Feed The Children Prelude To The Dream Fast Facts
WHAT: Eighth Annual Prelude To The Dream
WHERE: Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio (Half-mile dirt oval)
WHEN: 8 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. PDT) on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
DISTANCE: Feature consists of 40 laps (preceded by qualifying and heat races)
CARS: Dirt Late Model stock cars
PASTWINNERS:
· 2011: Clint Bowyer
· 2010: Jimmie Johnson
· 2009: Tony Stewart
· 2008: Tony Stewart
· 2007: Carl Edwards
· 2006: Tony Stewart
· 2005: KennyWallace
THE TRACK: Half-mile dirt oval
· Banking: 24 degrees in the corners; 8 degrees on the straightaways
· Capacity: Reserved seating + suites + hillside seating = more than 20,000.
· Eldora Speedway is a half-mile dirt racing facility located in western Ohio. The “Big E” is owned by three-time and reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 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 To The Dream, The Dream, Kings Royal and World 100 – each of which attracts more than 20,000 spectators on an annual basis.
PRELUDE TO THE DREAM RECORDS:
· Most Victories:
Ø 3 – Tony Stewart (2006, 2008, 2009)
· Highest Percentage of Laps Led:
Ø 100 percent (Stewart led 30 of 30 laps in 2008, Johnson led 30 of 30 laps in 2010 and Bowyer led 30 of 30 laps in 2011.)
· One-lap Qualifying Record:
Ø 15.405 seconds at 116.845 mph (Tony Stewart – 2009)
· Attendance:
Ø Approximately 23,000 (2009)
TV: Pay-Per-View, 8 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. PDT), Wednesday, June 6, 2012
· Booth: Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and Allen Bestwick
· Host: Matt Yocum
· Pit Reporters: Dick Berggren and Steve Letarte (crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr., in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series)
· Director: Artie Kempner
· Producer: Pam Miller
PHILANTHROPIC ELEMENT:
· Net proceeds from the telecast will support Feed The Children, a U.S.-based charity that domestically has helped more than 365,000 families since 2009 through its Americans Feeding Americans Caravan.
· For the top-10 finishers in the Prelude To The Dream, Feed The Children will send a food truck to each driver’s hometown or city of their choice.
HOW TO ORDER:
· The live, commercial-free broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. PDT) with an immediate replay following.
· All that is necessary to order the event is a digital cable box or satellite service. You do not need HBO to order.
· The suggested retail price is $24.95. Ordering information and up-to-the minute racing information is available at either
www.PreludeToTheDream.org or www.HBO.com.
· Updates can also be found on Twitter at @PreludetoDream and follow the hashtag #OnePerfectNight, or become a fan on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/PreludetoDream.
· The following are step-by-step instructions to help place an order for the Prelude To The Dream on Pay-Per-View:
Ø Cable, AT&T U-verse and Verizon FiOS Customers: All that is necessary to order the event is a digital cable box on your
TV. If you are not sure about the kind of box you have, contact your cable company and ask if you have a digital cable box that gets Pay-Per-View (PPV). Once you know you have a digital cable box, scroll through the Pay-Per-View channels on your electronic program guide for Wednesday, June 6 at 8 p.m. ET, and look for “Auto Racing: Prelude to the Dream.” Once you see the entry, click it and follow the on-screen instructions to order. If your cable system does not accept orders from your remote control, contact a customer service representative either the day before or the day of the race. Make sure you tell the representative that you are looking to order “Auto Racing: Prelude to the Dream.” Some cable systems have a short window available to order Pay-Per-View events. The more specific you are with the customer service representative, the easier it will be to place your order.
Ø DIRECTV Customers: All DIRECTV customers can order now. You can find the event on Channel 123 HD or Channel
124. Go to the programming guide for those channels for Wednesday, June 6 at 8 p.m. ET, and look for “Prelude to the
Dream.” Once you see the entry, click the event and follow the on-screen instructions to order. Or you can order online at
directv.com/events or text EVENT to 223322. Standard data and messaging rates may apply in accordance with your
wireless carrier.
