Eldora -seemingly zero hype this year

[chathamracefan]

As evidenced by this forum only having 1 post about Jimmy Owens racing at Eldora this weekend, there is a stunning lack of hype for the Dream. Not just here. Moreso in general. We don't even have a drivers list thread this year. And TBH, I miss that. Has 49 fatigue finally set in for the masses? It set in for me about 4 years ago. I went every year from 07 to 21 to the Dream & it just got so predictable toward the end.

I'll watch, but I really miss the enthusiasm I used to get from these big Eldora events. I'm sure part of it is I'm getting older & more cynical but a big part of it is the product just isn't that good these days. It's not the facility. Tony has done a wonderful job of upgrading that place & continuing what Earl started. It's more about what the power brokers in the sport have let it become at the top levels.

20 years ago, the Dream & World would have somewhere around 25 to 30 guys that had a solid chance to win or top 3 on Saturday. For the last several years the list of possible winners has shrunk. It's fewer than 10 guys & probably closer to 5 that really have a solid shot. 49, 32, 1, 71 & maybe a few others like 76 or 99. That's pretty much it.

[Top Row Analyst]

I think you can also add the 17m, 20RT, and the 44 to the conversation as they have all had strong runs at Eldora in recent years. Flo series race is tonight!

[chathamracefan]

Those are 3 other solid ones. Should have included 20RT in my top 5 TBH. Just a brain fade.

[Mantis]

We're heading to the track tomorrow morning.

I'll have my eyes on that blue 9 this weekend.

[EvelB7]

Not really sure it is much different over the years, at one time it was Purvis, Moore, Moyer and a handful of "have a chance". Every once and a while a shocker will happen, but usually the cream will rise to the top.

And I am also wondering how you could not throw the 9 in the mix...

[Highside Hustler25]

Good to see Billy Drake come out of retirement. The blue #9 is my darkhorse.😉

[Pennsboro32]

Doesn’t feel like it could even be time for the dream the way time flys.

[zyoung25]

I've been too all of them since 94, and even a few on the other side of the fence. I feel like the multiple race nights absolutely kill the vibe of both of these races anymore. In a time we are so worried about cost, we seem try to jam as much into these eldora race weeks as we can. By the time Saturday gets here, everyone in the pits are wore slap out and ready to get out of there. I don't get it.

I'll take Hoffman or McDowell FTW

[chathamracefan]

Not really sure it is much different over the years, at one time it was Purvis, Moore, Moyer and a handful of "have a chance". Every once and a while a shocker will happen, but usually the cream will rise to the top.

And I am also wondering how you could not throw the 9 in the mix...

Hoffman belongs in that top 10 for sure. I didn't think of him initially cause he hasn't won an Eldora big one before. The top guys have always won more, but if you look back in the 2000's & 1990's guys like Steve Casebolt, Jimmy Mars, Bart Hartman, Matt Miller etc won either a Dream or World. Some of them were "national guys" when they won but none of them were considered in the top handful of teams in my recollection. All good drivers for sure but not the "elite" of the sport.

Excluding Scott Bloomquist (RIP) the last currently active guy to win the Dream or World that isn't the "elite" would be Dennis Erb in 2016 at the Dream & T Mac at 2018 World. Excluding Bloomer again, since 2015 the Dream & World winners consist of the following:

JD 4 world 4 dream; Pierce 2 world; O'Neal 1 world; Shepp 1 dream; Overton 2 dream 1 world; RTJ 1 world. Other wins by Bloomer in 2017 & 2018 dreams & the aforementioned Dennis Erb & T MAC. Much more compressed among the top shelf than the previous decades.

And again - this is not a bash on the track. I love that place. It's just a reflection of the state of the sport that really shows its head on the big tracks.

[weatherman85]

Hoffman belongs in that top 10 for sure. I didn't think of him initially cause he hasn't won an Eldora big one before. The top guys have always won more, but if you look back in the 2000's & 1990's guys like Steve Casebolt, Jimmy Mars, Bart Hartman, Matt Miller etc won either a Dream or World. Some of them were "national guys" when they won but none of them were considered in the top handful of teams in my recollection. All good drivers for sure but not the "elite" of the sport.

