Hartman won the 39th World 100 title in front of about 23,000 spectators to pocket the $42,000 winner’s check.
“I don’t dislike the place by any means,” said the 40-year-old driver from Zanesville. “It’s a very special facility but we’ve just never run well. Hopefully this turns things around.”
Hartman — who skipped the World 100 last year to build the car he won with Saturday — got past 2007 World winner Jimmy Owens on lap 20 and was rarely challenged in the 100-lap race on Eldora’s high-banked, half-mile track.
Runner-up Brian Birkhofer, the 2002 World winner, gave chase but seldom reached Hartman’s back bumper.
“I started racing when I was 20 but we just never put a big emphasis on this (track),” said Hartman, whose dad Butch, a five-time USAC stock car champion, also saw seat time at Eldora.
Besides outlasting a field of 172 cars over two days of qualifying and racing, Hartman also battled a headache and blurred vision that came on during his heat race.
“I was determined to run as many laps as I could but I didn’t know how long I could go,” Hartman said. “Then I thought, ‘Man, I’m leading the World 100!’ So we stayed out there and did the best we could.”
Hot laps
• Wisconsin’s Dan Schlieper topped qualifying on Friday but finished last in the World with engine problems.
• Tennessee’s Scott Bloomquist — a fan favorite both to cheer and jeer — finished 8th after starting 21st.
• Six drivers — pole-sitter Jared Landers (4th), Austin Hubbard (19th), Eric Wells (20th), John Blankenship (21st), Tim Fuller (25th) and Terry Casey (26th) made their first World 100 starts.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2400, ext. 6991 or gbilling@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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