This week, the best dirt late model racers will gather at Eldora Speedway for a pair of World 100 races, to compete in the 51st and 50th editions of the iconic showdown. And if it looks odd to the eye to see the number 51 in front of the 50, it’s because that’s they way they will be run with the 2021 race to be held on Thursday and the makeup date for 2020 occurring on Saturday.
The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last year disrupted many sporting events. The ripple effect created some interesting and packed weekends, especially at Eldora where some of the most famous dirt track races are held. In July, Eldora played host to a pair of Kings Royals spring car races. Kyle Larson won one of those two events.
This June, Eldora was the site of two Dirt Late Model Dreams following that formula. Brandon Overton won both 100-lap events this spring and will see if he can keep his perfect record alive in the World 100s. He will have to pick up the pace, however. In three previous starts in the World 100, he has one only top-10 finish, which was a fifth in 2018.
And he’s going to have to outrun Jonathan Davenport, who won three of the last five Dreams in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
WORLD 100 STATS:
The #World100 represents the best drivers in the sport of Dirt Late Model racing. It's the cream of the crop… which makes some of these stats just simply jaw-dropping. 😲 pic.twitter.com/9AAZaL85TE— ELDORA SPEEDWAY (@EldoraSpeedway) September 7, 2021
In addition to the most of the top names in late model racing, the dirt regulars are going to have to deal with NASCAR superstar Larson Thursday night. Conflict with the Race 2 of the NASCAR playoffs on Saturday will keep him from starting both events.
If Larson has a bucket list, winning one of the 100-lap features at Eldora must be on it. The World 100 and Dream are widely considered the cream of this form of racing.
Larson was in both editions of the the Dream earlier this year and got progressively stronger. He finished 13th in 27th Dream as the first driver one lap down to Overton. In the 26th edition that happened later in the week, he improved to sixth.
More importantly, since that sixth-pace finish this June, Larson won one of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series marquee events in August. He pocketed $50,000 for his 100-lap Prairie Dirt Classic win at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway victory and beat both Davenport and Overton in that event.
