Stewart hopes Eldora event leads to Cup dirt race

tkj24

tkj24

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DOVER, Del. - Tony Stewart has long said NASCAR needs a dirt-track race in its Nextel Cup schedule.

He's hoping the Nextel Prelude to the Dream special event at Eldora Speedway next Wednesday can open NASCAR's eyes.


"I've been talking about how NASCAR needs to run a dirt race," Stewart said Friday at Dover International Speedway. "It's not the first time we've talked about it. I think Wednesday night will be a good indication that NASCAR should look even harder at it.

"We run road courses with cars that aren't really supposed to be run on road courses, so why not run them on dirt? It makes sense to do that."

The field for Wednesday's race will look like a Nextel Cup event, as 20 current Cup drivers are entered, including Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman. Stewart, who owns Eldora, is entered, too. The drivers will pilot dirt late model stock cars, running three heat races, a consolation feature and a 30-lap main event.

HBO is showing the race on its pay-per-view channel. Proceeds go to the Victory Junction Gang Camp.

"Who knows how big this is going to get?" Stewart said. "We never dreamed last year that HBO would have came on board and it would be on pay-per-view this year. We had Buddy Rice from the IRL call last week and wanted to try to get a ride at the last minute. It was a little late to try and get him in a car, but Buddy Rice said that there were other IRL drivers that were interested in coming.

"So that's maybe something that next year gets added to it so it tends to have more of an IROC flavor in having different drivers from different disciplines. We've got two drag racers in the field, we're got Red Farmer and we've got Ray Evernham.

"It's not just about having Nextel Cup drivers in the field. It's about having guys that care about Victory Junction and guys that don't get a chance to do this very often coming together and running together."
 
I highly doubt we will see a points paying race on the dirt. But I wouldn't be surprised that na$car will see the success it is and figure out a way to put a few bucks in their pocket by doing something.
D.I.R.T. Late models for a new IROC type series would be awsome and I might just pay attention to that one! I also think they would have no problem finding a sponsor for it, especially with Stewart actively involved in organizing it. Love him or hate him, Tony can bring in the sponsors.
jmo
 
Im for it. ARCA has a race or two on dirt. Springfiled and DuQuion (IL) both mile tracks. I think this is a good idea, i do not think Tony is crazy, this race will seprate the men from the boys. Dirt is a hell of a lot harder to race on then a paved track.

4 years ago i seen Kenny Wallace race on dirt, this was one of his 1st starts, and he sucked, but this year he was won most of the races he has been in, and at one time i belive he was ranked somewhere in the top 5 in UMP national Mod points.
 
OK, So what am I hearing here?

Our opinion is that we need another car designed for one race a season on dirt? With a screen for a windshield and all different parts.. It won't have all the parts that the cot car has... it will have to look like and BE LIKE the cars posted here..
I'm all for a wed night or two racing with borrowed cars... but for the teams to have to build a dirt car? NEVER gonna happen.
Betsy:rolleyes:
 
Nascar on dirt

Don't think there will be a Nascar points race on a dirt track. If it were it would probably have to be a short one. Dirt tracks tend to come apart after about 50 to 75 laps. Is nice to see those Superstars display there talents in other areas. Have seen Quite a few of them run on dirt at 311 Speedway. They have had a race similar to what Tony is putting on before,just not as many of the drivers. Kyle Petty won a race there featuring some Nascar drivers a few years back. Harry Gant,Rodney Combs and Micheal Waltrip were a few that ran then. Micheal blew my neighbors engine that night. The late Dale Earnhardt raced there one time but never completed a lap before wrecking. I think the driver I was most impressed with was Carl Edwards. He came down last year and ran 2 seperate races there in 1 night in cars that he had never even made a lap in before. Was very impressive in both cars and was there to race and not just make an apperance. Been a big fan of his since. Boyer and Shrader also made pretty good showings there. Harvick was there in the black no. 3 of Childress grandson a couple of weeks ago practicing for the big race. He was getting better when I left that night but he still had not got to the point he could hold the gas pedal down and powerdrive in the turns.
Many Nascar drivers own dirt track cars. Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Bill Elliot, Dave Blaney,Ken Shrader,are a few.I think that the race at Eldora will be a good one.
I just wish that Tony's track was closer to home , would love to see that race live.
 
Thats the dumbest thing I have ever heard. NASCAR racing on dirt. Stewarts an idiot. He's a millionare, retire and race on dirt all you want. Dumbass. Keep it a charity event so nascar can't get there grubby hands on any of the money.
 
I'd watch it Kam...calling drivers idiots doesn't sit well around here. Please check FAQ
 
How about a person of subnormal intelligence or an utterly foolish or senseless person. What am I looking for in faq?
 
I think the point is that you should be able to disagree with Tony's statement, or anyone elses, without stooping to calling them names. You certainly have a right not to agree and I share that opinion. But Tony is hardly an idiot. He may do idiotic things on and off the track and he may say things that we think are idiotic but he is not an idiot. He is passionate about the sport and he doesn't mind speaking out.
 
I don't think there is a snowballs chance of a points paying Nascar dirt race. However something like this would be popular. As much as I would like to see Nascar back on dirt it just doesn't make sense to have a special car for just one race and even if it is a COT car it would have to be special. I love seeing guys that know how to handle a car run on dirt, but I wonder how many of these that are coming are going to do any good. I am surprised that BL and BE have dirt cars so they could do better than I thought. I wonder if Tony talked to David Pearson about coming. Saw him on TV a few months ago and he was still racing dirt cars and winning. Think they said he was 71 now.
 
Take 'em to the beach, no plates, no lucky dog, no COT, no "debris" cautions and have at it - rain or shine.

Then, if idiots start throwing bottles/cans, bury them up to theirs necks in the sand and wait for the next high tide!!!

I am , of course, kidding. Or am I? ;)
 
Well i don't think it will ever happen, but i'd like to see them all drive a modified on 1/2 mile or 5/8 mile type track. They could make a 300 lap race or something of that nature, that way pit strategy would play a part. I think it would be pretty cool to see it, and the car would be a relatively inexpensive compared to a Cup car.
 
kam said:
How about a person of subnormal intelligence or an utterly foolish or senseless person. What am I looking for in faq?
Click to expand...

What an excellent description you've done. Must've been looking in here,
hand-mirror-767623.gif
because that is certainly who you described.
 
barelypure said:
I think the point is that you should be able to disagree with Tony's statement, or anyone elses, without stooping to calling them names. You certainly have a right not to agree and I share that opinion. But Tony is hardly an idiot. He may do idiotic things on and off the track and he may say things that we think are idiotic but he is not an idiot. He is passionate about the sport and he doesn't mind speaking out.
Click to expand...

Thanks bp. I was ill and had to go to bed.
 
Nascar used to run on dirt back in the day.

They can get a CJ Rayburn/Peirce/GRT/any racing chassie dirt racecar ready to go for around $50,000. You can run a car for a few years before you need to re-do it. So they car issuse will not be an major deal at all.

once again, i think this is a good idea.

Takes a real racer to drive on dirt
 
Sorry. That was uncalled for. I shouldn't have taken what he said personal.
 
In case any of you wonder, yes I edited the posts. I had hoped those responsible would have done that themselves. On some boards you would have automatically gotten some time off. I may do and say some strange things on these boards but that type of profanity is totally uncalled for.
 
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