Column By: DERICK KRINER / RPW – ELDORA, OH – With under a month until we see who will be the first million-dollar winner in sprint car racing, the list of potential victors is narrowing.
With series like the World of Outlaws and the All Star Circuit of Champions having contested races at the Ohio high banks within the last month, drivers are starting to set themselves apart from the competition.
The standout favorite, that has been at the forefront of Eldora Million talks, has been Rico Abreu. After having stellar performances in almost every race at Eldora in 2023, he has certainly shown that the 24 car, with master crew chief Ricky Warner on the wrenches, will have a good shot at being upfront when the checkered flag drops on Thursday.
With an average finish of 3.6 in Outlaw and All Star competition at the Big E, skewed by a blown tire after leading 19 laps of the Ohio Speedweek feature, Rico and team look to have a package that works against some of the best competition in the country.
This has been the case at other tracks besides Eldora, with Abreu picking up wins and podiums on a regular basis.
Another name that has emerged as an Eldora Million contender is Donny Schatz. Even though the last few weeks for the TSR 15 have been very average, Donny showed great speed in May. The Fargo, North Dakota ace, has long been an Eldora master and has multiple Kings Royal crowns for a reason.
In a longer race like the million, this experience might pay off. Just like the Knoxville Nationals that features a halfway break, the Eldora Million is set to have a break prior to halfway, making the second part, a potential 30 lap feature. Giving the 15 an extra few minutes to fine tune and use a few extra laps to make passes, could be what the long time Outlaw driver needs to become the first Eldora sprint car millionaire.
With a string of strong performances at the Rossburg, Ohio track in 2022 and 2023, Schatz might just be the best competition for Abreu and former crew chief Warner.
A few other names that will certainly be in the picture to win, will be anyone of the World of Outlaws locked in the tight three-way points battle. Sweet, Gravel, and Macedo all have had success at Eldora, and have shown speed nearly every night they’ve hit a racetrack in 2023.
All three cars seem to find their way to the front of a field and with the added incentive of a million dollars in front of them, fans shouldn’t be surprised to see any one of these drivers park it in victory lane.
The most unique part in all of this will be how each driver benefits, or is inhibited by the format. With points being awarded each time you touch the track, being at the front is important, but like we see in the Kings Royal and Knoxville Nationals, there is sweet spot to start in. It all starts with time trials and the potential to sacrifice a few points to try and gain starting positions in a heat race.
This will either make or break a lot of nights. From then on, it’s simple. Pass as many cars as possible all night and put yourself on the first row of a heat come Thursday.
This could lead to some surprises when it comes to the starting lineup, but as in most races, the cream rises to the top, and in this case to biggest top prize in sprint car racing history.