We’re only five days away from the start of the richest event in the history of Sprint Car Racing – the $1,002,023-to-win Eldora Million – streamed exclusively on FloRacing on July 12-13.

With 60+ of the nation’s best expected at Eldora Speedway, we previewed 10 of the favorites to take the cash.

Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart Racing #15

In the history of Sprint Car Racing, no man has won as much prize money as Donny Schatz. Yes, Steve Kinser will forever be the winningest – but Schatz came along at the right time and has won all the right races in his iconic career. The Fargo, ND native has a knack for always for showing up at the front when the big check comes into play, and the same should be expected next week with $1,002,023 on the line.

Of the 47 six-figure paydays offered in the sport’s existence, Schatz has competed for 41 of them. What’s most impressive, though, is the fact that he’s won 12 of them (11 Knoxville Nationals, 1 Historical Big One) for first-place earnings of $1,765,000 – and that’s not counting his other 300+ victories. That’s eight more wins in that category than the next closest of Steve Kinser, Mark Kinser, and Danny Lasoski. Yeah, he likes the grand stage.

The 10-time World of Outlaws champion is averaging a 14.4 finish in his last 10 starts, yet that doesn’t concern anyone at all entering the Eldora Million. Everybody knows that Schatz and the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing No. 15 team bring their A-game to the big games. In May, Schatz finished second and third with the World of Outlaws at Eldora, that’s to go along with five Kings Royal titles at the track – solidifying his status as one of the favorites next week on FloRacing.

Rico Abreu – Rico Abreu Racing #24

To many, Rico Abreu is the odds-on favorite entering the Eldora Million next week. In recent memory, nobody has produced the results he has at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway – a large part of that being his confidence and maturity as a driver, and another part being the addition of crew chief “Tricky” Ricky Warner to his team.

In their last 10 starts at The Big E, the Abreu No. 24 is averaging a 4.0 finish with three wins and another three podiums. A flat tire while dominating June’s All Star Circuit of Champions race is the only thing that stopped from entering the Million on a streak of three wins in his last five races at the track – two of those coming with the World of Outlaws.

In general, Rico is already having the best year of his Sprint Car Racing career in 2023. The St. Helena, CA native has cleared $200,000+ in earnings through 34 races largely thanks to three World of Outlaws wins, an All Star Circuit of Champions victory, and plenty of High Limit Sprint Car Series success. Since May, Abreu averages a 4.8 finish in 23 starts and he wants "a million f****** bucks” next week.

VIDEO: During FloRacing's Sprint to the Million, Rico Abreu made it very clear how much money he's racing for at Eldora. 

Kyle Larson – Paul Silva #57

Nobody in next week’s Eldora Million field will have more experience competing for life-changing money than Kyle Larson has. In fact, the 30-year-old they call “Yung Money” has won NASCAR’s All-Star Race on three occasions – worth $1,000,000 each time. On Thursday, July 13, however, he gets to compete for $1,002,023 with his first love – Sprint Car Racing. 

Since his debut at the track in 2011, the Elk Grove, CA native has become accustomed to creating big-time moments at The Big E. King Kyle the 37th has won at Eldora in a whopping seven different race cars – a record – including a sweep of the 4-Crown Nationals, a Kings Royal title, a NASCAR Trucks victory, and scores in a Late Model & Modified during FloRacing Night in America.

Entering the Eldora Million, Larson has run 11 events in 2023 aboard Paul Silva’s No. 57. In the 10 races they’ve completed, he averages a 2.8 finish. He’s beat the midweek stars of the High Limit Sprint Car Series thrice (Wayne County, Tri-City, Eagle) and also topped the All Star Circuit of Champions (Atomic) and World of Outlaws (Huset’s).

Brent Marks – Murray/Marks #19

After what he did last July at Eldora, Brent Marks undoubtedly established himself as a contender for next week’s $1,002,023 payday at the Eldora Million – which would blow his $276,125 week out of the water, which was a record when he collected that last year.

Before being crowned King Brent the 39th in last year’s Kings Royal, Marks also won the Historical Big One from 14th earlier in the week. They were the two biggest wins of his life, and immediately put him into World of Outlaws folklore. After struggling at the Rossburg, OH half-mile dirt track earlier this year, the Myerstown, PA native returned last month with the All Star Circuit of Champions and relocated that familiar speed, finishing third during Ohio Speedweek.

To date, Marks has competed in 39 races this season with six wins aboard the Murray-Marks No. 19. Excluding two crashes (which happened while running top-three), Marks has been outstanding since the calendar flipped to June – averaging a 2.2 finish in eight completed races. If he keeps that up, Marks very well could hold the Eldora Million, Historical Big One, and Kings Royal titles all at the same time.

David Gravel – Big Game #2

He just won the richest race in World of Outlaws history - $250,000 at Huset’s High Bank Nationals – so David Gravel is feeling a little motivated to keep that honor for more than just three weeks.

The Watertown, CT native is no doubt the hottest driver on tour right now with “The Greatest Show on Dirt” – averaging a 2.1 finish in nine races – with recent results of first, second, second, second, second, fifth, first, third and first. The Big Game Motorsports No. 2 pilot is the winningest driver with the Series this year and knows a thing about winning one-off races at Eldora – he won the $52,000 Governor’s Reign in 2020.

