Mudsummer Classic schedule
TUESDAY
2-4 p.m. Garage area open to fans (must show ticket for Wednesday’s race)
5 p.m. All gates open
6:15 Sunoco American Late Model Series hot laps
7:30 p.m. Sunoco ALMS feature
9:30 p.m. Post-race party
WEDNESDAY
9:30 a.m. Gates open
10 a.m. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) practice
2:50 p.m. Tony Stewart Q&A (Fan Zone)
5:10 p.m. NCWTS qualifying
6 p.m. Eldora late models hot laps
7 p.m. NCWTS heats
7:50 p.m. Late model feature
8:15 pm. NCWTS last-chance race
9:05 p.m. NCWTS Mudsummer Classic (150 laps)
They are indelible moments from the inaugural Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway in 2013, NASCAR’s first race on dirt among its three national series since 1970.
It’s Austin Dillon standing atop his No. 39 Chevrolet, fists pumping as fireworks and pyrotechnics light up the night after his Camping World Truck Series victory.
It’s low-budget racer Norm Benning’s stunning last-lap battle for the final qualifying spot that nearly destroyed his truck. And his one-finger salute to the driver that nearly wrecked him.
For newcomers to Eldora Speedway it’s their first “world famous” pizza burger, the concession stand’s signature sandwich.
“It’s probably the biggest win of my career. It was so much fun,” said Dillon, who edged fellow Sprint Cup rookie Kyle Larson in a thrilling green-white-checkered finish. “To go back to Eldora, it’s one of my favorite tracks in the world.”
Dillon highlights a field of 33 trucks that return this week for the second running of the Mudsummer Classic. Tuesday is practice and Wednesday is qualifying and the 150-lap feature.
Nearly 25,000 spectators from 48 states and five countries flooded Eldora for the race in 2013.
The vast majority were in awe. But a few — including die-hard asphalt racing fans — were saying “awww,” as in why is NASCAR racing at a half-mile, high-banked dirt track carved out of the Ohio cornfields in the middle of nowhere? Their mood quickly changed once the trucks kicked up a little dirt … and they tried a pizza burger.
That’s the Eldora Experience.
“Last year everyone got a taste of it,” driver Ryan Blaney said, referring to racing on dirt, and maybe even those pizza burgers. “It was a great turnout, it was a great race. I was a little hesitant going in wondering how these trucks were going to do, but they did a great job. I think this year is going to be even better.”
Dillon, Larson and dirt legend Ken Schrader highlight the list of drivers entered. But last year it was Benning who stole the show.
With two laps left in the final qualifying race and Benning holding the final qualifying spot, Benning fended off a door-slamming, paint-trading battle with Clay Greenfield. Greenfield slammed Benning in the wall a couple times, including coming out of turn 4 on the last lap. Benning survived, as did his truck, barely.
Crews from other teams worked feverishly in the pits to help get Benning’s truck ready for the feature. He finished 26th out of 30 trucks.
Dillon charged up from 19th place to win the event and took home a pickup truck full of souvenirs. A jar of Eldora dirt sits beside his trophy at his house. A golden shovel, owner’s trophy and the truck are in the Richard Childress Racing museum in North Carolina.
He’ll be driving a different truck this year — “hopefully this one rocks just as good,” he said — but wants the same result.
“I don’t think the pressure’s ever off. You want to go back and perform,” Dillon said. “I feel like there’s pressure every race I go to because I want to win them all. I’m excited to go there because we have some good history there. … It’s hard to beat the inaugural, but I think it’ll be just as big.”
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