The 10th running of the Baltes Classic by Coors Light kicks off Eldora Speedway’s biggest week of the year with a rare Sunday (September 3rd) night event this Labor Day weekend honoring Eldora’s pioneering founders, the late Earl Baltes and his wife Berneice.
Promoted for several years as the “Johnny Appleseed Classic,” the event was renamed in honor of the Baltes Family by track owner Tony Stewart after he purchased the track from Earl and Berneice Baltes. The Sunday night event has long been the final opportunity for local and regional Dirt Late Model drivers to get valued track time on the high-banked half-mile clay oval ahead of next weekend’s World 100.
All three divisions will be racing for enhanced purses, with the Sunoco American Late Model Series going for $3,000-to-win, the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds racing for a $1,000 top prize and the Eldora Stocks vying for the $750 winner’s purse. The payoffs throughout the fields have been bolstered by the support of event sponsor Coors Light and Bonbright Distributing.
Kent Robinson of Bloomington, Indiana is the defending winner and currently leads the Eldora Late Model championship point standings over Jon Henry of Ada. Henry, meanwhile, leads the Sunoco American Late Model Series standings over Rusty Schlenk of McClure.
Clark Lake, Michigan’s Brian Ruhlman will defend his Modified win in his first Eldora start of the season on Sunday. Veteran Jerry Bowersock looks to hold on to the championship points lead after Saltsburg, Pennsylvania’s Jonathan Taylor narrowed the gap with a win at August’s Family FIREWORKS Night by Casey’s General Stores.
Victorious both last September and in the last race, Earnie Woodard of Georgetown, Kentucky is a part of the always tight Eldora Stock car points chase. Gary Rahe, Jr. is eight points ahead of Woodard and 10 points ahead of former champion Frank Paladino of Lima.
Spectator gates open at 3:30 p.m. with the show scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets for the Baltes Classic are still just $15 with children (12 and younger) admitted free to General Admission seating for all events. Order online at www.EldoraSpeedway.com or by calling the Speedway Box Office at (937) 338-3815.
Eldora Speedway PR
