ROSSBURG, Ohio — Predictions for Saturday’s six Dream XXX heat races at Eldora Speedway, where the 100-lap feature pays $100,030-to-win and a division-record $6,000-to-start. Senior writer Kevin Kovac’s transfer predictions are included.

First heat

Row 1: Brandon Overton, Tim McCreadie

Row 2: Max Blair, Ricky Thornton Jr.

Row 3: Garrett Alberson, Dennis Erb Jr.

Row 4: Ryan Gustin, Zack Dohm

Row 5: Jason Jameson, Daniel Hilsabeck

Row 6: Mark Whitener, Tristan Chamberlain

Row 7: Clay Harris, Cole Perine

Row 8: Mike Hildebrand, Kyle Bryant

Row 9: Billy Denby

Overview: Thornton comes in as the hottest driver in the country (eight victories in 10 starts and worse than second just once since April 7), but Eldora crown jewel winners own the front row. Overton has won his last three Dream starts but last season’s wrecks and Thursday’s engine woes overshadow that success.

Rally time: Jameson provided a stirring rally to transfer from Friday’s consy. Can he duplicate that?

Intangible: McCreadie looking for that first Rocket Chassis house car victory. His first Dream win would make that unforgettable.

Todd’s top three: Thornton, Overton, McCreadie

Kevin’s top three: Overton, Thornton, McCreadie

Second heat

Row 1: Scott Bloomquist, Stormy Scott

Row 2: Garrett Smith, Devin Moran

Row 3: Tanner English, Chris Ferguson

Row 4: Cody Overton, Shannon Babb

Row 5: Tim Lance, Jerry Bowersock

Row 6: Jackson Hise, G.R. Smith

Row 7: David McCoy, Ethan Hunter

Row 8: Jensen Ford, Brad Eitniear

Row 9: Jeff Robertson

Overview: Bloomquist’s Eldora mystique isn’t what it was, but he remains 100 percent in the inversion department. Moran still glowing after breaking his so-called curse, but a six-figure victory would erase any memory of Eldora futility.

Rally time: Shannon Babb’s shown speed in his Longhorn, but history is against him. Raise your hand if you know Babb has a single finish better than 10th (third in his first start in ’98) in 19 Dream starts.

Intangible: Scott’s trying to put the fledgling Category 5 Race Car into an Eldora crown jewel in the first season for the chassis.

Todd’s top three: Moran, Bloomquist, Scott

Kevin’s top three: Moran, Scott, Garrett Smith

Third heat

Row 1: Carson Ferguson, Chris Madden

Row 2: Nick Hoffman, Dale McDowell

Row 3: Bobby Pierce, Joseph Joiner

Row 4: Austin Smith, Brenden Smith

Row 5: Mike Benedum, John Henderson

Row 6: Dustin Nobbe, Tyler Millwood

Row 7: Jeff Babcock, Jamie Elam

Row 8: Trey Mills, Mason Zeigler

Row 9: Pierce McCarter

Overview: Ferguson is 2-for-2 in Dream starts (winning a 2022 heat), but he’ll have his hands full among a talented first three rows. Pierce’s team must regroup from Thursday’s engine-killing errors.

Rally time: If Zeigler’s going to make it eight Dream starts in a row (he’s one of just five drivers to start the previous seven), he’ll have to get rolling and improve on Friday’s dismal showing. He’s a best bet as the worst preliminary points driver to crack the 26-car feature field.

Intangible: Madden’s announcement that he’s stepping away from full-time racing in ’25 provides an extra boost of motivation.

Todd’s top three: Pierce, Madden, Hoffman

Kevin’s top three: Madden, Pierce, McDowell

Fourth heat

Row 1: Trent Ivey, Tyler Erb

Row 2: Cade Dillard, Josh Rice

Row 3: Devin Gilpin, Mike Marlar

Row 4: Brian Shirley, Austin Kirkpatrick

Row 5: Kaede Loudy, Ethan Dotson

Row 6: Steven Roberts, Mike Provenzano

Row 7: Andrew Reaume, Haiden Cowan

Row 8: Rob Anderzack, Jake Elam

Row 9: Kody Evans

Overview: Perhaps the prelim likely to have the most fireworks — and the only one without a former Eldora crown jewel winner — it’s a high-flying bunch with no fear of slide jobs, and that includes Ivey who daringly dove under two cars on the first lap of his Friday heat victory.

Rally time: Shirley’s the best candidate outside the first three rows as he tries to maintain the Eldora momentum of his career-best fourth at September’s World 100.

Intangible: Josh Rice’s spoiler remained impressively intact after 50 laps in Thursday’s third-place finish. His familiar right-rear damage can go one of two ways: it shows he’s found the fastest, if most perilous way around the track, or that his hopes have collapsed along with his spoiler.

Todd’s top three: Rice, Erb, Dillard

Kevin’s top three: Rice, Ivey, Erb

Fifth heat

Row 1: Ashton Winger, Daulton Wilson

Row 2: Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Sheppard

Row 3: Spencer Hughes, Jimmy Owens

Row 4: Dustin Linville, Donald McIntosh

Row 5: Cory Hedgecock, Allen Styck

Row 6: Dylan Thompson, Oakley Johns

Row 7: Sammy Mars, Christian Hanger

Row 8: Casey Noonan, Bryant Dickinson

Overview: Two Rocket Chassis house car refugees (and previous Eldora crown jewel winners) make up a solid second row with capable drivers lined up ahead and behind.

Rally time: After a slow start Friday, Owens found speed in his consy and with a 23rd-to-10th rally in the feature. He’s looking for his first top-10 Dream finish since 2015.

Intangible: Can Sammy Mars summon any of his Dream-winning father Jimmy's magic to make his Eldora weekend debut memorable?

Todd’s top three: Sheppard, Wilson, Owens

Kevin’s top three: Sheppard, O’Neal, Wilson

Sixth heat

Row 1: Shane Clanton, Ricky Weiss

Row 2: Kyle Bronson, Jonathan Davenport

Row 3: Billy Moyer, Kye Blight

Row 4: Jason Feger, Ryan Payne

Row 5: Brad Dyer, Max McLaughlin

Row 6: Seth Daniels, Terry Rushlow

Row 7: Tyler Carpenter, Freddie Carpenter

Row 8: Brandon Moore, Mike Myers

Overview: Despite Davenport’s meh fourth-place finish Friday, he’s still a favorite whose recent Eldora success far exceeds his heat contenders (not to mention the other 80 drivers in the pits).

Rally time: Thursday's penalty at the scales and heat-race tangle created obstacles, but last year’s DTWC run shows Tyler Carpenter can find his way to the front at Eldora.

Intangible: Scaling-back Shane Clanton has merely four 2024 feature starts, but he’s put himself in position to make a run for another Dream.

Todd’s top three: Davenport, Weiss, Moyer

Kevin’s top three: Davenport, Bronson, Clanton