For the third year in a row, the Dirt Late Model Dream will hold 50-lap split-field preliminaries before Saturday’s $100,000-to-win main event arrives.
Eldora Speedway is again dividing the entry list — with half racing Thursday, June 4 and the other half on Friday, June 5 — instead of having the entire roster race split-field 25-lap prelims on both nights, a format used through the 2023 installment.
The format, introduced in 2024, has been well-received by drivers and fans, and it’s easy to see why. Rather than two shorter prelim features each night, Dream anticipation now builds through a pair of 50-lap, $30,000-to-win semifeatures that carry more weight — and more drama — into Saturday.
Each preliminary feature will start 26 cars — up two from the 2024 format. Drivers may request which night they prefer to race, but Eldora officials will ultimately balance the fields to keep both programs as competitive as possible.
As usual, Eldora’s “Every Lap Matters” points system will determine much of the path to Saturday. Drivers will earn points through qualifying, heat races, last-chance races and the preliminary feature on their assigned night.
Eldora Speedway's Every Lap Matters™ Points System
- Multi-Car Qualifying: the field will be split into two flights for Multi-Car Qualifying (Flight 1 & 2). Each flight earns points separately for their results – 1st) 100; 2nd) 98; 3rd) 96; 4th) 94; 5th) 92; 6th) 90; 7th) 88; 8th) 86; 9th) 84; 10th) 82; and balance of field decreases by 2 points per position.
- Heat Races: 1st) 100; 2nd) 97; 3rd) 94; 4th) 91; 5th) 88; 6th) 85; 7th) 82; 8th) 79; 9th) 76; 10th) 73; 11th) 70; 12th) 67; 13th) 64; 14th) 61; 15th) 58; 16th) 55; 17th) 52; 18th) 49; 19th) 46; 20th) 43
- Last Chance Showdowns: first 10 cars not advancing from any LCS) 228; 225; 222; 219; 216; 213; 210; 207; 204; 201; and balance of field decreases by 3 points per position.
- A-Features: 1st) 300; 2nd) 297; 3rd) 294; 4th) 291; 5th) 288; 6th) 285; 7th) 282; 8th) 279; 9th) 276; 10th) 273; 11th) 270; 12th) 267; 13th) 264; 14th) 261; 15th) 258; 16th) 255; 17th) 252; 18th) 249; 19th) 246; 20th) 243; 21st) 240; 22nd) 237; 23rd) 234; and 24th) 231.
Those totals, combined with the Wheel of Misfortune, will set the heat race lineups for Saturday’s 31st running of the Dream.
The stakes are plenty high before Saturday even arrives, including Wednesday's $20,000-to-win FloRacing Night in America program. More than $715,000 is on the line during the three-day Dream program. Saturday’s Dream winner will earn $100,000, while every starter in the 26-car feature is guaranteed at least $6,000.
For fans who can’t make it to Rossburg, Ohio, every lap of the Dream will be streamed live on FloRacing.