Tony Stewart makes a plea for a NASCAR Cup Series dirt race!

Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr want a second NASCAR dirt race at Eldora Speedway

Six years ago, a gem of a NASCAR race was born. It’s in far left field from the norm. The asphalt is absent as the racing surface kicks up globs of dirt into the catch fence.

On Wednesday night, the 2018 Dirt Derby returns to Eldora Speedway for the 6th NASCAR dirt race in the modern era. The race has been a success and will continue to be a success.

So why not expand on the idea?

Eldora Speedway track owner Tony Stewart is bringing that very discussion to the surface. Why not run the NASCAR Xfinity Series or the NASCAR Cup Series on the dirt?

“Maybe one of these days, we’ll get an Xfinity or Cup race here,” Stewart said on Tuesday morning on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “We’ve proven we can run the vehicles here. And the Truck drivers that have never been here before can get around here really well.”

“If a truck can get around here, a Cup or Xfinity car can do it too. Who knows? I never thought we would ever have a Camping World Truck Series, so maybe the dream will start to get Xfinity and Cup here, too.”

“Fans, start to think about putting pressure on NASCAR,” Stewart said. “I think we need to get an Xfinity race here. And if it were successful, maybe we could get a Cup race here at Eldora. And I think that’s something everyone wants to see. So, I think we need to pressure NASCAR to get an Xfinity race here, as well.”

2017 Eldora Dirt Derby
ROSSBURG, OH – JULY 19: The field does a 4 wide parade lap before the start of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 5th Annual Dirt Derby 150 at Eldora Speedway on July 19, 2017 in Rossburg, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

The NASCAR Truck race at Eldora Speedway is special in every degree. Racing fans from all angles will circle this date on their calendar.

Does putting the NASCAR Cup Series and/or NASCAR Xfinity Series on the dirt take away from the special event that’s been owned by the truck series division for the last 5 races.

I’ll answer no. If anything, adding a cup or xfinity series will bring more attention to the truck series. NASCAR has a full schedule of combination weekends. Those track owners will tell you that during those weekends fans aren’t buying just 1 ticket.

So, instead of Eldora Speedway selling 1 race. They would now have two or three special events. Bringing the MENCS to little Rossburg, Ohio only brings more race fans to the area, for the entire week. That puts more fans in the seat for all races. I would make the argument that the truck series race would be bigger than it’s ever been.

There’s no doubt in my mind that it couldn’t be done. If trucks work, so will stock cars. However, is it cost effective for more teams to build special cars for a one off dirt race at Eldora Speedway. NASCAR Xfinity Series owner Dale Earnhardt Jr and NASCAR Cup Series owner Tony Stewart sure think so.

Dale Jr: “Hey Tony Stewart, this Xfinity Racing owner would love to have a race Eldora Speedway on the schedule. What say you NASCAR? Let’s do this already!”

Tony Stewart: “The cost to do it would be very little. The speeds are slow enough that you don’t need to worry about aero. The don’t have to waste money on wind tunnel time.”

Tony Stewart checks the surface at Eldora Speedway
Tony Stewart checks the surface at Eldora Speedway

When to run it?

There’s a written rule via contracts that NASCAR can’t take a date away from a current track just to go to Eldora Speedway. However, there’s no written rule that says the MENCS has to be run a Saturday or Sunday.

There’s already talks of running midweek NASCAR Cup Series event. Why not run the trucks on Wednesday and Xfinity or Cup on Thursday? It can be done. In fact, that particular idea is already on the drawing board via Denny Hamlin’s secret council.

Why not tackle both of these items? Test a MENCS on the dirt and test midweek races, at the same time!

I’m all for it.

Tony Stewart wants a NASCAR Cup Series race at Eldora Speedway

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More

Related: Denny Hamlin is a member of a secret drivers’ council

Related: iRacing to sponsor NASCAR Truck at Eldora Speedway

Related: 2017 Eldora Dirt Derby TV Ratings

Related: Tim McCreadie has ‘no interest’ in running the Eldora Dirt Derby

Related: Idea of dirt track event at Eldora Speedway surfaces (2012)

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Tony Stewart | Dale JrEldora Speedway | NASCAR

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