With the 30th running of the Dirt Late Model Dream taking place this week at Eldora Speedway and with all the action live on FloRacing, here are five things to boost your knowledge about the Crown Jewel event.

The four-race week at the half-mile in Rossburg, Ohio, starts Wednesday with Castrol FloRacing Night in America presented by Kubota before Dream preliminaries begin Thursday and continue Friday.

Saturday’s 100-lap, $100,030-to-win Dream XXX feature rounds out the action-packed week.

• How To Watch The Dream At Eldora Speedway On FloRacing
• Dirt Late Model Dream Prelim Night Rosters
• 2024 Dirt Late Model Dream: Schedule, Purse Info & More

2024's Richest Dirt Late Model Race

Paying $100,030-to-win, the 30th running of the Dream is the richest race in Dirt Late Model racing this year. It’s also one of two Dirt Late Model events awarding six figures to the winner.

This Oct. 19’s Dirt Track World Championship for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Eldora Speedway pays $100,000-to-win while Eldora’s historic World 100 awards $57,000-to-win.

Also of note: The Dream hasn’t paid less than $125,000-to-win since 2018 when the race continued its then-longstanding tradition of paying $100,000-to-win, the winner’s share that Earl Baltes instituted at the event’s inception in 1994.

What’s different and more appealing for competitors at this year’s running is $6,000-to-start, the richest minimum start money in Dream history.

All-Time Winners

Scott Bloomquist is the Dream’s all-time winner, his eight event triumphs reigning far above any other competitor. That number, of course, would be nine if he wouldn’t have infamously failed to meet the minimum weight requirement upon crossing the checkers first at the 2015 Dream.

Second all-time with three wins at the lucrative event is Brandon Overton, whose three Dream victories have come over the last four installments of the 100-lap crown jewel.

Jonathan Davenport’s pair of Dream wins are tied with Billy Moyer and the late Freddy Smith for third all-time, but last year’s Dream victory is the lone occasion he crossed the checkers first at the event. Davenport inherited his 2015 victory after Bloomquist’s disqualification.

The following have one Dream victory: Brandon Sheppard (2019), Dennis Erb Jr. (2016), Dale McDowell (2014), Shane Clanton (2012), Don O’Neal (2011), Jimmy Owens (2009), Steve Casebolt (2007), Matt Miller (2005), Darrell Lanigan (2003), Rick Eckert (1999), Jimmy Mars (1997) and Donnie Moran (1996).

VIDEO: Take a look back at the infamous "There's No Green Light" moment at Eldora Speedway. 

Potential First-Time Winners

There are a number of well-known drivers aiming for their first Dream victories, much less their first Eldora Crown Jewel, this week.

Atop that list is the top-ranked DirtonDirt.com driver and reigning Driver of the Year, Ricky Thornton Jr., whose fourth-place finish last year stands as his best Dream finish across six starts at the event.

Also garnering plenty of attention this week is Chris Madden, the 49-year-old who announced Tuesday he’s stepping back from full-time racing after this season. Madden, chasing an evasive Crown Jewel at the Big E in his would-be 17th Dream start this week, has finished runner-up at the lucrative event three straight times now.

World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series points leader Nick Hoffman, veteran Mike Marlar, 2018 World 100 winner Tim McCreadie, and four-time winner this year, Devin Moran, are among those also vying for first Dream wins.

The Format

Preliminaries have a new twist as nearly 100 entrants (as of Tuesday afternoon) will be split with among Thursday’s and Friday's programs with 50-lap, $25,000-to-win semifeatures as nightly main events.

Points accumulated throughout the preliminaries will then set the stage for Saturday’s heat races, preceding consolations and the 100-lap, $100,030-to-win Dream XXX feature.

To read more about the format, click here.

WATCH: Drivers react to Dream's new format that'll be in effect at Eldora Speedway this week.

Dream Dramatics

Only twice has a driver led all 100 laps of the Dream throughout the event’s 29 runnings: Freddy Smith in 2000 and Shane Clanton in 2012. Jonathan Davenport leading the final 70 laps last year to claim his second career Dream prize had been the most laps led to the checkers since Clanton’s flag-to-flag win in 2012.

