Eldora Speedway
Eldora Speedway (nicknamed "The Big E", "Auto Racing's Showcase Since 1954," and "The World's Greatest Dirt Track") is a 0.5 mi (804.672 m) high-banked clay dirt oval. Located north of Rossburg, Ohio in the village of New Weston, Ohio, its website claims capacity for 22,886 spectators in the permanent grandstand, and unlimited admittance for the grass hillside spectator area. The permanent grandstand and VIP suite seats make it the largest sports stadium in the Dayton, Ohio-region according to the Dayton Business Journal.
| The Big E Auto Racing's Showcase since 1954 | |
|---|---|
| Location | Allen Township, Darke County, near New Weston, Ohio |
| Time zone | EDT |
| Coordinates | 40°19′07″N 84°38′02″W |
| Capacity | 30,000 |
| Owner | Tony Stewart |
| Broke ground | 1953 |
| Opened | 1954 |
| Architect | Earl Baltes |
| Major events | The Dirt Late Model Dream The Kings Royal World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series USAC midget, sprint, and silver crown World 100 Super DIRTcar Series |
| Website | http://www.eldoraspeedway.com/ |
| Oval | |
| Surface | Clay |
| Length | 0.5 miles (0.804672 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Banking | Turns: 24° Straights: 8° |
| Race lap record | 0:12.599 (David Gravel, Jason Johnson Racing, 2020, All Star Circuit of Champions) |
Originally constructed as a 1/4-mile semi-banked clay dirt oval by track founder and promoter Earl Baltes, Eldora was enlarged to a 3/8-mile length and later to the "half-mile" standard required by the United States Auto Club (USAC) for national championship events featuring the stars of the Indianapolis 500.
The track currently hosts events like the Kings Royal, the World 100, and Stewart's Superstar Racing Experience. From 2013 to 2019, Eldora hosted the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series' Eldora Dirt Derby. In 2013, the Dirt Late Model Dream and World 100 expanded from one-day shows to full three-day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday race weekend programs which have proven to be hugely popular. The Kings Royal followed suit in 2016.