The 31-year-old is the existing Eldora Speedway track record holder (12.599 seconds) and owns five triumphs at the track – three of those being a preliminary race to the Kings Royal. His first Crown Jewel victory at The Big E could be a life-changing one, and would quickly solidify his 2023 effort – he’s already made $441K – as the richest single-season in Sprint Car Racing history.

VIDEO: We spoke to David Gravel about his Eldora Million chances during the Sprint to the Million. 

Brad Sweet – Kasey Kahne #49

You don’t become a four-time consecutive champion of the World of Outlaws without shining under the bright lights of a Crown Jewel. In fact, Brad Sweet has won three of them including two at Eldora Speedway’s Kings Royal in 2013 and 2019. The Grass Valley, CA native has said he’s been thinking about the Eldora Million every day since it was announced last year.

Behind Donny Schatz, Sweet has the second-best average finish (7.17) in Eldora Crown Jewel history – bolstered by a stretch of four straight podium finishes in the Kings Royal. He’s a five-time winner at The Big E and thrives most when he throws point racing out the window and chases checks – something he gets to do next Wednesday and Thursday in the unsanctioned race aboard his Kasey Kahne Racing #49.

We all remember The Big Cat’s raucous celebration when he won “$175 mother******* grand,” can you imagine how crazy it would be if he won a million dollars? We just might find out next week on FloRacing.

Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson #41

One month removed from a scary crash at Knoxville, Carson Macedo is still healing, but still contending for wins with the World of Outlaws. The third championship contender behind Brad Sweet and David Gravel, Macedo will have no points to worry about when he strolls into Eldora for the biggest race of his life next week.

A two-time winner at The Big E – both King Royals prelims in 2021 – Macedo is a perfect four-for-four when it comes to Eldora Crown Jewel top-10 finishes. In fact, he enters this week with back-to-back podiums from the Kings Royal.

The Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 has topped the Knoxville Nationals with David Gravel and the National Open with Carson Macedo, now the Rocky Mount, MO team only needs a crown and a million bucks to check off the biggest wins available in Sprint Car Racing.

Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing #1S

Bobby Allen’s Shark Racing outfit will send not one, not two, but three entries to compete for the Eldora Million next week. Leading the trio into the $1,002,023-to-win race is his grandson, Logan Schuchart, who has led laps and battled for an Eldora Crown Jewel victory before.

It wasn’t long ago in 2019 when the Hanover, PA native blasted from 12th-to-1st at the Kings Royal, ultimately finishing second to Brad Sweet following a late-race caution that changed everything. He’s enjoyed several other impressive moments at The Big E, winning on four occasions including earlier this year in May with the World of Outlaws.

From a remarkable 22nd-to-2nd drive at the Knoxville Nationals to a $50,000 Jackson Nationals score and a runner-up photo finish at the Gold Cup Race of Champions, Schuchart has time and time again found himself at the front of the biggest races of the year. We should expect nothing less in next Thursday’s 50-lapper at Eldora.

VIDEO: FloRacing visited the Shark Racing shop during our Sprint to the Million leading into the Eldora Million. 

Sheldon Haudenschild – Stenhouse/Marshall #17

20 years ago,  Jac Haudenschild won what was the richest race in Sprint Car Racing history at the time – the 2003 Mopar Million at Eldora Speedway. Fast forward two decades and now Jac’s son, Sheldon Haudenschild, is racing for a chance to win the new richest race in dirt racing history – the 2023 Eldora Million.

A homegrown Ohio family hailing from Wooster, the Haudenschild’s history at The Big E is almost as iconic as the track itself. With “The Wild Child” retired, the family legacy is solely in the hands of young Sheldon – who recorded his first win at Eldora in 2021 aboard the Stenhouse Jr.  / Marshall Racing No. 17.

A three-time top-five finisher in six starts at the Kings Royal, Sheldon came close to scoring his first Crown Jewel during the 2021 Kings Royal when he almost tracked down Kyle Larson while running the wall. Was he just saving that first truly big one for the Eldora Million in hopes of following his father’s footsteps at the Mopar Million? We find out on FloRacing next week.

Tyler Courtney – Clauson/Marshall #7BC

King Tyler the 38th likes Eldora, more than any other track. It’s the winningest facility of his career with 13 triumphs ranging from Winged and Non-Wing Sprint Cars to Silver Crown and Midgets. The single-biggest win of his career came just two years ago at The Big E when he won the 2021 Kings Royal for a $175,000 check in his first career World of Outlaws win.

Since then, Sunshine – a dominant staple in the USAC ranks throughout the late 2010’s – has evolved into one of Winged Racing’s finest stars on the heels of back-to-back All Star Circuit of Champions titles with an equally-evolving Clauson/Marshall Racing team. 

In the four Eldora Crown Jewel races he’s competed in, the Indianapolis, IN native has started on the front row of three of them – leading a combined 57 of 160 laps, establishing himself as a consistent front runner in the big ones.