Ø DISH Network Customers: All DISH Network customers can order the event now by going to Channel 473 or Channel 474
HD. Follow the on-screen instructions to order. On Wednesday, June 6, the event will be shown on Channel 455 or Channel
468 HD.
· If any problems are encountered during ordering, contact a customer service representative anytime on Wednesday, June 6 to make
sure the order is processed and the race can be viewed. Once it is ordered, sit back and enjoy the ride.
SCHEDULE (All times local – EDT; subject to change):
7:30 a.m.: Ticket office opens
8:00 a.m.: General admission markings may begin (chairs/blankets ONLY)
8:00 a.m.: All admission gates open
12:00 p.m. Pit gates open for teams
4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.: Media availability session for drivers (media tent) *NSCS drivers unavailable due to travel from Pocono, Pa.
5:25 p.m.: Qualifying draw (victory lane)
5:40 p.m. Driver’s meeting (media tent)
6:30 p.m. to 6:55 p.m.: Hot lap session No. 1
7:05 p.m. to 7:25 p.m.: Hot lap session No. 2
7:30 p.m.: Prelude To The Dream driver introductions (victory lane)
7:45 p.m.: Prelude To The Dream driver parade
8:00 p.m.: HBO Pay-Per-View broadcast begins
8:08 p.m.: Invocation and National Anthem
8:10 p.m.: Prelude To The Dream qualifying (2 laps)
8:45 p.m. Modified feature (15-minute timed event, including cautions)
9:05 p.m.: Prelude To The Dream Heat race No. 1
9:20 p.m. Prelude To The Dream Heat race No. 2
9:35 p.m. Prelude To The Dream Heat race No. 3
9:50 p.m. Prelude To The Dream Heat race No. 4
10:05 p.m.: Stock feature (15-minute timed event, including cautions)
10:25 p.m. Prelude To The Dream feature (40 laps)
11:00 p.m.: Prelude To The Dream winner’s circle and introduction of Feed The Children representatives
Driver: No. Car Owner: Notes:
Justin Allgaier: 31 – Raymond Childress – Third year in the Prelude. Best finish is fifth (2011).
Ø The 2008 ARCA Series champion is now making a name for himself in NASCAR. The 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series rookie of the year grew up racing Midgets and Late Models in the Midwest. He is the youngest driver ever to advance to the A-Main in the famed Chili Bowl Midget event in Tulsa, Okla.
Aric Almirola: 43 – Clint Smith – Seventh year in the Prelude. Best finish is third (2011).
Ø Career pavement racer has earned all of his dirt-track experience in the Prelude. Now a fulltime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, recently won the pole for Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
Dave Blaney: 22 – Sanford Goddard – Sixth year in the Prelude. Best finish is second (2006).
Ø The 1995 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion and 1997 Knoxville (Iowa) Nationals titlist won at Eldora in The Historical Big One in 1997 and the King’s Royal in 1993 and 1995.
Clint Bowyer: 15 – Clint Bowyer – Sixth year in the Prelude. Won the Prelude in 2011.
Ø Grew up on dirt and won the 2002 track title on dirt at Kansas’ Lakeside Speedway. Finished second in 2009 and 2010 Preludes before winning 2011 Prelude. Car that won 2010 Prelude with Jimmie Johnson was built by Bowyer.
Kurt Busch: 51 – MasterSbilt – Second year in the Prelude. Best finish is 15th (2006).
Ø The 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and 24-time Sprint Cup race winner returns to the Prelude for the first since 2006 where he’ll race against brother Kyle Busch.
Kyle Busch: 18 – Katrina Bloomquist – Sixth Year in the Prelude. Best finish is second (2007).
