much of a chance. A few of them did make it happen, as you said.

[Driver50x]

My first World 100 was 1995, and they couldn't enter 2 cars then. The reason I remember is because Bloomquist had Dale McDowell in an 18x car, so that if Dale made the race, but Scott didn't, he could jump into his car and start tail end. They said that also the 99 of Johnny Johnson was available for the same. I don't know what the rules were for driver swaps, but that is how it was explained to me.

In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s quite a few teams were bringing two cars. Then they would race whichever one qualified the best. I think Earl put a stop to that in about 1992 or so, because he said he was running out of space in the pits.

[Phatdaddy]

I also heard that street stocks ran during the early a.m. hours of the World 100s *up through the 80's*

[dirty-white-boy]

Eldora has honestly become a joke in the past 5 to 8 years. Its honestly sad. Just look at this past weekend. Thursday paid a Million to win, Friday paid $20k, Saturday paid $175k. 90 laps of sprint car racing (the million even had a fuel break to change tires!) and not one single pass for the lead!

They now have the 2 biggest late model races of the year left to go. Should be super exciting!

The product on the track is horrible in Sprints and Late Models. People keep buying tickets and cheap beer so Tony will continue on. Nothing will change until cars and fans stop watching/going. 'Merica!