Dream drivers take their turn in the dirt

Dirt Late Model Dream

When: Today and Saturday

Where: Eldora Speedway, Rossburg

Schedule: Today — Gates open at 1:30 p.m., qualifying at 6 p.m. Saturday — Gates open at 1:30 p.m., pre-race festivities at 6:30, racing at 7

More info: www.eldoraspeedway.com

Weekend schedule

KIL-KARE SPEEDWAY

Today: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series late models, modifieds, sport stocks, compacts. Gates open at 6 p.m., racing at 8

KIL-KARE DRAGWAY

Saturday: NHRA-sanctioned racing: King of the Track. Gates open at noon, time trials at 1 p.m.

WAYNESFIELD RACEWAY PARK

Saturday: Nonwing sprints, UMP modifieds, stock cars, trucks, mini sprints, compacts; DARF Nite. Gates open at 5 p.m., practice at 6, racing at 7

ROSSBURG — Now that the NASCAR guys are done playing in the dirt, it’s time for the professionals to show ’em how it’s done.

The Dirt Late Model Dream — dirt late model’s richest prize at $100,000 to win — revs up Dream Week at Eldora Speedway with qualifying tonight and the heat races and features Saturday.

Arkansas’ Billy Moyer returns to defend his Dream title after winning from the pole in 2010. He led the final 80 laps of the 100-lap event after getting past race leader Ray Cook. With eight feature wins, Moyer is again a driver to watch out for.

“We had a heck of a good year last year, and we’ve got a lot of wins already this year,” Moyer said. “The last few weeks we’ve been a little bit off of where I think we should be, but we’re working hard to get back to where we need to be.”

A total of 134 late models attempted qualifying runs in 2010 and a similar field is expected. Just don’t expect any of the Prelude to the Dream drivers to be among them, including Eldora owner Tony Stewart. He’ll be racing his sprint car this weekend at another track.

“You can never pick a winner for here,” Stewart said of the all-star power the Dream draws. “There are so many good cars it’s hard to even pick who’s going to make the A-Main.”

Scott Bloomquist holds the Dream record for most wins at five and is tied with Jimmy Owens for consecutive A-Main feature starts at seven.

Owens and Bloomquist are 1-2, respectively, in the Lucas Oil series standings. Rick Eckert leads Josh Richards in World of Outlaws points, and Jon Henry is out front of Jeep Van Wormer in the Sunoco American late model standings.

“These guys are top of the game,” said Prelude to the Dream winner Clint Bowyer, who also owns the cars driven by Dale McDowell and Jared Landers. “You gotta understand they’re the best at what they do. They are the Cup Series of the dirt late model world.”

There may come a day when the Prelude drivers other than Stewart attempt to qualify for the Dream. Today isn’t it.

“I think right now the state of dirt racing is so advanced, the drivers are so good it would take me a few races to be back on my game,” Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards said. “These guys are so good.”