Ø Dominates on asphalt in the NASCAR world, and has adapted quickly to dirt, as he finished second in 2007 Prelude, third in 2009 Prelude and fourth in 2010 and 2011 Preludes.
Ron Capps: 28 – John Kennedy – Eighth Year in the Prelude. Best finish is fourth (2006).
Ø NHRA star is used to turning left – and doing it on dirt – as he’s one of only five drivers who have participated in every Prelude.
Austin Dillon: 3 – Team Dillon – Second year in the Prelude. Best finish is eighth (2011).
Ø 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion is well-versed on dirt. The 22-year-old races 25-50 times a year on dirt, all while balancing his schoolwork as a student at High Point (N.C.) University.
Ty Dillon: 41 – Team Dillon – First year in the Prelude.
Ø 2011 ARCA Series champion now running in his brother’s footsteps in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Ty, like his brother Austin, is prolific on dirt.
Bill Elliott: 9E – Ray Cooke – Sixth year in the Prelude. Best finish is fifth (2005).
Ø Plenty of dirt experience for the 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. Since retiring from running NASCAR full-time, is a dirt-track fixture.
Ray Evernham: 19 – Curtis Roberts – Sixth year in the Prelude. Best finish is 16th (2008).
Ø Former NASCAR Modified Tour driver, turned crew chief, turned car owner, turned track owner, turned ESPN analyst returns to Eldora for another Prelude.
David Gilliland: 38 – Steve Cooke – Second year in the Prelude. Best finish is 21st (2011).
Ø This California native cut his teeth on dirt at Perris Auto Speedway before moving to NASCAR.
Jimmie Johnson: 48 – Clint Bowyer – Fifth year in the Prelude. Won the Prelude in 2010.
ØWhen Johnson won the Prelude in 2010, it was the five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion’s first win on a dirt surface since he won in off-road and stadium trucks early in his career.
Kasey Kahne: 5 – Chris Madden – Sixth year in the Prelude. Best finish is sixth (2007).
Ø Cut his teeth on dirt in USAC competition and maintains his dirt track ties by owning a World of Outlaws team with drivers Joey Saldana, Paul McMahan, Cody Darrah and Brad Sweet.
Tony Kanaan: 11T – GRT Race Cars – Third year in the Prelude. Best finish is 24th (2010).
Ø The 2004 IZOD IndyCar Series champion is affable and fearless – good traits to have with his only dirt experience coming in two previous Preludes.
Steve Kinser: 11S – Kent Robinson – First year in the Prelude.
Ø Despite a record 20 World of Outlaws championships and a mind-boggling 572 feature wins, has never raced a dirt Late Model…until this year’s Prelude.
Bobby Labonte: 44 – Bobby Labonte – Seventh year in the Prelude. Best finish is seventh (2005).
Ø Owns a dirt Late Model team with drivers Earl Pearson Jr., and Brad Neat, and occasionally gets behind the wheel for some dirt racing of his own.
Jason Leffler: 71 – Chris Wall – Second year in the Prelude. Best finish is 28th (2011).
Ø A three-time USAC Midget champion who will be making his second Prelude start, Leffler is well-versed on dirt.
Ryan Newman: 39 – Ernie Davis – Seventh year in the Prelude. Best finish is fourth (2009).
Ø Like his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teammate Stewart, cut his teeth on dirt in USAC competition and has become a threat when competing in dirt Late Models.
Danica Patrick: 10 – Jon Henry – First year in the Prelude.
Ø Former IZOD IndyCar Series star has now made the full transition to stock cars, running a full NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule and 10-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule in 2012. This year’s Prelude will mark her first race ever on dirt.
Cruz Pedregon: 75 – Cruz Pedregon – Eighth year in the Prelude. Best finish is sixth (2009).
Ø Like Capps, this NHRA star is used to turning left – and doing it on dirt – as he’s one of only five drivers who have participated in every Prelude.
Donny Schatz: 15 – Darrell Lanigan – First year in the Prelude.
