With the 44th annual Dirt Track World Championship concluding this weekend, all eyes have been on the main event taking place this Saturday and, of course, the $100,000 prize for the winner.

During the event the last two weekends, the races occurred in Pittsburgh and Indiana at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway and Brownstown Speedway and had different winners in each event. This weekend, however, the winners will be crowned at Eldora Speedway in New Weston, OH.

Brandon Sheppard has won the last three out of five Dirt Track Championships and claimed the reward for the first time since 2020 in last year's race.

What makes the race such a high-stakes event is the difference of $80,000 between the first and second-place finishers. After the grand prize is given out, the second-place winner receives $20,000, and the driver who comes in third leaves with $10,000. 

Below is the full Dirt Track World Championship Purse for the main event and non-qualifiers' race.

Dirt Track World Championship Purse

1. $100,000
2.  $20,000
3.  $10,000
4.  $8,000
5.  $7,500
6. $7,000
7.  $6,000
8.  $5,000
9.  $4,500
10.  $4,000
11. $3,500
12.  $3,250
13.  $3,000
14.  $2,750
15. $2,700
16.  $2,650
17. $2,600
18.  $2,575
19. $2,550
20.  $2,525
21.  $2,500

Saturday's non-qualifiers’ race

1. $3,000
2. $2,000
3. $1,500
4. $1,250
5. $1,200
6. $1,150
7. $1,100
8. $1,075
9. $1,050
10. $1,025
11. $1,000
12. $900
13. $800
14. $700
15. $600
16. $500

Who Sanctions The Dirt Track World Championship?

The Dirt Late Model portion of the Dirt Track World Championship is the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season finale.

Who Won Last Year's Dirt Track World Championship?

Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., who won his fifth career DTWC in 2023.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Chase For The Championship Standings

1. Ricky Thornton Jr. 

T2. Devin Moran (-50)

T2. Jonathan Davenport (-50)

4. Tim McCreadie (-165)

Dirt Track World Championship Notes

• For the second straight year, Carl Short’s General Tire Dirt Track World Championship presented by ARP returns to Eldora Speedway.
• The 44th installment of the DTWC begins with Friday’s time trials and heat races preceding Saturday’s consolations, $3,000-to-win non-qualifier and 100-lap, $100,000-to-win finale for the Lucas Oil Series.
• Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., was the eighth and final different leader in last year’s DTWC as he nearly ran out of gas and sputtered across the line a mere 0.084 of a second ahead of Hudson O’Neal in a photo finish. Sheppard secured his fifth career event victory and will be chasing his sixth event crown this weekend (2013, ’16, ’19, ’20, ’23).
• O’Neal, of Martinsville, Ind., enters on the outside of the Big River Steel Big Four championship playoff and looks to end his touring season on a winning note. 
• Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., enjoyed a strong weekend at Brownstown and enters with a 50-point advantage over Jonathan Davenport as he looks to clinch his first career Lucas Oil Series title.
• Davenport, of Blairsville, Ga., led all 100 laps to win June’s $100,030 Dream XXX at Eldora, notching his ninth career crown jewel event victory there. He’ll seek his first career DTWC title.
• Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., held off a closing Dale McDowell to win Sept. 7's $57,000 World 100, his first victory at ‘The Big E’ since his first globe in 2016.
• Thursday's opener has modifieds prelims with stock cars running a full program.
• Late Model competition begins with Friday’s time trials and heat races, with the Steel Block Late Model Series contesting all prelims on the undercard, along with modifieds running a $5,000-to-win feature. Action wraps up with Saturday’s consolations, non-qualifier and 100-lap, $100,000-to-win finale; Steel Block Late Models will also close its 2024 season with a $5,000-to-win feature. 
• Pits open at 10 a.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. Friday and at noon on Saturday, with grandstands opening at noon for Thursday and Saturday (2 p.m. on Friday); opening ceremonies are set for 7:50 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, then 6:30 p.m. for Saturday’s finale.
• General Tire and Automotive Racing Products are 2024's presenting sponsors.

Dirt Track World Championship Winners

(Complete race history)

Year: Winner, hometown

2023: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.

2022: Garrett Smith, Eatonton, Ga.

