The Eldora Dirt Derby was a annual race in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race held at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. During its existence from 2013 to 2019, the race was the only dirt track racing event on any NASCAR national touring series (Cup, Xfinity, or Truck) schedule and the first since 1970. Due to coronavirus concerns in 2020, the race was not run and is not scheduled to be run again in the Truck Series. The standalone dirt event was later moved to Knoxville Raceway for 2021.

History

On November 28, 2012, NASCAR announced the addition of a race at Eldora Speedway to the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series's schedule. The race would be the first on a dirt surface in any of NASCAR's national series since 1970, with the last being at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The inaugural running of the event, which completely sold out in January 2013, was run on July 24, 2013. Austin Dillon won the event after retaining the lead on a green–white–checkered finish.

The event was originally branded as the Mudsummer Classic, but was renamed for the 2016 edition due to a trademark dispute with Major League Baseball, as the league's All-Star Game is marketed with the trademark "Midsummer Classic". The event was ultimately renamed the Eldora Dirt Derby, with the 2016 edition being sponsored by Aspen Dental.

The 2020 race was canceled due to state restrictions on large gatherings as a safety measure against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Derby was removed from the schedule in 2021.

Format There are five qualifying races, consisting of ten laps each, that determine the starting grid. However, driver's starting positions in the qualifying races are determined by normal two-lap qualifying sessions. Caution laps in the qualifying races are not scored, and five trucks will transfer from each qualifying race. After the five races, a total of 25 trucks will have qualified for the feature (the main event). Another race, named the 'Last Chance Race', consists of 15 laps, and determines the lineup from position 26 to 29. The final position on the grid is awarded to the most recent Camping World Truck Series champion, unless there is no beneficiary to that position. In that case, the fifth-place finisher in the 'Last Chance Race' is awarded the final starting position. The main event, or feature, is 150 laps long, with three segments of 40, 50 and 60 laps. During each break, drivers are allowed to make pit stops.

In 2014, the format was changed. Instead of lasting eight laps, the heat races will now consist of ten laps, with the top five teams failing to qualify for the Main Feature being awarded owners' points. Additionally, drivers are no longer required to pit.

Following the abolition of the "all exempt" tour format in 2015, the last chance format changed. Only the top drivers advance to the feature from the Last Chance race, for a net of 27 cars. The remaining five trucks in the field will be filled by NASCAR's provisional starting regulations; trucks in the top four in owner points standings that have not qualified for the race, and then the most recent Truck Series driver champion not in the field if necessary, or if not, the fifth-place truck in owner points standings of those not qualified.

Past winners

Qualifying races Year Date Race Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance Race Time Average Speed(mph) Ref Laps Miles (km) 2013 July 24 1 52 Ken Schrader Ken Schrader Racing Toyota 8 4 (6.437) 0:02:52 83.941 2 6 Jared Landers Eddie Sharp Racing Chevrolet 8 4 (6.437) 0:03:12 75.767 3 17 Timothy Peters Red Horse Racing Toyota 8 4 (6.437) 0:02:52 83.47 4 81 Kenny Wallace SS-Green Light Racing Toyota 8 4 (6.437) 0:02:56 82.245 5 4 Jeb Burton Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet 8 4 (6.437) 0:02:55 82.296 2014 July 23 1 51 Erik Jones Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03.35 83.867 2 13 Jeb Burton ThorSport Racing Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:37 83.209 3 30 Ron Hornaday Jr. Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:36 83.509 4 29 Ryan Blaney Brad Keselowski Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:32 84.032 5 98 Johnny Sauter ThorSport Racing Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:50 78.375 2015 July 22 1 63 Bobby Pierce MB Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:04:03 73.672 2 8 John Hunter Nemechek SWM-NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:46 79.657 3 52 Ken Schrader Ken Schrader Racing Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:04:35 65.028 4 54 Christopher Bell Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:59 74.779 5 19 Tyler Reddick Brad Keselowski Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046) 0:03:46 80.06 2016 July 20 1 63 Bobby Pierce MB Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046)0:03:4181.680 2 29 Tyler Reddick Brad Keselowski Racing Ford 10 5 (8.046)0:03:2388.709 3 71 Ken Schrader Contreras Motorsports Toyota 10 5 (8.046)0:03:5776.607 4 44 J. R. Heffner Martins Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046)0:03:3185.606 5 41 Ben Rhodes ThorSport Racing Toyota 10 5 (8.046)0:03:2687.138 2017 July 19 1 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046)0:03:2986.673 2 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Toyota 10 5 (8.046)0:03:2986.316 3 33 Kaz Grala GMS Racing Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046)0:03:2886.678 4 4 Christopher Bell Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 10 5 (8.046)0:03:3286.946 5 99 Ty Dillon MDM Motorsports Chevrolet 10 5 (8.046)0:03:3085.463 2018 July 18 1 41 Ben Rhodes ThorSport Racing Ford105 (8.046)0:04:1171.764 2 4 Todd Gilliland Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota105 (8.046)0:03:2986.283 3 27 Chase Briscoe ThorSport Racing Ford105 (8.046)0:03:2388.513 4 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Ford105 (8.046)0:03:2787.535 5 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Chevrolet105 (8.046)0:03:2986.187 2019 August 1 1 27 Chase Briscoe ThorSport Racing Ford105 (8.046)N/AN/A 2 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Ford105 (8.046)N/AN/A 3 24 Brett Moffitt GMS Racing Chevrolet105 (8.046)N/AN/A 4 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Chevrolet105 (8.046)N/AN/A 5 54 Kyle Strickler DGR-Crosley Toyota105 (8.046)N/AN/A2020* Not held