In that same vein, six of the last 10 Dream finishes have been decided over the last 30 laps (or at the scales): Dale McDowell passing Scott Bloomquist with 22 laps left in 2014, Scott Bloomquist passing Jonathan Davenport with 10 laps left in 2015 (only to get disqualified), Dennis Erb Jr. passing Josh Richards with 11 laps left in 2016, Brandon Sheppard passing Earl Pearson Jr. with 29 laps left in 2019, Brandon Overton passing Chris Madden with 15 laps left in 2021, and then Overton passing Madden again with nine laps left in 2022.

How To Stream The Dirt Late Model Dream At Eldora Speedway

The race is streaming live on FloRacing and the FloSports app. Race replays, highlights and breaking news will be on both platforms. 

When Is The Dirt Late Model Dream?

June 6-8 (drivers will run either Thursday or Friday in 40-lap, $25,000-to-win preliminary feature programs; Saturday's 100-lap finale will be preceded by heat and consolations races).

The Castrol FloRacing Night in America at Eldora Speedway is on June 5. 

Where Is The Dirt Late Model Dream Held?

Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio (high-banked, half-mile clay oval).

How Much Does The Dirt Late Model Dream Pay to Win?

The Dirt Late Model Dream is headlined by a $100,030-to-win Late Model feature.

2024 Dirt Late Model Dream Schedule

(All times local; subject to change)

Wednesday

• 10 a.m.: Ticket office opens (ticket and pit pass sales)
• 11 a.m.: Pits open
• Noon: Technical inspection begins
• 1 p.m.: Grounds cleared and secured
• 2 p.m.: All gates, suites and concessions open
• 5 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting (infield)
• 6 p.m.: Hot laps
• 7:30 p.m. : Opening ceremonies
• Competition
  • Late Model time trials
  • Late Model heats (10 laps)
  • Late Model consolations (12 laps)
  • Castrol FloRacing Night in America feature (50 laps)

Thursday

• 11 a.m.: Ticket office opens (ticket and pit pass sales)
• Noon: Pits open
• 12:30 p.m.: Technical inspection begins
• 1 p.m.: Grounds cleared and secured
• 2 p.m.: All gates, suites and concessions open
• 5 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting (infield)
• 6:30 p.m.: Hot laps
• 8 p.m.: Opening ceremonies
• Competition
  • Late Model time trials
  • Late Model heats (10 laps)
  • Late Model consolations (12 laps)
  • Late Model qualifying feature (50 laps)

Friday

• 11 a.m.: Ticket office opens (ticket and pit pass sales)
• Noon: Pits open
• 12:30 p.m.: Technical inspection begins
• 1 p.m.: Grounds cleared and secured
• 2 p.m.: All gates, suites and concessions open
• 5 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting (infield)
• 6:30 p.m.: Hot laps
• 8 p.m.: Opening ceremonies
• Competition
  • -Late Model time trials
  • -Late Model heats (10 laps)
  • -Late Model consolations (12 laps)
  • -Late Model qualifying feature (50 laps)

- Following last checkered flag: Live music (fan zone)

Saturday

• 11 a.m.: Ticket office opens (ticket and pit pass sales)
• 11 a.m.: Grounds cleared and secured
• Noon: All gates, suites and concessions open
• 1 p.m.: Outreach service (white tent near pond)
• 3:30 p.m.: Driver autograph session (fan zone)
• 4:30 p.m.: Public drivers’ meeting (fan zone)
• 6:30 p.m.: Hot laps
• 8 p.m.: Opening ceremonies
• Competition
  •  Late Model heats (15 laps)
  •  Late Model consolations (20 laps)
  •  Dream XXX feature (100 laps)

Who Sanctions The Dirt Late Model Dream?

DIRTcar Racing will sanction the 2024 Dirt Late Model Dream

Who Won Last Year's Dirt Late Model Dream?

Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., who won his second career Dream and first since 2015.

FloRacing Is The Streaming Home For Many Of Racing’s Top Events Each Year

Don’t miss any of the exciting action, which can be enjoyed year-round at FloRacing. Check out the FloRacing schedule for more events.

FloRacing Archived Footage

Video footage from the event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloRacing subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription.

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