Prayer service for injured pastors
Spotted: Concert for a Cure
Concert for a Cure
Prelude drivers will go all out
2007 champ Edwards a favorite in 30-lap event.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
From watching television and reading sprint-car legend Jack Hewitt's book, Carl Edwards was up on his Eldora Speedway history. Still, his first visit to the track sent him head over heels.
"It's just so unbelievable to win a race there," said Edwards, who performed his trademark back flip after winning the Prelude to the Dream charity race in 2007. "People told me I looked happier in that moment than I have on TV winning a (Sprint) Cup race. It's definitely an equal to any race I've ever won."
Extras
Edwards, who joined Kenny Wallace and Tony Stewart as Prelude champs, returns to defend his title today, June 4, at the half-mile dirt track in Darke County. But the competition is again tough. The 25 drivers participating — mostly from NASCAR — have combined for 26 major racing titles, including six Cup titles and 325 Cup wins. Among the favorites mentioned this year are Dave Blaney, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Wallace, Stewart and Edwards.
"To win it last year was really cool, especially to hold off Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch," said Edwards, who maneuvered his 2,300-pound, 800-horsepower dirt late model ahead of both those drivers in a three-wide finish. "Nothing but fun. Even the guys who wrecked are having a blast."
While the favorites are certainly the ones with dirt experience, don't count out the other guys. NHRA Funny Car driver Ron Capps finished fourth in 2006, which ranks among his career highlights.
"The first few years, I kind of showed up to go around and not make a fool of myself, especially as a drag racer," Capps said. "I wanted to show Tony basically him inviting me wasn't a bad idea. I know a lot of the guys were saying, 'What's a drag racer doing here?' Now I want to win."
Drivers will get practice laps, qualifying laps and heat races to get dialed in to the track. The feature follows with 30 laps, far fewer than the Cup guys are used to, so getting up front is a priority.
"Any time you know you've only got 20 or 30 laps to get it done, you go as hard as you can right away," Wallace said.
Busch and Gordon did that last year in their impressive Prelude debuts.
Expect more of the same today.
"Oh, no, you don't back off. You keep it clean," Busch said of not letting up. "If there are three of us going for the win at the end, you gotta hold your line and throttle up as much as possible and get to the finish line first."
If you go
What: Old Spice Prelude
to the Dream
When: Today, June 4
Where: Eldora Speedway, Rossburg
Drivers scheduled to participate: Aric Almirola, Dave Blaney, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Ron Capps, Carl Edwards, Bill Elliott, Ray Evernham, Red Farmer, Jeff Gordon, Robby Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, Cruz Pedragon, David Reutiman, Kenny Schrader, Tony Stewart, Kenny Wallace and J.J. Yeley
Tickets: General admission — 16-up: $23; 12-15: $13; 11-under: $8
Phone: (937) 338-3815
Web site: eldoraspeedway.com
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2400, ext. 6991, or gbilling@DaytonDailyNews.com.