Ø A four-time World of Outlaws champion with 116 feature wins, Schatz never drove a dirt mLate Model until he tested one May 28 at Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway.
Ken Schrader: 9S – Clarence Reddick – Eighth year in the Prelude. Best finish is fourth (2005 and 2007).
Ø Could be the favorite as he will race anywhere, anytime – especially on dirt, and has proven victorious at Eldora in USAC competition. One of only five drivers who have participated in every Prelude.
Tony Stewart: 14 – Mark Richards – Eighth year in the Prelude. Won the Prelude in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
Ø Liked Eldora so much he bought it in 2004. In first full season of ownership, debuted the Prelude in 2005, which he has won three times. One of only five drivers who have participated in every Prelude.
Kenny Wallace: 36 – Chub Frank – Eighth year in the Prelude. Won the inaugural Prelude in 2005.
Ø 2005 Prelude winner grew up on dirt, and after two decades in NASCAR, has again made dirt Late Model racing a staple of his routine. One of only five drivers who have participated in every Prelude.
J.J. Yeley: 1G – Sanford Goddard – Fifth year in the Prelude. Best finish is second (2011).
Ø Like Kahne and Stewart, cut his teeth on dirt in USAC competition and won multiple USAC races at Eldora.
RACE NOTES:
· Five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions representing a total of 11 Sprint Cup titles are scheduled to participate in the Prelude To The Dream: Elliott (1988), Labonte (2000), Stewart (2002, 2005, 2011), Kurt Busch (2004) and Johnson (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010).
· Three Daytona 500 winners representing a total of four Daytona 500 victories are scheduled to participate in the Prelude To The Dream: Elliott (1985, 1987), Johnson (2006) and Newman (2008).
· Two IZOD IndyCar Series champions are scheduled to participate in the Prelude To The Dream: Stewart (1997) and Kanaan (2004).
· Drag racing standouts Ron Capps and Cruz Pedregon will compete in the Prelude To The Dream. Capps has 34 career NHRA victories and has finished second in Funny Car points three times (1998, 2000, 2005). Pedregon won the 1992 and 2008 NHRA Funny Car titles and has 33 career NHRA victories.
· The elite group of drivers in the Prelude To The Dream has combined for a staggering 1,346 victories in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-West,
NASCAR Whelen Modified, IndyCar/Champ Car, Indy Lights, NHRA, ARCA, IROC and World of Outlaws: (Sprint Cup – 253;
Nationwide Series – 117; Camping World Truck – 53; K&N Pro Series East-West – 20; Whelen Modified – 4; IndyCar/Champ
Car – 19; Indy Lights – 4; NHRA – 67; ARCA – 37; IROC – 13; World of Outlawas – 759.
· More Than 60 Racing Titles Represented at the Prelude To The Dream: Sprint Cup [11] – Elliott (1988), Labonte (2000),
Stewart (2002, 2005, 2011), Kurt Busch (2004), Johnson (2006-10); Nationwide Series [3] – Labonte (1991), Bowyer (2008),
Busch (2009); Camping World Truck [1] – Austin Dillon (2011); IROC [2] – Labonte (2001), Stewart (2006); ARCA [2] –
Allgaier (2008), Ty Dillon (2011); IndyCar Series [2] – Stewart (1997), Kanaan (2004); Indy Lights [1] – Kanaan (1997);
NHRA Funny Car [2] – Pedregon (1992, 2008); World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series [25] – Kinser (1978-80, 1983-88, 1990-
94, 1998, 2000, 2002-2005), Blaney (1995), Schatz (2006-09); USAC Silver Crown [4] – Stewart (1995), Newman (1999), Yeley (2002, 2003); USAC Sprint Car [3] – Stewart (1995), Yeley (2001, 2003); USACMidget [7] –Stewart (1994, 1995), Leffler (1997-99), Kahne (2000), Yeley (2003).