Excluding Scott Bloomquist (RIP) the last currently active guy to win the Dream or World that isn't the "elite" would be Dennis Erb in 2016 at the Dream & T Mac at 2018 World. Excluding Bloomer again, since 2015 the Dream & World winners consist of the following:

JD 4 world 4 dream; Pierce 2 world; O'Neal 1 world; Shepp 1 dream; Overton 2 dream 1 world; RTJ 1 world. Other wins by Bloomer in 2017 & 2018 dreams & the aforementioned Dennis Erb & T MAC. Much more compressed among the top shelf than the previous decades.

And again - this is not a bash on the track. I love that place. It's just a reflection of the state of the sport that really shows its head on the big tracks.

From 1979 - 2001 the same 5 drivers won 18 out of 23 races at the world 100. I would call this list of 5 pretty elite. Charlie Swartz won 1 of the other 5 and would could consider him an elite team/operation for the time as well.

Larry Moore - 3
Jeff Purvis - 3 (May have won more but left for asphalt)
Scott Bloomquist - 3
Donnie Moran - 4
Billy Moyer - 5

The other 5 were won by the following.

Charlie Swartz (Hard to consider him an underdog)
Mike Duvall (For the time, one of the best in the country)
Randy Boggs (HUGE upset)
Jack Boggs (Legit upset)
Steve Francis (minor upset? maybe)

You would have REALLY hated the predictability from 1988 - 2001 when Bloomer, Moran, and Moyer won all but 2 of the World 100 races. Let's not forget a lot of the races didn't have very many, if any, passes for the lead. It has always been the norm for the majority of Eldora races to be snoozefests up front IMO.

For whatever reason, the Dream always has had more variety until as of late

[chathamracefan]

From 1979 - 2001 the same 5 drivers won 18 out of 23 races at the world 100. I would call this list of 5 pretty elite. Charlie Swartz won 1 of the other 5 and would could consider him an elite team/operation for the time as well.

Larry Moore - 3
Jeff Purvis - 3
Scott Bloomquist - 3
Donnie Moran - 4
Billy Moyer - 5

The other 5 were won by the following.

Charlie Swartz (Hard to consider him an underdog)
Mike Duvall (For the time, one of the best in the country)
Jack Boggs (Legit upset)
Randy Boggs (HUGE upset)
Steve Francis (minor upset? maybe)

You would have REALLY hated the predictability from 1988 - 2001 when Bloomer, Moran, and Moyer won all but 2 of the World 100 races. Let's not forget a lot of the races didn't have very many, if any, passes for the lead. It has always been the norm for the majority of Eldora races to be snoozefests up front IMO.

For whatever reason, the Dream always has had more variety until as of late

Thanks for adding perspective. TBH my real knowledge of following Eldora started in early 2000's. So maybe I just hit the glory years without knowing its the glory years. I know when I first started going to the Dream in 2007 those first few years it seemed lots of guys had a reasonable chance. Scott James, Matt Miller, Chad Simpson & several others consistently ran pretty good at the Big E for a number of years. Not necessarily win but at least contend for the win. That has really kind of gone away. To me that was a big part of the magic of the place.

[Danimal67x]

Good to see Billy Drake come out of retirement. The blue #9 is my darkhorse.😉

I don't think anyone else got that. lol

[reid boys]

Weatherman85 great post! I think that everybodys perspectives change as we get older and things get a little less exciting over time. I think you still get guys that surprise you a bit. Zack Dohm had a few years with really good runs. Stickler about won the "Stream". Josh Rice has done a good job as of late in the prelims nights. Which is why Josh Rice is my dark horse. He's starting to look faster in the new ride as well.

[weatherman85]

Thanks for adding perspective. TBH my real knowledge of following Eldora started in early 2000's. So maybe I just hit the glory years without knowing its the glory years. I know when I first started going to the Dream in 2007 those first few years it seemed lots of guys had a reasonable chance. Scott James, Matt Miller, Chad Simpson & several others consistently ran pretty good at the Big E for a number of years. Not necessarily win but at least contend for the win. That has really kind of gone away. To me that was a big part of the magic of the place.

I don't disagree with your time period. I consider the early 2000s - 2010 the best decade that I got to watch and witness. It could have just been my age as that was my late teens/early 20s. The only repeat winners from 2000 - 2010 in the world 100 was Billy Moyer (00, 10) and in the Dream 100 was Bloomquist (02,04,06,08). The two greatest to ever wheel a dirt late model IMO.

[DirtTrackin52]

Not so excited about the format Thursday & Friday where half the field is sitting in their haulers. Much prefer the format used for the World. Its worth losing b-mains to have everyone on track both nights trying to make the split features.