Next season's 46th annual Dirt Track World Championship will return to West Virginia Motor Speedway with the reopened Mineral Wells, W.Va., track hosting the event for the first time since 2010, race promoter Carl Short announced this afternoon.

The announcement came during Saturday’s opening ceremonies for the 45th annual DTWC at Eldora Speedway, which hosted the event from 2023-25.

Short said that new WVMS owner Mike Hurley, who last weekend reopened his shortened track layout with an event that drew 270 race cars overall, “desperately wants me to come down” and return the crown jewel event to the track that also hosted the race in 1999-2000. Short founded the event in 1981 at Pennsboro (W.Va.) Speedway, which hosted the race 19 times. Short added that he’ll miss having the event at Eldora, “but it seems like that’s best for everybody.”

While Eldora won’t host next season’s DTWC, the Lucas Oil Series will remain on the track’s schedule during the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship with an Oct. 9-10 doubleheader, track general manager Levi Jones announced. Details will be announced later for the $10,000- and $50,000-to-win programs.

“To be able to be part of such a unique championship that has all you can ask for,” Jones said, “it’s a pleasure that Eldora still has a place in that schedule as well.”