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Prelude to the Dream


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NEXTEL PRELUDE TO THE DREAM - FAST FACTS

 

 

WHAT:

Third Annual NEXTEL Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice

 

WHERE:

Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio (Half-mile dirt oval)

 

WHEN:

7 p.m. (EDT), Wednesday, June 6, 2007

 

DISTANCE:

Feature consists of 30 laps

 

CARS:

Dirt late-model stock cars

 

PAST WINNERS:

2006: Tony Stewart

2005: Kenny Wallace

 

TV:

HBO Pay-Per-View, 7 p.m. (EDT), June 6, 2007

Announcers: Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Kyle Petty

Pit reporters: Dick Berggren, Matt Yocum

 

HOW TO ORDER:

 

· The live broadcast will begin at 7 p.m. EDT (4 p.m. PDT), with an immediate replay and subsequent replays throughout the week and the following weekend.

 

· Prospective viewers can order the event as early as Sunday, June 3, right up until race time on June 6. All that is necessary to order the event is digital cable or satellite service. A subscription to HBO is not required.

 

· The suggested retail price is $24.95 and available to more than 61 million pay-per-view homes. Ordering information and up-to-the minute racing information is available at www.hbo.com/sports.

 

 

SCHEDULE (All times local – EDT; subject to change):

 

8 a.m.

General Admission markings may begin (Chairs/Blankets ONLY)

 

1 p.m.

Ticket Office Opens

 

3:30 p.m.

All Admission Gates Open

 

6 p.m.

Qualifying Draw (Stage)

 

6:10 p.m.

Warm up laps for support races

 

7 p.m.

HBO Pay-Per-View Broadcast begins

 

7:10 p.m.

Prelude Hot Laps

 

7:35 p.m.

Prelude QualifyinG

 

8:15 p.m.

Driver Introductions

 

8:30 p.m.

Invocation & National Anthem

 

8:35 p.m.

Racing begins

 

· Three Prelude Heats (10 laps each)

 

· Support Division Feature (15 laps/ max 12 minutes)

 

· Prelude Consolation (12 laps)

 

· Support Division feature (17 laps/ max 12 minutes)

 

· Prelude Feature (30 laps)

 

9:45 p.m.

Post Race Winner’s Circle / Victory Junction Gang Camp Presentation

 

 

THE LINEUP:

 

Aric Almirola

Promising NASCAR driver has limited dirt experience

 

Dave Blaney

No problem with dirt – Won 1995 World of Outlaws title and 1997 Knoxville Nationals

 

Clint Bowyer

Grew up on dirt and won the 2002 track title on dirt at Kansas’ Lakeside Speedway

 

Kyle Busch

Four-time Nextel Cup winner grew up on asphalt, but adapts quickly

 

Ron Capps

NHRA star will have to get used to turning left – and doing it on dirt

 

Carl Edwards

 

Four-time Nextel Cup winner will be at home in a dirt-late model

 

Bill Elliott

Plenty of dirt experience for the 1988 NEXTEL Cup Champion

 

Ray Evernham

Trading his ownership hat for a helmet and a steering wheel at Eldora

 

Red Farmer

A legend, who even at more than 75 years of age is not afraid to mix it up on dirt

 

Jeff Gordon

Four-time Nextel Cup champ will race at Eldora for the first time since 1991.

 

Denny Hamlin

Not a lot of dirt experience, but plenty of late-model experience

 

Kevin Harvick

Made his dirt-track debut two years ago at the Prelude to the Dream

 

Kasey Kahne

Cut his teeth on dirt in USAC competition

 

Matt Kenseth

2003 Nextel Cup champ has limited dirt experience

 

Bobby Labonte

Owns a dirt late model team, but has not driven much on dirt

 

Mark Martin

One of the all-time greats, doesn’t have much dirt experience, but can adapt quickly

 

Juan Pablo Montoya

Zero dirt experience, but can become the first to win at Indy, Monaco and Eldora

 

Ryan Newman

Like Kahne, cut his teeth in USAC competition on dirt

 

Cruz Pedregon

Like Capps, this NHRA star will have to get used to turning left – and doing it on dirt.

 

David Reutimann

Began racing in dirt-late models

 

Elliott Sadler

Three-time Nextel Cup winner has limited dirt experience

 

Kenny Schrader

Could be the favorite as he will race anywhere, anytime – especially on dirt.

 

Tony Stewart

Liked Eldora so much he bought it in 2004

 

Kenny Wallace

2006 Prelude winner, grew up on dirt

 

Mike Wallace

Plenty of Midwest dirt experience

 

J.J. Yeley

Like Kahne and Stewart, cut his teeth on dirt in USAC competition

 

 

THE TRACK:

Half-mile dirt oval

Banking: Turns: 24 degrees; Straightaways: 8 degrees

Capacity: 17,905 permanent seats plus hillside seating

 

 

Eldora Speedway is a half-mile dirt racing facility located in western Ohio. The “Big E” is owned by two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Tony Stewart. The Indiana native purchased Eldora from legendary promoter Earl Baltes in 2004. Baltes built Eldora in 1954 and had been the sole owner of the facility for 50 years. Eldora plays host to some of the largest dirt racing events in the country, including the Prelude, Dream, Kings Royal, and World 100 – all of which attract more than 20,000 spectators on an annual basis.

 

 

RACE NOTES:

 

· Five NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champions are scheduled to participate in the Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice: Bill Elliott (1988), Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001), Bobby Labonte (2000), Tony Stewart (2002, 2005), Matt Kenseth (2003).

 

· Three Daytona 500 winners are scheduled to participate in the Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice: Elliott (1985), Gordon (1997, 1999, 2005), Kevin Harvick (2007).

 

· Juan Pablo Montoya, who won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 and the 2003 Monaco Grand Prix, is attempting to become the first driver in automobile racing history to have won the Indianapolis 500, Monaco Grand Prix and the NEXTEL Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice. No driver has ever won Indianapolis, Monaco and Eldora.

 

· Drag racing standouts Ron Capps and Cruz Pedregon will compete in the NEXTEL Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice. Capps has 25 career NHRA victories and has finished second in Funny Car points three times (1998, 2000 & 2005). Pedregon won the 1992 NHRA Funny Car title and has 27 career victories.

 

· The elite group of drivers in the field have combined for a staggering 579 victories in Nextel Cup, NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Formula One, Indy-style, IROC and NHRA competition. (Nextel Cup – 269; Busch Series – 176; NHRA – 52; Craftsman Truck – 33; IROC – 28; Indy-style – 14; Formula One – 7).

 

· A total of 24 major championships have been won by drivers in the NEXTEL Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice: Nextel Cup [9] – Elliott (1988), Gordon (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001), B. Labonte (2000), Stewart (2002, 2005), Kenseth (2003); IROC [9] – Mark Martin (1994, 1996-1998, 2005), B. Labonte (2001), Kevin Harvick (2002), Kenseth (2004), Stewart (2006); Busch Series [3] – B. Labonte (1991), Harvick (2001, 2006); IndyCar Series [1] – Stewart (1997); CART [1] – Montoya (1999); NHRA Funny Car [1] – C. Pedregon (1992).

 

· Jeff Gordon will return to Eldora for the first time in since 1991 when he won the midget portion of the USAC Four Crown Nationals.

 

Bobby Labonte's # 44 Dirt Late Model

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I would really like to see them put a couple of top late model drivers on the back of the field and see them work there way up the field. Maybe the dirt world could gain a few more fans and fill the the grandstands at some of these local tracks

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