$1,002,023 will go to the winner of the feature on July 13, 2023
Eldora Speedway has paid out $1 million to a race winner twice. In 2001, Donny Moran claimed the first million and the race returned last year as Jonathan Davenport drove to victory lane.
For 2023, the Eldora Million returns on July 12-13. This time around, the event will feature dirt sprint cars, making it the richest dirt sprint car race in history.
The total purse for the event is $1.4 million. $1,002,023 will go to the winner of the Eldora Million.
Drivers will earn points in Wednesday preliminary action. Points earned will be used to set the lineups for Thursday’s Eldora Million. For Wednesday, the field will be split into two groups which each group racing 1 $12,000 to win feature.
The race will be unsanctioned.
Tony Stewart comments on the Eldora Million
“All of us at Eldora are super excited to host the first million-dollar-to-win sprint car race,” said Stewart. “Back in 2003, Eldora hosted a non-wing race that paid $200,000 to winner Jac Haudenschild, but this will be the first time a sprint car driver will race for a winner’s check worth $1 million.”
“This will showcase the best of the best, and you’re going to want to see how this race unfolds where in the final laps, with guys still in the hunt running close together, what they will do to win a million dollars.”
“I think it’s been long overdue,” Stewart added. “We’ve had two, $1 million-to-win dirt late model races at Eldora, but to finally do it for the sprint car community is something that makes all of us at Eldora really proud,” Stewart said. “Sprint car drivers put on some of the best shows in all of racing and this is our way of saying thank you.”
Mark Floreani
“From the beginning of our partnership, Tony and FloSports have shared a passion for grassroots motorsports,” said Mark Floreani, FloSports founder and CEO. “With a shared goal of growing the sport via world class and game-changing events, The Eldora Million for winged sprint cars is yet another example of pushing the sport toward new heights. We’re thrilled to be a part of history.”
Jerry Gappens
“This format will offer an exciting, unique program of racing on Wednesday and Thursday for fans and competitors, said Jerry Gappens, general manager of Eldora.
“Wednesday’s program is a ‘big bang for the buck’ for the fans with all the racing plus twin 25-lap features. For competitors, it basically compresses two nights of preliminary action into one night and guarantees 48 different cars will race in a feature. We will detail more information on the complete two-night format when the official entry form is released in the spring.”
Jerry Gappens added, “Fans will be able to look forward to various entertainment elements and that information will be forthcoming as well.”
Fans who bought tickets to the 2022 Kings Royal Saturday night race will be the first to have the option to buy Eldora Million tickets. Tickets will be available to the public at 10am on February 13, 2023.
Eldora Million: Purse
POSTED AWARDS – WED., JULY 12 – $115,700 (minimum)
PRELIMINARY QUALIFYING FEATURES: $12,000-to-win/$1,000-to-start
POSTED AWARDS – THU, JULY 13 – $1,400,000 (minimum)
THE ELDORA MILLION: 1st) $1,002,023…plus commemorative trophy for driver and owner; 2nd) $100,000; 3rd) $50,000; 4th) $25,000; 5th) $15,000; 6th) $12,500; 7th) $10,000; 8th) $9,000; 9th) $8,500; 10th) $8,000; 11th) $7,500; 12th) $7,000; 13th) $6,900; 14th) $6,800; 15th) $6,700; 16th) $6,600; 17th) $6,500; 18th) $6,400; 19th) $6,300; 20th) $6,200; 21st) $6,150; 22nd) $6,100; 23rd) $6,050; and 24th) $6,000.