2021: Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.

2020: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.

2019: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.

2018: Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.

2017: Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.

2016: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.

2015: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.

2014: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.

2013: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.

2012: Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.

2011: Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.

2010: Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.

2009: Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis.

2008: Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa

2007: Chub Frank, Bear Lake, Pa.

2006: Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, Ill.

2005: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.

2004: Rick Eckert, York, Pa.

2003: Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.

2002: Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, Ill.

2001: Bart Hartman, Zanesville, Ohio

2000: Wendell Wallace, Batesville, Ark.

1999: Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky.

1998: Freddy Smith, Knoxville, Tenn.

1997: Marshall Green, Dalton, Ga.

1996: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.

1995: Jack Boggs, Grayson, Ky.

1994: Ronnie Johnson, Chattanooga, Tenn.

1993: Freddy Smith, Baton Rouge, La.

1992: Ronnie Johnson, Chattanooga, Tenn.

1991: Freddy Smith, Kings Mountain, N.C.

1990: Jack Boggs, Grayson, Ky.

1989: John Mason, Millersburg, Ohio

1988: Donnie Moran, Frazeysburg, Ohio

1987: Larry Moore, Dayton, Ohio

1986: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.

1985: Freddy Smith, Kings Mountain, N.C.

1984: Jack Boggs, Webbville, Ky.

1983: Freddy Smith, Kings Mountain, N.C.

1982: Charlie Swartz, Ashland, Ky.

1981: Jim Dunn, Roseville, Ohio

Dirt Track World Championship Schedule

(All times local; subject to change)

Thursday

7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concessions)
9 a.m. - Ticket office opens, racer registration opens
11 a.m. - Pits open
Noon - Modified and super stock technical inspection
1 p.m. - Grounds cleared, ticket offices and pit pass upgrade station open
2 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Stock car group qualifying
- Modified group qualifying
Opening ceremonies
- Stock car heats
- Modified heats
- Stock car consolations (if necessary)
- Modified consolations (if necessary)
- Stock car feature (25 laps)

Friday

7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concession building)
9 a.m. - Ticket office opens, racer registration opens
10 a.m. - Pits open
11 a.m. - Late Model and Limited Late Model technical inspection
2 p.m. - Grandstands open
4:15 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Limited Late Model hot laps
- Late Model hot laps
- Limited Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Limited Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Modified feature (30 laps)
- Limited Late Model consolations (if necessary)

Saturday

7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concession building)
11 a.m. - Ticket office opens, racer registration opens
Noon - All gates open
3 p.m. - Outreach service (fan zone barn)
4 p.m. - Driver autograph session (fan zone barn)
5:15 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting (victory stage)
6 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Late Model (B-main locked-in) hot laps
- Limited Late Model (A-main locked-in) hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Late Model (A-main locked-in) hot laps
- Late Model non-qualifier (25 laps)
- 44th annual Dirt Track World Championship (100 laps)
Postrace ceremonies
- Limited Late Model feature (25 laps)

Dirt Track World Championship Tickets

Thursday

Three-day general admission (14-and-up): $70
Three-day youth general admission (13-and-under): free
One-day general admission (14-and-up): $15
One-day youth general admission (13-and-under): free
Reserved seating: Additional $5 for adults; $10 for youth
Three-day all access pit pass (all ages): $80
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $30

Friday

Two-day general admission (14-and-up): $60
Two-day youth general admission (13-and-under): free
One-day general admission (14-and-up): $25
One-day youth general admission (13-and-under): free
Reserved seating: Additional $5 for adults; $10 for youth
Two-day all access pit pass (all ages): $75
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $35

Saturday

One-day general admission (14-and-up): $45
One-day youth general admission (13-and-under): free
Reserved seating: Additional $5 for adults; $10 for youth
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $60

Websites: lucasdirt.com or eldoraspeedway.showare.com or thedtwc.com

Track phone: (937) 338-3815

Dirt Track World Championship Camping

Primitive camping: $50 in Lots 1-5; $100 in Main Lot; $110  in Turn 1 (south end)

Online reservations: eldoraspeedway.com/visitor-info/camping-fee-chart

Camping questions, call: (937) 338-3815