Eldora, NASCAR ink 5-year deal

After three successful events, including NASCAR’s first run on dirt in 43 years, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will continue to run at Eldora Speedway through 2020.

The Truck race on Eldora’s historic half-mile clay oval — owned by three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart — is NASCAR’s only dirt race among its three national series. The fourth running will take place July 20, 2016 and be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1.

NASCAR released the Truck Series schedule Tuesday.

“This is an exciting day for everyone involved at Eldora. For Tony Stewart, the great employees that work here and all of our fans this is a great day for us,” said Joe Crowley, Eldora’s public relations director. “NASCAR has always done one-year contracts with every race track in all three series. Now they are extending that for five years with every track and that’s great news for the tracks and most importantly the fans.”

The event has drawn about 25,000 spectators who have represented 48 states as well as Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand.

The Mudsummer Classic’s format is as unique as its racing surface. The race follows the traditional dirt track format with qualifying races that transfer to the main event. The 150-lap Classic is divided into racing segments of 60, 50 and 40 laps.

Austin Dillon won the inaugural event in 2013. Darrell Wallace, Jr., visited Eldora’s victory lane stage in 2014 and Christopher Bell, making his third career Truck start, did so in 2015.

“We’ve put on three great shows and now the state of Ohio, specifically Darke and Mercer counties and the Miami Valley region, will benefit through at least 2020,” Crowley said.

Also, Eldora announced the Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds will compete in a full-points event July 19 and run again in an invitational-only event in support of the Truck Series on July 20. It will be the Big-Block Modifieds first appearance at Eldora since 2006.

Eldora officials said previous patrons will be notified when tickets are ready for renewal. NASCAR will make tickets available to the public Dec. 14 at 10 a.m.

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