"Last Chance" qualifying race YearDateDriverTeamManufacturerRace DistanceRace TimeAverage Speed(mph)Ref Laps Miles (km) 2013 July 24 24 Brennan Newberry NTS Motorsports Chevrolet 15 7.5 (12.07) 0:05:53 78.005 2014 July 23 05 John Wes Townley Athenian Motorsports Toyota 15 7.5 (12.07) 0:06:57 64.729 2015 July 22 35 Cody Erickson Empire Racing Chevrolet 15 7.5 (12.07) 0:05:44 78.263 2016 July 20 51 Cody Coughlin Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 15 7.5 (12.07)0:05:2184.202 2017 July 19 63 Bobby Pierce MB Motorsports Chevrolet 15 7.5 (12.07)0:05:2782.737 2018 July 18 8 John Hunter Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet157.5 (12.07)0:06:1971.457 2019 August 1 17 Tyler Ankrum DGR-Crosley Toyota157.5 (12.07)N/AN/A2020* Not held

Feature (Main Event) YearDateDriverTeamManufacturerRace DistanceRace TimeAverage Speed(mph)ReportRef Laps Miles (km) 2013 July 24 39 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 153* 76.5 (123.114) 1:08:06 67.401 Report 2014 July 23 54 Bubba Wallace Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 150 75 (120.701) 1:29:39 50.195 Report 2015 July 22 54 Christopher Bell Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 153* 76.5 (123.114) 1:43:35 44.602 Report 2016 July 20 24 Kyle Larson GMS Racing Chevrolet 150 75 (120.701)1:47:1341.971 Report 2017 July 19 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Toyota 150 75 (120.701)1:45:4442.56 Report 2018 July 18 27 Chase Briscoe ThorSport Racing Ford153*76.5 (123.114)1:39:3046.131Report 2019 August 1 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Chevrolet 150 75 (120.701)1:49:0641.247Report2020* Not held

2013, 2015 and 2018: The race was extended due to a NASCAR Overtime finish. 2020: Race cancelled and moved to Kansas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Multiple Feature winners (teams)

# Wins Team Years won2 Kyle Busch Motorsports 2014, 2015 ThorSport Racing 2017, 2018

Manufacturer wins

# Wins Make Years won3 Toyota 2014, 2015, 2017 Chevrolet 2013, 2016, 2019 1 Ford 2018

Tuesday Night Tailgate The Tuesday Night Tailgate is the supporting event to the Mudsummer Classic featuring pre-race technical inspection for the Truck Series teams. From 2014 to 2015, the event included the Sunoco American Late Model Series. In 2016, the event will feature the Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds, which will return to Eldora for the first time since 2006.

Past winners YearDateRace NameDriverRace DistanceRef Laps Miles (km)Sunoco American Late Model Series 2014 July 22 Tuesday Night Tailgate Steve Casebolt 25 12.5 (20.1) 2015 July 21 Tuesday Night Tailgate Jeep VanWormer 25 12.5 (20.1) Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds 2016 July 20 Tuesday Night Tailgate Tim Fuller 2017 July 18 Dirt Derby 75 Billy Decker 75 37.5 (60.375)

References

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