I love Eldora Speedway, the little half-mile dirt track that Tony Stewart owns about 50 miles northwest of Dayton, Ohio.
In addition to being one of the premier grassroots racing tracks in the country, it also hosts the annual Prelude to The Dream charity event which typically draws not only more than two dozen of Stewart’s closest driver friends – he even maintains a waiting list for those drivers that want to get into the field but can’t due to size limitations – but also over 20,000 paying customers.
Frankly, the place could probably draw double or maybe even triple that amount, but there’s no space to put the extra bodies, so Stewart has to cut off the draw not because he wants to, but because he has to.
But now, after Wednesday’s fifth wildly successful edition of The Prelude – ironically won by Stewart for the third time in the event’s half-decade history – it may be time for a significant change.
No, don’t prevent Stewart from racing in the marquee event. Rather, and I hate to say this because of the down home feel that exists at Eldora, but I think it’s time for the Prelude to be moved.
Wait, hear me out.
The race has become so big so quickly that it needs to go to a bigger venue, one that can adequately hold a much larger crowd that can, ergo, raise much more money for the sole purpose of the Prelude: for charity.
To date, the Prelude has raised over $3 million for several charities. Add in Wednesday’s draw at the racetrack, plus a national pay-per-view telecast that likely drew a substantial audience, and The Prelude will likely hit or exceed its $1 million fund-raising goal for this year’s event.
What’s more, the money goes to a great cause, with this year’s new charity recipients – four different groups that help soldiers injured in battle – really hitting home hard.
Sure, Stewart added a row of suites at Eldora this year for well-heeled sponsors and investors, but those can hold maybe a couple hundred people, tops.
No, what Stewart needs to do is move the race to somewhere that will be convenient for the drivers, will be a guaranteed fan draw and will only help to further grow one of the great feel-good stories in pro sports today.
My proposal: move The Prelude to Bristol Motor Speedway. I’m sure billionaire track owner Bruton Smith would love to hold such an event there, particularly for charity.
Wait, you say, Bristol is a paved track. That’s true, but how many of us have forgotten that Smith brought in several hundred dump trucks of dirt to convert BMS to a temporary dirt track in 2000 and 2001 for the World of Outlaws’ Channellock Challenge.
If BMS could be converted into a dirt track for the Outlaws, surely it could be converted for a special event such as Stewart’s do-good event.
And, even though the event is scheduled for early June at Eldora, two races in its five-year run, including earlier this year, have been postponed due to rain.
I can envision holding The Prelude at Bristol on one of NASCAR’s off-weekends, perhaps the one between Chicago and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. Make it a night race on a Saturday, keep the tickets affordable and with plenty of promotion, and I bet it draws 75,000 or more fans, easy.
I never thought I would say that The Prelude has outgrown its home, but given how many people want to see it in person, it could do a heck of a lot more good and benefit more charities if it goes to a bigger venue.
Of course, if someone can name me another bigger, accessible and convenient dirt track than Eldora, I’m all ears. But for now, unless Stewart throws in several millions of dollars for major expansion that would essentially be for just one night per year, I still think it’s better playing to a bigger crowd in a bigger venue.
What do you think?
You are on the right track, in a perfect world.
That was one of the best moments in racing when they brought the outlaws to Bristol. I still have to laugh out loud every time Bristol bills itself as the worlds fastest half mile, in reference to any upcoming na$car race. The only reason that is the world’s fastest half mile is because of the time they put down dirt and ran sprint cars! Any local dirt 1/2 mile is faster than the na$car race at Bristol. Send Bruton Smith up to Williams Grove on a Friday night if he wants to see a fast 1/2 mile.
I would love to see it happen, but I seem to remember that they quit doing the dirt races because the huge expense of bringing in the dirt, and cleaning out the facility afterwards. Perhaps they could make a week of it and bring in both World of Outlaws circuits or some such to justify the expense.
I’d buy a ticket for that weekend!
Great article.
Jerry, other than that I would like to see more funds raised for charity, I am completely opposed to the idea of moving The Prelude to a larger venue. That is what makes it special – Tony’s track, Tony’s buddies - and I’m thinking that’s part of why the drivers like it as well; not simply getting back to their dirt-racing roots, but because it’s not part of some big dang overblown mega-media pain-in-the-* event. I imagine they get enough of that week in and week out. This is just hanging out with the guys, doing what they love to do…and we love watching it that way.
I think “going larger” would cause it to lose a lot of its appeal to drivers and spectators alike. Maybe I’m seeing this through rose-colored glasses, but must every decent idea be hyperbolized, tarted up, and trotted out to the furthest extent of corporate excess?
You know I’m usually with you, but I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree on this one!
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